Please help - Brake fluid

[Alan Surrey]

Can anyone tell me what brake fluid I should use in my 2008 QPV?
To my horror a dashboard warning light came up yesterday - and my car does not habitually flash warning lights at me. It said something like "Brake fluid level low. Do not proceed." All very alarming. And sure enough, when I opened the bonnet to look, the brake fluid was indeed well down in the reservoir. However it was still covering the exit pipe nicely and I could see no signs of fluid leaking around the reservoir, brake callipers or anywhere else under the car, so I drove it home quietly, avoiding heavy pressure on the brake pedal.
All is well at the moment, but I dare not drive it again until I have topped up the fluid. The manual says to use DOT4. The sticker under the bonnet says to use Shell Donax UB ultra, but I have not been able to find it in a quick Google search. Perhaps it has been discontinued. Can anyone tell me what to buy and use? I would ideally go out and buy it today, top the car up and I could be driving it again tonight.
This episode is the more alarming because it is over 30 years since I have needed to top up brake fluid in any car I have owned. Any suggestions? Could this be down to brake pad wear? The car had its MOT this month, so I am puzzled.

 

[philw696]

Dot 4 will be fine.
Where has the fluid gone is the question ?
Are the discs and pads worn.
I hope the master cylinder isn't leaking as not a nice job.
Have a look around the brake pedal to check.

 

[2b1ask1]

DOT 4 is general purpose and would probably be fine but you might just as well put DOT 5.1 in as it has a higher boiling point but is fully compatible.

Do not however put DOT 5.0 in as this is not.

 

[StuartW]

Check your calipers too & look to make sure your seals where the pipes connect to the back of the calipers are dry

 

[Gazcw]

I used castrol react recently.

 

[midlifecrisis]

I used castrol react recently.

Is that stuff any better than the back of Zep's Stradale?

 

[Gazcw]

Is that stuff any better than the back of Zep's Stradale?

That's what saved it!

 

[rs48635]

Alan
Keep calm and carry on. If you do top up fluid only add enough to extinguish the warning lamp.
Any oily stains where you regularly park? If you are competent, then whip off the wheels and check

• for any obvious leak - rubber flex-hoses OR unions being the obvious places
• check how much pad life remains. If all the pads are due replacement then low fluid "might be normal"
• If your pads have plenty of life and you cannot see any leak best get it to a garage. Might be a hidden leak.

 

[Gazcw]

 

[Gazcw]

Alan
Keep calm and carry on. If you do top up fluid only add enough to extinguish the warning lamp.
Any oily stains where you regularly park? If you are competent, then whip off the wheels and check

• for any obvious leak - rubber flex-hoses OR unions being the obvious places
• check how much pad life remains. If all the pads are due replacement then low fluid "might be normal"
• If your pads have plenty of life and you cannot see any leak best get it to a garage. Might be a hidden leak.

Does this work with brakes?

 

[Alan Surrey]

Thank you all for your responses. Very much appreciated.
The message I have taken is "It doesn't matter which company manufactures the brake fluid as long as it is DOT4 or 5.1" So I have stopped looking for the latest premium Shell DOT 4 liquid.
It is almost 8pm now - just back after a day fixing things for my mother in law a couple of hours away in Kent. Travelled in the other car. Maserati stayed on the drive, looking slightly sheepish. So tomorrow I shall be off to the motor factors asking for their stock DOT 4 brake fluid.

Extra thanks to Phil, Stewart and Rob, all of whom went the extra mile by providing welcome and timely advice on where to check for leaks - I have been slightly haunted by the thought of a leak since the moment I realised the level was genuinely low.
I'll buy a decent jack, a couple of axle stands and get under there. It'll be like it used to be all those years ago with the TVR (see avatar.)
I have already looked for tell tale marks on the ground where I park it and found no sign of a leak there. The break pedal seems ok too, but I will check it thoroughly in the morning Phil - thanks.

One more question, if you would.... Once I have the wheels off and have sight of the brake pads, how thick would new ones be? and what would you regard as the "ready for replacement" thickness? I will not be doing any track days in the foreseeable future and I avoid heavy breaking from 100mph and that sort of thing. (Perhaps you need to know something of my current driving style to assess the "ready for replacement" thickness" - I hope these notes help.

