Am I ok with Prestone synth DOT4?
#1
Am I ok with Prestone synth DOT4?
My 542rwhp C6 Z06 has the stock brake system with Hawk HPS pads. Last weekend I flushed my brake fluid and put in fresh Prestone Synthetic DOT4.
I plan on doing a HPDE at EagleCanyon in Texas in a few weeks. I will run in the Novice class with my street Bridgestone tires. This is my second HPDE event but the first on a faster track like EagleCanyon (2.5 miles; 2000ft straight). I plan on a maximum of 5 laps before I come in for a cool down.
Am I ok with the Prestone fluid or should I go to something better? I am not sure if my Hawk HPS pads and Bridgestone tires are capable of a performance level to boil my fluid. I know I am not going to be capable of driving my car to 100% but I plan on pushing it as much as I can.
I appreciate any advice on my fluid situation.
Thanks!
I plan on doing a HPDE at EagleCanyon in Texas in a few weeks. I will run in the Novice class with my street Bridgestone tires. This is my second HPDE event but the first on a faster track like EagleCanyon (2.5 miles; 2000ft straight). I plan on a maximum of 5 laps before I come in for a cool down.
Am I ok with the Prestone fluid or should I go to something better? I am not sure if my Hawk HPS pads and Bridgestone tires are capable of a performance level to boil my fluid. I know I am not going to be capable of driving my car to 100% but I plan on pushing it as much as I can.
I appreciate any advice on my fluid situation.
Thanks!
#2
Race Director
I think you'll be fine with the Prestone DOT 4. It's definitely not up there with Castrol SRF or Motul RBF 600, but it's got a respectable 510° dry boiling point, so your fresh fluid should give you good service for a couple track days.
HOWEVER....tires stop the car!!
What tires will you be running??
What I'd be most concerned about are the HPS pads.
If they're street tires, you'll probably be okay with the HPS, but they're a street pad and can be easily overtemped and glazed on the track - especially with any tire stickier than a street tire.
I don't think you'll boil the Prestone DOT 4, which would give you a soft brake pedal and no brakes.
But, if you heat the HPS pads up over their operating range they'll glaze, and even though you have a firm pedal the brakes just won't stop you effectively.
Bottom line - there's no pad that works great for both the street and the track. The HP Plus would probably come the closest to being a street/track pad, as long as you're just running a street tire.
Bob
HOWEVER....tires stop the car!!
What tires will you be running??
What I'd be most concerned about are the HPS pads.
If they're street tires, you'll probably be okay with the HPS, but they're a street pad and can be easily overtemped and glazed on the track - especially with any tire stickier than a street tire.
I don't think you'll boil the Prestone DOT 4, which would give you a soft brake pedal and no brakes.
But, if you heat the HPS pads up over their operating range they'll glaze, and even though you have a firm pedal the brakes just won't stop you effectively.
Bottom line - there's no pad that works great for both the street and the track. The HP Plus would probably come the closest to being a street/track pad, as long as you're just running a street tire.
Bob
#3
Thanks for the information. I am going to run my Bridgestone RE050a tires. These are my only tires, my normal street tires. Since this is only my second HPDE (after having the car for 3 years), I didn't want to spend a lot of money on race tires and a second set of brake pads until I decide that I will actually participate in these events often enough and that I can drive the car decently enough to warrant the effort. After thinking this through, I will go out there and just try to drive smoothly and spirited and learn the track without attempting to beat any records.
#5
Burning Brakes
BEZ06,
Have you tried Endless brake pads??? These work extremely well for both street and track. They are expensive but you get what you pay for. The Endless pads I use are ME20's and their brake fluid RF650 is better than Motul and is supposed be safer for your rubber seals than SRF.
I boiled Motul the very first day I went out and made a mess. Never going back to it.
Have you tried Endless brake pads??? These work extremely well for both street and track. They are expensive but you get what you pay for. The Endless pads I use are ME20's and their brake fluid RF650 is better than Motul and is supposed be safer for your rubber seals than SRF.
I boiled Motul the very first day I went out and made a mess. Never going back to it.
#6
BEZ06,
Have you tried Endless brake pads??? These work extremely well for both street and track. They are expensive but you get what you pay for. The Endless pads I use are ME20's and their brake fluid RF650 is better than Motul and is supposed be safer for your rubber seals than SRF.
I boiled Motul the very first day I went out and made a mess. Never going back to it.
Have you tried Endless brake pads??? These work extremely well for both street and track. They are expensive but you get what you pay for. The Endless pads I use are ME20's and their brake fluid RF650 is better than Motul and is supposed be safer for your rubber seals than SRF.
I boiled Motul the very first day I went out and made a mess. Never going back to it.
#7
Tech Contributor
BEZ06,
Have you tried Endless brake pads??? These work extremely well for both street and track. They are expensive but you get what you pay for. The Endless pads I use are ME20's and their brake fluid RF650 is better than Motul and is supposed be safer for your rubber seals than SRF.
I boiled Motul the very first day I went out and made a mess. Never going back to it.
Have you tried Endless brake pads??? These work extremely well for both street and track. They are expensive but you get what you pay for. The Endless pads I use are ME20's and their brake fluid RF650 is better than Motul and is supposed be safer for your rubber seals than SRF.
I boiled Motul the very first day I went out and made a mess. Never going back to it.
A search will provide a wealth of contradictory information
#8
Tech Contributor
#9
Burning Brakes
Ooops. I did not realize they didn't make pads for the stock Z06 caliper. I am running Stoptechs on my car.
But this guy found an ingenius way of water cutting an Endless pad for his stock calipers.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/auto...or-z06-c6.html
But this guy found an ingenius way of water cutting an Endless pad for his stock calipers.
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/auto...or-z06-c6.html
#10
Racer
Member Since: Jun 2005
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I ran Hawk HPS pads with ATE Super Blue and Michelin PSCs in the Green Group at VIR and had no issues with the pads or fluid. I ran the full sessions without coming in for cool downs (though I did get stuck behind a number of slower cars at times.) I think you'll be fine.
Last edited by dmyers; 10-21-2013 at 08:29 PM.