MG Midget Forum

When I got my Midget back on the road last Fall everything with the brakes work great. It as an entirely new system. No leaks, runs, or errors. When I backed it out of storage this Spring the pedal went to the floor. MC was empty and there were no brakes. I tried to find the leak and bled the system a couple times and they worked again but for a while I had to add fluid a few times.
Now after about 500 miles everything works great and it does not leak. I am running Dot 5. One thing I have noticed is that water does not seem to mix with Dot 5. Has anyone else had something like this happen? Been thinking about this for a while and wonder if there is any chance that some water may have collected somewhere in the system and froze. The freezing possibly causing a seal to loose shape and leak. Then after bleeding and using the brakes that seal might have returned to its original shape.
One thing I do know it makes me nervous and I will be watching this very close.

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Tom Smith
1974 Midget
1976 TR6

Pull your rear drums and look closely at the wheel cylinders. If you had a MC leak you would have noticed fluid in the floorboard. The wheel cylinders seem to be the likely candidates. Never used Dot 5, but I think it is a silicone based fluid. Probably OK with all new seals.

More likely a little rust inside a cylinder somewhere that smoothed out with use.

I run Valvoline full synthetic - http://www.amazon.com/Valvoline-601458-12PK-DOT-Brake-Fluid/dp/B00J65IE1C Works fantastic on my '67 Midget, also the Volvo C30, Subaru, and '63 Cadillac Coupe de Ville. Seems to avoid importing water over periods of inactivity better than traditional fluid formulas.

Joel.

Joel, all brake fluid is synthetic.

Tom, silicone fluid does not allow water to be absorbed into the fluid, like all DOT 3,4, and 5.1 allow. (Avidity is the term I believe)
Dot 5 is silicone and so water will "pool" someplace, and experience shows at a low spot, be it in the masters or elsewhere. Your thoughts on freezing are interesting. Hmmmmm


Peter c