Reddit mentions: The best brake fluids

How about some stuff other than bling like a Group N pitch rod: https://www.subarugenuineparts.com/product_info.php?products_id=1477

Or perhaps some nice Sankei 555 ball joints: http://www.42autosports.com/Sankei-555-Front-Ball-Joints--Subaru_p_258.html

A set of fender braces: http://www.paranoidfabrications.com/shop/2008-super-sweet-cowl-stays-aka-fender-braces/

Crazy idea here but an extended timing belt guide: http://www.rallysportdirect.com/shop/product/tom-191263-tomei-timing-belt-guide?ymm=2003-subaru-impreza-wrx-2-0

Some hella sweet DOT4 brake fluid: http://www.amazon.com/ATE-706202-Original-Brake-Fluid/dp/B003VXRPL0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1449629716&sr=8-1&keywords=ate+type+200+brake+fluid

Waterless coolant: http://www.amazon.com/Evans-Cooling-Systems-EC53001-Performance/dp/B00TPVI2TQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1449629782&sr=8-1&keywords=Waterless+coolant

I can go on. I guess the point I'm making is a person could buy a car girl or guy something for under 60 dollars that could make their vehicle better. Not hating on the coasters or tie or cups, different people like different things. I'd just rather spend my money on gifts to my close car friends that will make their driving experiences and cars better than give them a Subaru pint glass.

Edit: words

What year and how many miles? For brake pads I use Hawk HPS and use ATE BLUE brake fluid:

• https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000COCNEA/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
  
  
• https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000CO665W/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
  
  
• https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003VXRPL0/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o05_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1
  
  For the clutch I've got the Science of Speed sport 400 (capable of 400ft/lbs torque) and an 11 lb Comp Clutch flywheel. If you're not making a ton of power the SoS comp 300 would be ideal.
  
  
• https://www.scienceofspeed.com/index.php/s2000/dpp/clutch-flywheel/scienceofspeed-sport-400-hybrid-clutch-kit-s2000-2000-09.html
  
  
• http://competitionclutch.com/base/products/flywheels/
  
  You'll also want to replace your thrust and throwout bearings and have your stock flywheel resurfaced if you are leaving it stock. I've got continental tires front and back (on stock style 1 AP2 wheels).
  
  
• https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B014SLGEBA/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
  
  
• https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00E5AKV4Q/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
  
  
  I love the shit out of them. They grip well and are outstanding in the wet. The pads don't make any noise and the clutch is widely considered to be the most "oem quality" one on the market. You should definitely flush your tranny and diff while you're doing all of this. Honda MT gear oil in the gear box and Amsoil SevereGear 75w110 is my shit. The stuff I posted is marginally more expensive over the ~10%-15% cheaper stuff on eBay so just spend the money and keep it nice. It's worth it in the end.

Changing brake fluid is a good idea IF it needs it. See below for how to test.

Changing transmission fluid according to the schedule is also a good idea.

Changing off-brand wiper blades is so ridiculous that I laughed out loud when I read it. As long as they wipe streak free, who cares what brand they are?

Coolant change according to Honda schedule is also a good idea.

Any shop can replace bulbs--find one with a lower labor rate.

Buy a package of brake fluid test strips and test it. If it needs replacing, THEN have it done at a less expensive shop

http://www.amazon.com/Phoenix-Systems-3003-B-BrakeStrip-Testing/dp/B00E6TXWA6/ref=sr_1_2/188-0948660-2421813?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1452124497&sr=1-2&keywords=fluid+test+strips

They are good! I like them better than the stock. They feel smoother with a little more bite. My brakes overall seem kind of spongy compared to when I got the car. I think it's time to swap in new brake fluid. I'm planning on putting this in when I get time:

https://www.amazon.com/Bosch-ESI6-32N-Brake-Direct-Replacement/dp/B07338GQM8

I def could have waited longer on my front pads. They had a lot of meat left but I figured I'd just go ceramic on all 4. I have no doubt I could have gone well past 100k on them, thanks to my long highway commute I guess.

