What brake fluid to use?

[cladoo]

What brake fluid should I be using? My manual('96KTM300EXC) says to useDOT 5.1 but, on the master cylinder it says to useDOT 3:5. What gives?

 

[grass-digger]

go in the middle use dot4 thats what i run but dot5.1 would probly be better :)

 

[MrLuckey]

Thats weird. You really need to figure out somehow whats in there because you don't want to mix Dot 5.0 with anything else.

<Edit>

If it was me and I couldn't figure out what it was really supposed to have, I would empty it out, flush it really good and go with Dot 4.

 

[los36]

Here's a very good explanation of the different kinds of brake fluid -> Bel-Ray

 

[70 marlin]

I like valvoline dot 3 & 4 combo

 

[dirt bike dave]

DOT 5.1 fluids WILL mix with DOT 3 and Dot 4. It it DOT 5.0 that is silicon based and will not mix.

An excellent brake fluid with a high boiling temp that is compatible with Dot 3, 4 and 5.1 fluids is Motul 600.

 

[los36]

on the master cylinder it says to useDOT 3:5

What the Q&A article on the Bel-Ray site says is kinda confusing, but this is what they mean:

If your brakes are Brembo (european, pretty sure KTM's still use brembo), then when the master cylinder say," use Dot 3:5" (3 thru 5), that means 3,4 and 5.1.
In Europe, American "Dot 5" (silicon) is not recognized, so they refer to Dot 5.1 as Dot 5 for short.
Your manual is specially printed for the US version of the bike so it specifies Dot 5.1. The bike parts are universal though, and are printed international style.
Hope this helps!

 

[MrLuckey]

Doh! My bad, 5.0/5.1
DBD is correct on the 5.0/5.1 thing in that they are listed as compatible but I don't know of many people or manufacturers that actually suggest mixing them. Most manufacturers don't even recommend mixing different brands of the same rating. Could be to sell more fluid but its cheap and easy to drain, flush, put in fluid from a new sealed container and then bleed them.

 

[cladoo]

Thanks, I think I will stick with 5.1.