ATE Super blue brake fluid now illegal in the US

[Pazuzu]

http://hooniverse.kinja.com/braking-news-ate-super-blue-illegal-for-u-s-distribut-1153557989/1154188522

Might want to stock up on it if you can find it.

[onewhippedpuppy]

You gotta be $h!tting me. Can't balance an effing budget but they mandate the color of automotive brake fluid? I really wonder if the founding fathers are waiting in the afterlife with a sock full of batteries for these morons........

[Pazuzu]

Originally Posted by onewhippedpuppy

You gotta be $h!tting me. Can't balance an effing budget but they mandate the color of automotive brake fluid? I really wonder if the founding fathers are waiting in the afterlife with a sock full of batteries for these morons........

I woulda put it off as the interweb overdoing some simple little email or something, but that letter from Conti is pretty damning. I just ordered two bottles from amazon, we'll see if they cancel the order or let them through. The bottles shown have the "off road use only" label on them, maybe Amazon and other retailers will let them go with that like they let me buy VR-1 racing off-road only oil.

[Scott R]

WTFO? I have only two cans left.

[widgeon13]

Crazy, that's what I have used from the start.

[bell]

We ran into the same thing last year in Florida.....but then it became available again.....

[enzo1]

Pelican was out, ordered with Amazon like Mike did, dunno...

[Neilk]

What is shelf life of an unsealed container?

[GG Allin]

I wonder if some places will continue to sell it for "off road use only".

[Zeke]

Originally Posted by Neilk

What is shelf life of an unsealed container?

A long time.

Just use ATE Super Gold. Same stuff. Some people alternate so they know when the system is changed over.

Don't you guys think you get a knee jerk reaction sometimes?
ATE Super Blue and ATE Gold brake fluid

[Flat Six]

Originally Posted by Neilk

What is shelf life of an unsealed container?

Dunno, but lots shorter I suspect -- once unsealed, more air = greater opportunity to absorb water.

[Pazuzu]

Originally Posted by Zeke

Just use ATE Super Gold. Same stuff. Some people alternate so they know when the system is changed over.

So...not the same. Yes, we could switch to Motul, or just using the 200, but those of us who do switch better stock up if this turns out to be a true scenario.

Don't you guys think you get a knee jerk reaction sometimes?
ATE Super Blue and ATE Gold brake fluid

I'm not one to post any random crap on the web as truth, and there is (so far) only one original source being re-quoted over and over, but there is at least an image of a letter verifying things, which is more than what one often gets with interweb rumors.

[manbridge 74]

About freaking time. Lethal ATE blue fluid has been sold since around 1972 as being DOT approved.

In other news, Windex must now have the color of used diesel oil.

[VaSteve]

A local guy has done testing on an open container and its boiling point. If sealed again, it lasts a long time.

Oh well.....this hobby gets more unfun all the time.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Originally Posted by VaSteve

A local guy has done testing on an open container and its boiling point. If sealed again, it lasts a long time.

Oh well.....this hobby gets more unfun all the time.

That's good to know, it is always said that if you don't use it quickly it absorbs water. Of course, they want you to buy new bottles.

[kang]

I must be missing something, I see a letter from Continental stating they are going to stop distributing it because they (Continental) have determined it doesn't meet federal requirements. I don't see anything from the federal government stating it's illegal.

Can someone show me something from the federal government claiming that brake fluids must be a particular color and that ATE blue is illegal?

I'm a skeptic, I won't buy this claim until I can get it verified. I need to see something other than a screen shot of a letter from Continental before I will accept this as fact.

[VincentVega]

That's good to know, it is always said that if you don't use it quickly it absorbs water.

If you leave the bottle open. If not it keeps for a long time.

[cashflyer]

Originally Posted by kang

I must be missing something, I see a letter from Continental stating they are going to stop distributing it because they (Continental) have determined it doesn't meet federal requirements. I don't see anything from the federal government stating it's illegal.

From 49 CFR 571.116 - Standard No. 116; Motor vehicle brake fluids.

S5.1.14 Fluid color. Brake fluid and hydraulic system mineral oil shall be of the color indicated:
DOT 3, DOT 4, and DOT 5.1 non-SBBF—colorless to amber.
DOT 5 SBBF—purple.
Hydraulic system mineral oil—green.

[70SATMan]

Originally Posted by kang

.

Can someone show me something from the federal government claiming that brake fluids must be a particular color and that ATE blue is illegal?

.

49 CFR 571.116 - Standard No. 116; Motor vehicle brake fluids. | Title 49 - Transportation | Code of Federal Regulations | LII / Legal Information Institute

Those are the requirements for DOT compliance. Within are the color requirements.

[onewhippedpuppy]

Originally Posted by Zeke

A long time.

Just use ATE Super Gold. Same stuff. Some people alternate so they know when the system is changed over.

Don't you guys think you get a knee jerk reaction sometimes?
ATE Super Blue and ATE Gold brake fluid

It's a lot easier to tell that you've completed a brake flush when it turns blue. Obvious is good. Then you go gold the next time.