Is there any paint that is truly resistant to to brake fluid? I need a paint that won't lift or crinkle if it comes into contact with brake fluid (Dot 3 or Dot 4 fluid). Any suggestions?
Can't use powdercoat in you application? I think it will endure but I can't recomend a paint that will? Good Luck.
A ****ty, 30 year-old, sunburnt, faded paintjob seems to be completely impervious to brake fluid. Any nice paintjob will turn to mush if you so much as say "brake fluid" near it. Shawn
"Any nice paintjob will turn to mush if you so much as say "brake fluid" near it." Lotek_Racing you are so right! I swear that my cars paint will start to crinkle around the master cylinder if I park the car in the garage that has a can of brake fluid sitting on the shelf! Unopened!
How about using silicone brake fluid? Lots of guys don't like it, because it more readily entrains air than regular brake fluid, thus you can have a harder time bleeding the brakes. If you don't get the air out, you'll have a bit of a spongy brake pedal, and you cannot use it with ABS brakes, but the upside is, it does not harm paint, it doesn't absorb moisture from the air as readily, and it has a higher boiling point than regular brake fluid. I have it in my 65 El Camino, my 55 Chevy,and my 30 Model A hot rod...been using it for years with no problems. In fact, I've had it in my 55 since 1988. In 2006, I did an engine swap and a general engine compartment clean up & detail. I purged the brake system and put in new silicone brake fluid just because I thought I should, but after 18 years, the fluid I drained out looked as good as new. Silicone fluid does cost more...Last time I bought it, I got a quart at Napa auto parts, and it cost around $25-$30.
Thanks for the suggestion Craig Owens but I can't use silicone fluid. That is why I said, in the original post, that I was looking for something that would work with Dot 3 or Dot 4 brake fluid. Surely with all the modern formulations there is something the will stand up to brake fluid.
Just out of curiousity, why can't you run Dot 5? It is all I have run for the past 30 years because of the ruining paint problem with regular fluid. Some people say they don't like it but last year when I redid my 27 I drained out the 20 year old Dot 5 and it looked like the day it went in, and the brakes never had any of the sponginess or soft pedal some people claim to have. Don
"Just out of curiousity, why can't you run Dot 5?" I am interested in a brake fluid resistant paint for all my cars but the one I am having real problems with is a vintage race car. The vintage race car needs brakes that work really good under racing conditions. In addition, the brake system is usually refilled with new brake fluid and bled before each race weekend. Trying to keep a race car's engine compartment looking nice is a real chore and the crinkled paint around the master cylinder not only looks like sh*t, it also collects a lot of dirt that is impossible to remove without lifting the paint. I was hoping someone had tried something like POR15 or bed liner paint and found that it solved the problem. If I am going to strip the paint in that area "one more time" I hoping I can paint it with something that would truly solve the problem. I hate "solving" the same problem multiple times!
Gotcha. I wonder how Imron would hold up to it? Reason I ask is we just repainted my Son's transmission that we had used Imron on and even lacquer thinner wouldn't touch it when we were getting it prepped for new paint. Normally lacquer thinner will at least dull paint but the Imron stayed shiny and wasn't affected by it at all. You might call Dupont and ask. Don
I will check out Imron and Epoxy... both good suggestions. I can remember using epoxy paint on some radio controlled models back in the day and as I recall, the epoxy paint withstood the nitro fuel. Obviously the epoxy paint on the model planes wasn't subjected to brake fluid. I haven't had any experience with Imron. I would be interested in hearing from anyone who has feed back on either of these products (or others) in relation to their resistance to Dot 3 or Dot 4 brake fluid.
California has some pretty strict restrictions on what paints you can buy and use there , so you might have to have a friend in another State buy you some of the good stuff. I am only going by what I hear, so that might not be accurate. Don
Yeah, California bans anything that actually works... I have been searching online since I made the OP and it seems that Eastwood has a product that is supposed to withstand DOT 3. I wonder if anyone on the HAMB has used it yet?
Epoxy is pretty chemical resistant, but there are different types of epoxies which have different resistance to different chemicals. The biggest down side to using epoxy on automotive stuff it that, in spite of being a tough finish, it doesn't tolerate sunlight well. No doubt some are going to disagree, but here goes; DOT 5 brake fluid creates as many problems as it solves, so I would go that route. But yes, it doesn't damage paint. I know first hand that automotive grade polyurethane paint(like Imron) is not damaged by brake fluid. I have never done a long term soak, but I doubt even that would effect it.
Dupont and PPG both have a paint that they claim are impervious. With that said, you almost need a level A hazmat suit to apply them. Imron claims to be impervious to anything except aircraft hydraulic fluid, and PPG's offering claims to be impervious to anything including aircraft hydraulic fluid. Not sure you can get either one in Calif, cause I am not sure if Calif has banned them for use in their state. They are available here, so it is worth the suggestion. I do know the Air Force uses Imron to paint the fighter jets. I would start small, apply it correctly, over the correct substrates and then test it first. I had a little wrinkle in my situation, but I got in a hurry and ***embled before complete cure.
