User Tag List

+ Reply to Thread
Results 1 to 7 of 7

Thread: Hot brake / clutch fluid question

  1. #1
    Mechanic beeRS's Avatar

    My 1st Project
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Location
    Chelmsford
    Age
    52
    Posts
    773
    Thanks
    114
    Thanked 76 Times in 66 Posts

    Hot brake / clutch fluid question

    Hello all,

    How important is it to keep brake and clutch fluid reservoirs cool?

    I'm struggling to find a decent location for my three remote fluid reservoirs. No matter what I try, I can't avoid the clutch reservoir sitting right above the exhaust down pipe - about 5" away. If the fluid heats up here how bad can it be? Or are the temperatures comparable with how hot it would get in the calliper anyway? Maybe I'm worrying about nothing. Any thoughts from you seasoned experts would be appreciated .

  2. #2
    Racer Decade Plus User rallyrob's Avatar

    Join Date
    Apr 2010
    Location
    Middlesex
    Age
    55
    Posts
    2,656
    Thanks
    267
    Thanked 221 Times in 208 Posts

    Re: Hot brake / clutch fluid question

    Is it not possible to put some sort of little heat shield round them if need be...
    Or wrap the down pipe which can make a big difference to under bonnet temperatures in general, it did on mine years ago anyway...
    Last edited by rallyrob; 29-05-2019 at 12:13.

  3. #3
    Mechanic beeRS's Avatar

    My 1st Project
    Join Date
    Apr 2007
    Location
    Chelmsford
    Age
    52
    Posts
    773
    Thanks
    114
    Thanked 76 Times in 66 Posts

    Re: Hot brake / clutch fluid question

    That's a good idea rallyrob. I was going to get my manifold ceramic coated, so maybe the down pipe too. I'm not sure if ceramic coat is as good a heat insulator as wrap. I know wrap would be a lot cheaper though. Still, there'd be quite a bit of heat reaching the reservoir, I guess, as its so close.

    I'm thinking; the fluid probably won't get to more than 250 degree C+? That's what it would take to boil it. How hot can it be 5" away from a turbo down pipe?

  4. #4
    Racer Decade Plus User Forest_rallying's Avatar

    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Location
    Derbyshire
    Posts
    2,438
    Thanks
    92
    Thanked 393 Times in 348 Posts

    Re: Hot brake / clutch fluid question

    I would go for ceramic coating if your budget allows instead of that awfull wrap stuff that does the metal in the pipe no good whatsoever. Ceramic coating and a heat shield around the reservior and you'll have no problems at all.

  5. #5
    TURBOSPORT SPONSOR Turbosport Subscriber
    Turbosport Moderator
    Turbosport Administrator
    Graham's Avatar
    My Race Car
    My 1st Project
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    Ely, Cambs
    Age
    56
    Posts
    25,110
    Thanks
    310
    Thanked 2,476 Times in 2,250 Posts

    Re: Hot brake / clutch fluid question

    if you want the bargain basement fix, go down you local plumbers merchant and get a heat matt for use with a blow lamp, you can use it to shield the hydraulics, plumbers use them when soldering pipes close to walls etc, if they can stand a propane flame directly on them they will cope with heat off an exhaust.

    my e30 race car has one wrapped around the oil cooler pipes to shield them from the exhaust manifold, despite being only an inch away from the exhaust its done a great job.

  6. #6
    Racer Decade Plus User wildo105e's Avatar

    My 1st Project
    My 2nd Project
    Join Date
    Oct 2006
    Location
    Manchester
    Age
    53
    Posts
    3,150
    Thanks
    131
    Thanked 237 Times in 230 Posts

    Re: Hot brake / clutch fluid question

    i have my fluid pots on the passenger side of both my cars with no issue. If you have them at a decent height they flow fluid to the MC no problem, i actually think the feed pipes go below the MC height at some point but gravity does it work.

    I may stand corrected but how much fluid will get from the pot and end up in the caliper when pressing the pedal there is very little movement of fluid in the system as far as i can tell you only need to push the caliper pistons very slightly for them to work. I would imagine you are more likely to get boiling fluid from the the disk heat if used very hard.

    Did touring cars used to have water cooled brakes ??

  7. #7
    TURBOSPORT SPONSOR Turbosport Subscriber
    Turbosport Moderator
    Turbosport Administrator
    Graham's Avatar
    My Race Car
    My 1st Project
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    Ely, Cambs
    Age
    56
    Posts
    25,110
    Thanks
    310
    Thanked 2,476 Times in 2,250 Posts

    Re: Hot brake / clutch fluid question

    Quote Originally Posted by wildo105e View Post
    i have my fluid pots on the passenger side of both my cars with no issue. If you have them at a decent height they flow fluid to the MC no problem, i actually think the feed pipes go below the MC height at some point but gravity does it work.

    I may stand corrected but how much fluid will get from the pot and end up in the caliper when pressing the pedal there is very little movement of fluid in the system as far as i can tell you only need to push the caliper pistons very slightly for them to work. I would imagine you are more likely to get boiling fluid from the the disk heat if used very hard.

    Did touring cars used to have water cooled brakes ??
    your correct on both counts, the amount of fluid moved to work the brakes is very small, and yes touring cars used to (still might i dont know) use water cooled calipers

+ Reply to Thread

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts