Datsun Roadster Forum-311s.org

It will be some time before the body and mechanical on my car are done. The frame is complete for the most part.

I have not put the brakes on as yet. I have also not decided whether to use silicone fluid. I would like to load up the calipers and cylinders and wonder if they will be fine sitting for an extended period assembled but without fluid in them?

Anyone have any experience with this. Web search did not turn up anything with the terms I put in.

If you use brake cylinder grease liberally and don’t add fluid I would think you would be ok for a few months anyway.

notoptoy wrote: ↑Wed Jul 03, 2019 6:17 pm If you use brake cylinder grease liberally and don’t add fluid I would think you would be ok for a few months anyway.

After posting this I thought about how you buy cylinders that may have been sitting for months or longer on a shelf and they are fine. Now silicone or not?

Okay, just read a ton of stuff on silicone fluid. I think I'll stick with the regular stuff and make a bib for the car. Anyone using silicone in your car?

Curtis wrote: ↑Wed Jul 03, 2019 5:48 pm It will be some time before the body and mechanical on my car are done. The frame is complete for the most part.

I have not put the brakes on as yet. I have also not decided whether to use silicone fluid. I would like to load up the calipers and cylinders and wonder if they will be fine sitting for an extended period assembled but without fluid in them?

Anyone have any experience with this. Web search did not turn up anything with the terms I put in.

I bought a set of cylinders in 1972 and never used them. they sat on the floor behind the seat of a parts car in a barn for thirty years. They got rusted on the inside beyond use. There was slight rust outside.

Ya, that's a bit long....

The biggest issue for storage will be getting surface rust on the internal machined bores. Lots of brake assembly fluid and sealing the connections with those little red plastic cap dealies might work. DOT3 is hydroscopic so that is a poor storage liquid. Back in the day when I worked on the parts counter, we sold calipers in boxes with an inch of dust on them.

I used to use DOT4 but on the advice of others, I switched back to DOT3. I bleed the Roadster brakes every couple of years anyway.

Talked to Ross and he told me they've been using silicone for 15 years without problems.

I'm trying to keep the dust off them. Bought it all from a guy who had them on the car for maybe 200 miles and then switched to upgraded brakes. Gone is the blue paint.

Curtis wrote: ↑Thu Jul 04, 2019 11:01 am Talked to Ross and he told me they've been using silicone for 15 years without problems.

With no disrespect to Ross, some owners may prefer to deal with annual brake bleeding and paint peeling from the odd spill of DOT 3/4.

Jon

jhayden wrote: ↑Thu Jul 04, 2019 7:02 pm

Curtis wrote: ↑Thu Jul 04, 2019 11:01 am Talked to Ross and he told me they've been using silicone for 15 years without problems.

With no disrespect to Ross, some owners may prefer to deal with annual brake bleeding and paint peeling from the odd spill of DOT 3/4.

Jon

The paint peeling on a new restoration is a concern to me. The annual is okay.

We have been using silicone in all our restorations with no issues. I flush it out at the start of every driving season as part of our normal maintenance procedures.

Michael

spriso wrote: ↑Thu Jul 04, 2019 11:17 pm We have been using silicone in all our restorations with no issues. I flush it out at the start of every driving season as part of our normal maintenance procedures.

Michael

Thanks. BTW, I have teardrop bases sitting here for you.

So just to be clear, the difference between standard brake fluid and silicone brake fluid is that standard fluid absorbs any moisture that get in the lines. The silicone fluid does not absorb moisture and also has a lower specific gravity than water. Any moisture in a silicone system accumulates at the low spots. Both have advantages/disadvantages and different maintenance considerations.

Curtis-do you have a vacuum bagger? No air, no rust......
Dan