I need to change the fluid in my 1999.5 A4 1.8L Quattro. Bentley's says DOT 4+, but can't find it locally (outside dealership). Is DOT 4 alright? I understand the claimed differences in DOT 4 and 4+; has anyone just used DOT 4?

thanks

 

If you dont race at the track, a full flush with dot4 should be just fine. AutoZone ans Advanced carried Valvoline Synthetic dot4+ last I looked.

 

DOT4+ is OE fluid only. On the shelf, it's regular DOT4. 1 Liter should take care of your flush, and it's not that expensive off the dealer's shelf (or ECSTuning), but you can use the aftermarket stuff without issue.

Just a few additional notes:

-Avoid DOT5. It is silicone based and will not work well with your ABS system nor the seals used in the calipers. It tends to soften up seals and cause leaks on cars previously running DOT3 or 4.

-Super Blue DOT5.1 is acceptable to use, but requires more frequent bleeding. It is not silicone based, but has the high temperature resistance of DOT5 silicone. It's great for weekend track use due to it's extreme boiling point, but should be more frequently maintained as it is hydroscopic and can actually boil easier with lack of maintenance than DOT4 due to DOT5.1's low wet boiling point. There is no measurable advantage of DOT5.1 over DOT4 on the street.

To sum it up, if you're worried about the brake fluid, buy DOT4+ over the counter from the dealer. If you change your fluid on time by the book (every 2 years), but do not bleed in between, you can use a generic DOT4. If you need a fluid to withstand weekend track use and are ****-retentive about bleeding the brakes monthly and before every track event, you can step up to DOT5.1.

 

double post. too many clicks.

 

appreciate the guidance! DOT 4 here I come....

 

to bleed your clutch, I see you have manual tranny.

I recently put ATE 200 in mine, with this one you could go with 3 year intervals, if I am correct

 

ATE Super Blue

 

I was thinking the same because you can see change in color when flushing, but I heard people having squeaky clutch (those with manual cars), so I didn't want to take a chance; both are basically the same fluids but the blue one just has a dye for convenience when flushing. Who knows; BTW, I was able to see change in color when flushing my brakes and clutch even though both fluids are light - the new one was lighter in color, maybe because the old one was OEM or Pentosine

 

the ATE super blue fluid isnt DOT approved if that matters to you (because it has coloring additives). i dont know why any DMV inspection would ever look at your brake fluid color, but some autocross clubs forbid the use of it.

you should always change your fluid every other year regardless of what fluid you use, water still gets trapped in it, and it still gets dirty. and yes dont forget the clutch, most people forget to flush that when doing the brake fluid.

i used this one, the clutch is a tiny bit squeaky in feel, but not in sound. it could be because no one flushed it for 10 years and the fluid came out black. either way its barely noticeable and im happy with this fluid. it takes 0.75 liters for the whole car.
http://www.ecstuning.com/Search/Brake_Fluid/ES602/

 

That's Pentosine, good fluid, and good price