My rears were low but interestingly 3 of the 4 rear pads had a few mm left. One pad (inner on the driver side) was down to almost nothing. I don't know why this one pad wore so much more. The caliper seemed free to slide but I made sure to grease it up well, will keep an eye on that pad.

Thank you so much for the post reply, I have a manual transmission and the car is at 140,000 but had a 40k mike transmission in it

For the coolant I found this on amazon, this looks like the right type, not sure how much I’ll need

BMW 82141467704 Grey Antifreeze Coolant - 1 Gallon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004QXRA00/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_oty4DbK6CBB1A


For the pump to get the fluids out how does this look?

Slippery Pete Fluid Pump for Quart Bottles - Transfer Gear Oil, Transmission and Differential Fluid with This 5cc Hand Pump (1) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07CX4XKFH/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_vyy4DbB6MA7TC

Here’s the brake fluid?

ATE Brake Fluid DOT 4 SL.6 (2 Liters) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B009SNFBV8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_hAy4DbVXHJYVR


I’m having trouble finding the mtf it3 do you have a link?

Thanks for all the help

For fluid, Motul RBF600: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004LEYJO4/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

That's the best stuff that's reasonably priced that I've found. Most people I've asked about fluid run it as well.

As for pads, I've had good luck with Stoptech Street Performance, but I got them specifically for their inital cold-bite characteristics (since I'm usually on cold brakes). Don't use that link though, I don't think that's the right part number for the Miata.

But mainly the fluid change is the important part. On my FWD rallycross car it completely solved my fade issue (left foot braking for 1/3 of the lap is really hard on front brakes).

Yeah, all i did was some super quick google-fu like i would assume most people would when they are doing research.

If anything, at least he has a handful more options to look at right?

if i had the money i would go with the G-four because at first glance, it seems to play right up there with the Torque. Personally im going to stick to ATE for now and the occasional track day since i can get it near cost

First of all, take the break in period seriously. For the first 1000 miles, Subaru says to try to avoid running it above 3000 rpms. So basically, don't go too fast when you're in higher gears.

Hold off on mods for a little while until you really get a feel for the car and how it drives. Get a baseline and then look into mods if that's your thing. They are badass cars stock from the dealer.

Change the oil frequently, around every 3,500 miles or so, and use good oil. Rotella t6 seems to be the popular and economical choice.

Check your oil level weekly. Subarus have a tendency to burn oil, even when they're new. Subaru is involved in a class action lawsuit over the matter now. Either way, its not unusual to have to add a half quart every now and then.

Keep up on maintenance. Subarus are just as reliable as Hondas and Toyotas, but they tend to be more finicky about maintenance. Try to follow the book. Brake fluid and coolant should definitely be changed every 30,000 miles. I reccommend OEM coolant and ATE brake fluid. Some of the other stuff isn't as necessary (spark plugs every 30k miles is kind of overkill, IMO) but use good judgement and don't be afraid to research.

Easy.
Bosch ESI6. Compatible with DOT3,4 and 5.1. Who cares what you got when this works with pretty much anything right?

https://www.amazon.com/Bosch-ESI6-32N-Brake-Direct-Replacement/dp/B07338GQM8

>minimum specs some fluids exceed these standards by quite a bit

Very true. The "DOT 4" fluid I bought recently actually exceeds even the DOT 5.1 standard by a good margin

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B003VXRPL0/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I’ve used this in the past with my previous car with happy results. ATE 706202 Original TYP 200 Racing Quality DOT 4 Brake Fluid - 1 Liter https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003VXRPL0/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_74AwDb09YAZ9D

This is what you do. Go to Amazon. Get 1 qt of Motul 660. Your pedal should feel a lot stiffer. At least it was on my wife's Scion. Also dropped her 60-0 time from 3.9 to 3.1.

this the stuff?


93% 5 star reviews... im sold i guess... thanks

At about 2.5 years, I changed (myself) the brake fluid in my 2015 Leaf S. They were feeling spongy. The brakes felt more solid and worked better at stopping after fluid replacement. You can buy strips to check the brake fluid and replace when indicated. Here is a short DIY video. In the future, I plan to change it every year when rotating tires. For a DIYer, it only costs a few dollars and no need to check with strips.

Myth #2 Brake fluid never needs to be changed.