 

[Zep]

Thank you all for your responses. Very much appreciated.
The message I have taken is "It doesn't matter which company manufactures the brake fluid as long as it is DOT4 or 5.1" So I have stopped looking for the latest premium Shell DOT 4 liquid.
It is almost 8pm now - just back after a day fixing things for my mother in law a couple of hours away in Kent. Travelled in the other car. Maserati stayed on the drive, looking slightly sheepish. So tomorrow I shall be off to the motor factors asking for their stock DOT 4 brake fluid.

Extra thanks to Phil, Stewart and Rob, all of whom went the extra mile by providing welcome and timely advice on where to check for leaks - I have been slightly haunted by the thought of a leak since the moment I realised the level was genuinely low.
I'll buy a decent jack, a couple of axle stands and get under there. It'll be like it used to be all those years ago with the TVR (see avatar.)
I have already looked for tell tale marks on the ground where I park it and found no sign of a leak there. The break pedal seems ok too, but I will check it thoroughly in the morning Phil - thanks.

One more question, if you would.... Once I have the wheels off and have sight of the brake pads, how thick would new ones be? and what would you regard as the "ready for replacement" thickness? I will not be doing any track days in the foreseeable future and I avoid heavy breaking from 100mph and that sort of thing. (Perhaps you need to know something of my current driving style to assess the "ready for replacement" thickness" - I hope these notes help.

Brake pads are made up of two parts, the friction material and the backing plate. The backing plate is larger that the friction material and looking into the caliper you will be able to see which is which.



The best way to judge the wear is the thickness of the friction material, they are around 6mm thick new, and almost invisible when worn. This is what new pads look like:



When the bit between the disc and the backing plate is narrow, they need replacement.

 

[Scaf]

Alan - personally I would nip the car to a local drive on tyre / brake place - let them inspect and tell you whats what in terms of leaks and wear.
Then you can decide how to proceed.

 

[Zep]

Alan - personally I would nip the car to a local drive on tyre / brake place - let them inspect and tell you whats what in terms of leaks and wear.
Then you can decide how to proceed.

Also this!

 

[Alan Surrey]

Zep. Thanks for the photos. Just what I needed.
Scaf. Good idea. Might well end up doing this.

 

[bigbob]

Brake pads are made up of two parts, the friction material and the backing plate. The backing plate is larger that the friction material and looking into the caliper you will be able to see which is which.

View attachment 86579

The best way to judge the wear is the thickness of the friction material, they are around 6mm thick new, and almost invisible when worn. This is what new pads look like:

View attachment 86580

When the bit between the disc and the backing plate is narrow, they need replacement.

I thought pads - ex backing plate - were about 12-15mm front and 8-10mm rear when new depending on brand?

 

[Zep]

I thought pads - ex backing plate - were about 12-15mm front and 8-10mm rear when new depending on brand?

You are right. Just use the pictures!

 

[bigbob]

You are right. Just use the pictures!

I bought one of those fancy pad thickness measurement devices a while back. At home it is easy to measure thickness on the external face but not easy on the internal face of the disc. Should have built an inspection pit.

 

[Alan Surrey]

What do you think?
Would it be a mistake to buy one of these "Auto Express best buy" £40 trolley jacks from Halfords? I don't plan to be under the car every weekend and am hoping to be an occasional user only. But I don't trust my old bottle jack under the weighty Maserati, so I will need something.

Axle Stands & Trolley Jacks | Halfords UK

Work safely under your car knowing that it’s being supported by our axle stands, with 2 & 3 tonne options available. Essential for the home mechanic.

www.halfords.com

 

[bigbob]

What do you think?
Would it be a mistake to buy one of these "Auto Express best buy" £40 trolley jacks from Halfords? I don't plan to be under the car every weekend and am hoping to be an occasional user only. But I don't trust my old bottle jack under the weighty Maserati, so I will need something.

Axle Stands & Trolley Jacks | Halfords UK

Work safely under your car knowing that it’s being supported by our axle stands, with 2 & 3 tonne options available. Essential for the home mechanic.

www.halfords.com

View attachment 86583

No harm in buying them but I'm a great believer in the division of labour and sub contracting the situation to someone who knows 10% more than you do on any given problem.