Castrol SRF Racing Brake Fluid With 518º F Wet Boiling Point
Castrol React SRF is a very high-performance brake fluid specifically developed for motorsports applications where extreme braking conditions are encountered. Castrol SRF has an exceptionally high wet boiling point of 518° F (256º C) along with a very respectable 590° F dry boiling point. Both exceed DOT 4 specifications.
Castrol SRF Brake Fluid's unique silicon ester technology absorbs less water than conventional glycol ether fluids and prevents the fluid's high-temperature performance from deteriorating. Its wet boiling point of 518° F is vastly superior to the minimum requirement demanded by the current US DOT 4 specification. Its ability to withstand temperatures in excess of 590° F and superior resistance to the effects of absorbed water have established Castrol SRF Brake Fluid as the world's premier fluid for the hydraulic brakes used in all forms of motorsport and racing.
Castrol SRF brake fluid can make a critical difference when using metallic brake pads with high thermal conductivity. Resistance to foaming makes it an excellent choice for use with ABS braking systems. Castrol React SRF Racing Brake Fluid is now packaged in easy-pour 1 liter plastic bottles.
Castrol React SRF Racing Brake Fluid Details
- Manufacturer: Castrol
- Manufacturer part number: 12512
- UPC: 079191005125
- Size: 1 liter
- Service life: 18 months
- DOT Rating: DOT 4
- Dry Boiling Point: 590° F (296º C)
- Wet Boiling Point: 518° F (256º C)
- Compatible with other DOT3/DOT4: Yes
- Size: 1 liter (33.8 fl. oz.) plastic bottles
Development of Castrol React SRF Racing Brake Fluid
Castrol React SRF evolved as a direct result of Castrol's ongoing Research and Development program for brake fluids which identified this silicon ester technology as providing considerable performance benefits when compared with conventional glycol ether borate ester fluids.
Following exhaustive laboratory tests at Castrol's International Technology Centre in the UK, the final formulation for Castrol SRF was subjected to an extensive road-test program on the Gross Glockner and Stelvio passes high in the Austrian and Italian Alps. It then underwent an independent track test program conducted by a famous Formula One racing team. Their assessment was that "Castrol SRF is the best racing brake fluid we have ever used."
Subsequently, Castrol SRF was offered to top-flight racing and rally teams throughout the world including most of the Formula One team, the all-conquering Jaguar and Mercedes -Benz sports car teams, and the Audi, Nissan, and Toyota rally teams. Enthusiastic recommendation by these experts soon created immense interest in Castrol SRF throughout the whole spectrum of national and international motorsport. Today, Castrol React SRF is regarded by the international motorsport community as being without equal and it is chosen not only by factory-supported teams but by private competitors throughout the world.
The Solution To High-Temperature Vapor Lock
All conventional brake fluids used in cars and motorcycles are hygroscopic, that is, they absorb water from their surroundings. Strange though it may seem, the flexible hoses incorporated in braking systems are permeable to water and in time enough, water can find its way into the system via the hoses and seriously affect the brake fluid's performance. This water reduces the boiling point of the fluid (i.e., it lowers the temperature at which gas bubbles begin to form).
When these bubbles form, they turn a virtually incompressible liquid into a mixture of gas and liquid which can be compressed quite considerably, thus severely reducing the efficiency of the brakes. In this situation, a driver finds that the brakes feel spongy. Brake-pedal travel will increase and it may be necessary to 'pump' the pedal to get the brakes to function effectively. However, when the brake fluid reaches a temperature at which the water in the fluid causes gas to be produced, which is equal to the volume swept by the piston in the master-cylinder, vapor-lock occurs and the brakes become inoperative. When this happens, the first indication the driver has that something is wrong is when he applies the brakes. The pedal goes down to the floor and the car carries on at undiminished, possibly fatal speed.
The silicon ester technology in Castrol React SRF addresses this problem in two ways. Firstly, Castrol SRF is less hygroscopic than conventional brake fluids - it absorbs less water in a given time. Secondly, unlike conventional glycol ether fluids, Castrol SRF reacts chemically with the absorbed water to reduce its adverse effects, thus preventing the fluid's high-temperature performance and safety margins from deteriorating as rapidly as they would otherwise do.
Castrol React SRF exceeds the US Federal Standards FMVSS 116 DOT 3 and DOT 4, ISO 4925, JIS K2233, and current SAE J1703 and is miscible with all conventional brake fluids conforming to these standards. However, mixing Castrol React SRF and conventional brake fluids will reduce the benefits of Castrol React SRF. It is strongly recommended that conventional brake fluid be drained from the system before flushing and refilling with Castrol React SRF.