Catalyzed Centari seems to be pretty good about not wrinkling when exposed to brake fluid. Non-catalyzed, it's awful. But that's only my experience from 20+ years ago, things might have changed.
Okay I didn't see it asked so it may be a really stupid question but....... Why are you getting brake fluid on the paint in the first place???
I once had a customers' 70 GTO in my shop that had been painted with PPG base coat clear coat stuff. A parts guy dropped of a new brake master cylinder and picked up a core. While he did the paperwork he put the box containing the old master cylinder on the deck lid of the goat. By the time I got there the fluid was running down the desk lid. YIKS! I ran over expecting to see carnage and wondering how I was going to deal with this. I removed the box and took a wet rag and wiped the brake fluid off......no damage. Looks like PPG has some two stage paint that resist brake fluid.
Both are pretty much resistant to any chemical contaminant. But, as said.... You might be able to get them in CA. I've used Imron back when it first came out and it's dangerous stuff.... If you use it be sure your prepared to protect yourself and others... I have a good friend that I painted with for years who did not heed the warnings.... He's now a virtual vegetable from Imron exposure.... He ain't all that old and it didn't take all that long either... Watching him slowly die from the nervous disorders is not a fun thing, so please be carefull when using it.. One thing to note.... No matter what material you use if there is a break in the paint film...deep scratcher or a natural paint edge for example... The chemical contaminant will eventually get under the paint and it will lift and/or wrinkle. All of the polyurethane and epoxy type paints are only chemical resistant from the top down.... If a contaminant gets under the paint it's just a matter of time..... A perfect example is a bike tank... Properly prepared and painted, the gas eventually seeps under the paint at the filler neck and begins to lift the surrounding paint film.
I painted my latest truck in industrial Imron and spilled brake fluid on it several times, (OK, I"m a slob) with no damage to the paint. Once it stayed on the paint for hours before I discovered it. No problem.
A lot of the guys that rebuild carbs use the paint from hobby shops designed for model airplanes. Different situation but might work? Be sure to post if it works or you find something else. Charlie Stephens
How about fixing the damage one more time and applying a paint protective film over the usual damage area? You see it all the time on new cars around rock-chip prone areas, it's transluscent, and Dot 3 comes in plastic bottles, right? Bolt the master cylinder over it. http://www.bloomerplastics.com/products_adhesive.html?gclid=CP-7tOyzka4CFY9W7Aodclz3hw
Thanks for all the replies... Waddayacare, raises a reasonable question as to why I am "leaking brake fluid" in the first case. The answer lies in the fact that this is a vintage race car that I am having the problem with the paint lifting. The brake system is leak free. But, the brake system is completely bled before each racing weekend. This involves topping off the master cylinder at least 4 time during the bleeding process (4 opportunities to spill a small amount of fluid). Then the hydraulic clutch master cylinder sit adjacent to the brake master cylinder and it needs to be checked so there is another opportunity to spill additional fluid. Once I get to the track the car has to go through "tech" who checks the fluid levels again so add another 2 opportunities for spillage to the total. I usually have at least 6 race weekends per season. So, during the race season I have a minimum of 42 opportunities to spill brake fluid. Even if I only spill one drop every other opportunity, that is a fair amount of fluid... certainly enough to crinkle the paint around the master cylinder. In addition, the master cylinder mount for the brake and clutch add to the problem since the fluid gets between the mount (which I nickel plated) and the painted body work where I can't get it out without dis***embling the mount. So coming up with a permanent solution (other than be more careful filling and checking the master cylinders) is fairly important to me. Additionally, I want to re-paint the car before next season and it would be nice to have this problem behind me. At this point I think I am going to order the Eastwood paint that they claim is brake fluid proof. I am not wild about the silver color but if it works I can live with the color. Maybe I will continue this question with a new thread and see if anyone on the forum has used the Eastwood paint and what their experience has been with it. Thanks again for all the replies.
Friend of mine, years ago, did paint and body work. His car was painted with Imron. One of the things he use to show clients was to pour battery acid and brake fluid on his fender to show how impervious it was. An added bonus, was it never needed waxing. According to him, they used it to paint airliners with the stuff.
Here's a thought.. Take a piece of .030 or so aluminum sheet,Cut holes for the M/cyls,Pusrods,mount holes,etc Then have it powder-coated or some industrial chemical resitant coating applied. Sandwich it between the firewall/mounting surface and the M/cyls. Could also have a small lip or trough bent on the lower edge to catch any spills.. Just a random thought that I've had about my own car with a painted firewall
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