>In modern vehicles brake fluid needs service when the copper content is 200 PPM (parts per million) or more. This will renew the additive package of the brake fluid and the protection it offers.

So there could be a sort of things. Remove the cap and release all suction and make sure the rubber is still in good condition. The master cylinder may have an issue but those things are rocks and usually last until a crash. Is the slave cylinder new or stock?

If you haven't flushed it yet then do that first. Doesn't take very long, grab a mighty vac like system and some [brake fluid] (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004LEYJO4/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1)

Can you get your hands on synchromesh fluid? It's expensive to get it from the manufacturer but there are others available. Sadly, I can't think of where you could find it easily internationally. However, 75w90 oil will work but synchromesh usually helps with problems. For the clutch any fresh DOT 4 brake fluid from an unopened container.

I use this for fluid but mine was the "super blue" before they banned the blue color.

http://www.amazon.com/ATE-706202-Original-Brake-Fluid/dp/B003VXRPL0

Hi! I'm most definitely a modest at this. I did three events in 2015, and took a break in 2016 for a house remodel, and hope to do a few events in 2017. My first instructor was apparently a former IMSA driver and car builder, and his weekend track day car was a '09 GTI because "I can fit all my gear in it." I learned a lot from him during a short period of time.

I'm trying out a Just Track It event at Barber Motorsports Park. I've done a couple of BMW CCA Peachtree Chapter events at Road Atlanta and one NASA event at Carolina Motorsports Park.

http://justtrackit.net/2017-calendar/barber-jan-2017/

Fluid is Motul RBF 600. I did my first event on stock fluid and it most certainly boiled. The Motul fluid has done just fine on the following two events. I've bled between each event, and since it was a year since my last event I did a full flush this time. Motul recommends 1 year regardless with this fluid. I found lots of air bubbles... brakes are a life safety issue, do not skimp on brakes.

https://www.amazon.com/Motul-8068HL-Factory-Percent-Synthetic/dp/B004LEYJO4

Brakes are the weakest link on this car. After destroying some EBC Yellowstuff pads (track/street pads do neither well, apparently), I went for broke with some Hawk DTC-60 pads on the front and they survived one event with no issue. They don't make those pads for the rear, so I'm going to try some Hawk HPS 5.0 pads on the rear, after destroying my supply of EBC Yellowstuff pads there (long story there, but I had enough to last two events, one per set).

I'm still on my stock rotors at 29k miles. The fronts obviously have some wear at this point, so will replace those at some point this year. Stock rotors seem to work just fine, so I'll probably stick with those.

I've missed doing this in 2016. This car does so much better on the track than you would ever expect.

Hi, fellow Shadow Blue owner! What is your pad/rotors/fluid combination?

[RBF 600] (https://www.amazon.com/Motul-8068HL-Factory-Percent-Synthetic/dp/B004LEYJO4/ref=pd_sim_263_4?_encoding=UTF8&pd_rd_i=B004LEYJO4&pd_rd_r=KPPARVH7YB9FQB5DQNNB&pd_rd_w=ud8AT&pd_rd_wg=Kn6iE&psc=1&refRID=KPPARVH7YB9FQB5DQNNB) (I recommend unless you are racing)

RBF 660

Is it the lever itself that feels squishy? Can you pull it all the way to the bar? If so, it probably is air in the lines or a leak somewhere.

I should also mention that the u joints on my 2 Honda elements didn't fail until after 200,000 miles. Nothing on either of the two started breaking until after 200,000. Strange that this issue popped up this soon. It doesn't really mean anything though, still the best car I've ever owned.

The only thing that went wrong early is that the rear differential fluid needs to be changed at about your mileage. If you notice a weird vibration while pulling into a parking spot, thats the rear differential fluid needing to be changed. Amazon sells it.

Not really a hard mod, but it can be a little tricky if you've never bled a clutch before. I had never done one prior to the mod, so I grabbed a speed bleeder valve (allows 1 person to do this pretty quickly - it's a one-way valve to make sure no air gets back into the lines when bleeding). I also grabbed some OEM VW brake fluid (yes, I too learned the clutch uses the same fluid and reservoir as the brakes).

