here's one for everyone...i recently did a brake fluid flush for the brakes and the clutch...i put in dot 5 silicone brake fluid for everything, i completely bleed it out several times and made sure that everything of the old dot 4 was out of there...here's my problem, i just read a couple articles saying that dot 5 and 4 should never be mixed, which makes sense, hence the intensive bleeding effort that i performed...the other part of it said that it might damage the seals in the brakes and master cylinder...personally, i think its bs about the damaging seals because i don't see how silicone can damage rubber seals any faster than normal wear...i could use a little help with this situation, because if it is true then i will be running to change out the fluid again

I don't know much about brake fluid but I can tell you that I read a post last year about the various ratings of brake fluid and one guy reported that DOT-5 works but that it leaks. I don't know if the fluid damaged his seals and that caused it to leak or if DOT 5 just seeps out for some other reason. I would change to DOT 4 or a fluid rated "DOT 3 and 4". You won't have to worry about it and you will be in line for the cleanest brake fluid award.

DOT 5 is thinner, or has less viscosity, than DOT 3 or 4. If your brake system has zero manufacturing defect's, I.E. no nicks or even minor scratches. Or even minor warping at the seals, DOT 5 will work great. But if you do have any defects DOT 5 will leak out. You'll know if it happens because after sitting overnight, you'll grab for the brakes and the lever will travel farther than it should. If you plan to run DOT 5 I'd STRONGLY recommend you pump you brake before you start riding. You don't want to be going down the road and not have brakes!!! Do this at least for a few weeks. Or at least until your satisfied you have ZERO leaks.

i think i'm gonna try that out, run it for a couple weeks and see what happens, if they start to let loose then its back to the dot 4, i'm just more concerned about that stuff eating away at the seals, when i first got it i noticed that it has the same smell and look as skydrol, the hydraulic fluid used in planes, and knowing skydrol, that stuff eats away at the soles of ur boots lol, let alone the burn when u get it in ur eyes lol, thnx for the advice i'll def keep an eye on it, most likely i will go back to the original stuff when i go to change the lines out

well, u guys are right about dot 5, after about a day and half of use, that stuff started turning soft on me as i was heading home tonight, looks like its gonna be back to the old stuff, 40 bucks for 2 cans of dot 5 for nothing lol, now the only problem is, how the hell am i gonna flush out that stuff good enough to not contaminate the new dot 4 lol, cause apparently the two kinda not mix and when they come together, they create this nice jello lol, wonder if i can flush the system by pouring rubbing alcohol in the reservoirs and do the bleed procedure like that till its clean

* Last updated by: rcflyer1388 on 9/1/2009 @ 1:21 AM *

Well, damn the bad luck!!!

I would think if you just empty your reservoirs and re-fill them with DOT 4. Then bleed the lines out a couple of times you'd be good. Maybe a week or so later do it again. Any DOT 5 left in the system should rise up into the reservoir with it being lighter. Should??? separate like oil and water.

Take a bleeder at the bottom and open it up. Just keep pumping and watch the fluid drop. let it drop enough you do not have any fluid in the res. Now slowly fill the res and keep pumping. Pump till you see the colors change and dare you go.

But I would do this. Since you have the Dot5 in there, I would remove the calipers. Push the pads back in both sides. Go pump that lever and man, WOT a difference you have no fear is some nice pedal happening now on the final air bleed.

Trick me is trick you finding out something by accident does it work? I've had it happen twice on the fill. So, what I am saying is if you have a soft pedal after a flush or any kind of brake work, I would push the pistons; back flush that sucker!

No leaks and I have a pedal, I'd keep the 5 in and just watch the color turn faster than normal. Don't start in with compressing a fluid and you say there is no pedal you change the compression of a liquid with the same oil?

* Last updated by: Hub on 9/1/2009 @ 8:39 AM *

yea i guess ill do that, just pump it out with the dot 4, I'd leave it in there but it's just taking too much effort than expected to make it work good, lol, i'd rather put back the dot 4 and not worry at all for several thousand miles

well, after gettin pissed off with the dot 5, i flushed it out as best as i can with dot 4 and nows its good for now, in about a week or so imma do another flush with the remaining dot 5 i figure that is gonna work off the seals and components and then i should be home free with that, at least until i have to change the rubber parts in the entire brake/clutch system

Unless Kawasaki has changed the properties of the seals they use in their brake systems you should be fine. I have used Bel Ray DOT 5 fluid in my 1984 ZX750E since 85 or 86. Has never leaked down. I also used it in the 14, I liked the purple color shining through the stock reservoirs, for probably 6 months. When I switched to my billet reservoirs I switched back to DOT 4. When I switched back I did just like I told you. No problems at all. In fact sitting here thinking about it I still have the DOT 5 in the rear brake. Never got off my ass to bleed it back out. Again, no problems.

yea, that was one of the reasons i wanted to use it, cause of the purple color lol, goes nice with the black color of the bike

yea, that was one of the reasons I wanted to use it, cause of the purple color lol, goes nice with the black color of the bike

Did mine for the exact same reason. Looked really good on my 06 black bike. I didn't stick with the DOT 5 when I installed my billet reservoirs because, # 1 the cost. And #2 my dealer was out. Would have had to wait at least a week to get it. NAPA had all the cheaper DOT 4 I could want sitting on the shelf, LOL!! I can not feel any difference at the lever.

Kewl link:

brake fluid comparison chart

If you want the properties for heat resistance, what you should have used was dot 5.1. That CAN be mixed with 3/4. and shouldn't harm the seals.

5.1 might need more frequent bleeding as it may absorb moisture quicker, but other than that....

Now that's a sweet reservoir!

Now that's a sweet reservoir!

I hear Grn14 has them on all his bikes.

WA-wa- waaaaaaaaah

Harsh, Dogo. Witty but harsh.

* Last updated by: Rook on 6/13/2016 @ 2:05 PM *

Harsh, Dogo.

Too soon?

No, the timing was right on. Just a bit of a low blow, that's all.

Insensitive, absolutely... Offensive, maybe... Low blow, not even close.

I was trying not be an ass at you for being an ass!