BEFORE YOU DO THIS. Try this instead as it's cheaper. Buy some Motul DOT 5.1.

Find the clutch fluid reservoir. Open it up and look at the fluid. It's most likely brown and sludge like when it should be a more golden yellow. Get a turkey baster or some type of syringe and pump that stuff out. Once it's all out, get in your car and pump your clutch around 30 times. Get out and if there's more fluid in the reservoir, suck that liquid out as well. Repeat this procedure until all the liquid is out.

Then pour the 5.1 fluid in. The reason your clutch is getting stuck is because the fluid is boiling over and no longer functional. People recommend DOT-4 but in my experience it still boils over in summer time. I've been using 5.1 ever since and not have had any problems.

The brake fluid alone on Amazon is <$20.00

That’s 4 hours of ASE certified tech labor ($50/Hr.) billed to open a damn bottle and pour it in a reservoir. I could go down the list and calculate everything out but that alone is absurd.

Not to mention “Critical” tire rotation !?

> I wouldn't think the brakes need a flush since they're mildly used

Brake fluid absorbs water. The brake system isn't perfectly sealed, so most air does get in there over time and contaminate the brake fluid. This lowers the boiling point, which is un-good. The corrosion inhibitors in brake fluid also don't last forever and will also lose effectiveness.

While not exposing your brake fluid to high temperatures does increase it's life, it still does start to go bad the moment it's not in a sealed container and exposed to metal. If don't proactively change the brake fluid, you should probably get some brake fluid test strips (measures amount of dissolved copper) and a brake fluid moisture meter.

> Also what's an A/C desiccant bag?

A/C operates by compressing a gas until it turns into a liquid, which also heats it up, cooling the hot liquid down, then piping it into the car and releasing the pressure, causing it to boil and cool down (think those air-in-a-can dusters). Water is corrosive, can freeze and is incompressible, unlike the refrigerant gas. The desiccant absorbs any water in the system, preventing issues. An AC system should always be under pressure, preventing water from getting in, in which case your desiccant would last forever. But, if there is a leak, and the low-side pressure switch doesn't turn off the compressor in time, the low side could go below ambient pressure and draw some air in.

> Could you replace that yourself?

In many (most?) cars, no. You have to completely evacuate the AC system and draw a hard vacuum to recover all the refrigerant, then open the system to get the desiccant bag. Finally you have to draw a vacuum again to get all the air you introduced out, then add the right amount of oil and refrigerant. Some cars might have valves that allow you to isolate the desiccant bag container from the rest of the system so you don't have to evacuate the whole system, but you would still need the same tools to the job (vacuum pump, container to store the old refrigerant, new refrigerant, etc), just a smaller scale.
While tesla says it's "replacing the desiccant bag", that typically really means doing a complete AC service, kind of like how "changing you oil" means both changing both the oil and oil filter.

AC is important to cool to the battery, something people often forget, yet there is no other scheduled AC maintenance or anything like "check AC pressures". If I were to guess, I'd say Tesla really just wants to get into to AC system and make sure you don't have any leaks, without calling it something scary like "battery overheat protection system service".

Your mechanic is almost certainly wrong. It's the slave cylinder, very common in Miatas.

Any idiot can do it for <$50. I actually just took mine off yesterday to regrease the pushrod (chirp, chirp). The first time I did this, it was on an NA with no jack in about 30 minutes. It's 2 bolts and wrestling with the stupid clutch hardline. (For the more mechanical: replacing that stupid coil assembly with a SS braided line makes life so much easier for many different things.)

Buy a slave, a 10mm FLARE NUT WRENCH for the hydraulic line, and some brake fluid.

Read this: http://www.miata.net/garage/slavecyl.html

If you have no sockets, you'll need to borrow a socket wrench, some extensions, and a short 12mm socket. The top mount bolt can be had easily with lots of extensions, the bottom requires the short socket and perhaps a little torquing from above. The hydraulic fitting will be on there pretty tight, use the right tool (flare nut wrench). Bleed the hell out of the system when you're done, instructions are in the Miata.net link.

95% chance of solving your problem, and worst case: you spent the equivalent of a decent datenight on expanding your personal skills.