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There are plenty of 500k mile hondas with original brake lines.
SS lines are good for track use where heat and sparks can cause degradation of the rubber line. They improve feel slightly.
Its not a good idea to replace a good, working, factory part with aftermarket unless you absolutely NEED to. The factory part is almost always the most reliable, best built, strongest, longest lasting part. I'm talking about the entire car in general. Not just brake lines.
That being said...unless you've done something that you shouldn't have done...like pinching a factory rubber line with pliers....I would just leave the factory lines in the car.
Any DOT3 fluid will work. Why are you wanting ATE? What is the advantage of using it on a street car? Do you plan to change it at long intervals? (you shouldn't do this)
Pretty sure all DOT 3, DOT 4, and DOT 5.1 approved brake fluid is colorless to amber by specification making any other color non compliant. Since old brake fluid turns brown it should be easy to determine when the new, clean, colorless fluid gets to the brakes.
You'll likely do kore harm than good changing clutch line. You'll introduce air into the system which will take a lot of effort to completely remove. Meanwhile your clutch performance will suffer greatly until its all purged.
Resist the urge to 'upgrade' just to upgrade. Most of the time its actually a step backwards with this car.
When shifting tranny feels like clutch not disengaging well and it feels like the clutch is still “grabbing.”
Will do all maintenance to tranny and to the whole car eventually. Change mtf, change clutch fluid, grease shifter, change diff oil, etc.
Any advice to grease the clutch bearing hub (or the correct name) and clutch release fork?
Why all the above???
1. Why not to take the opportunity and replace the clutch line with a better one!!! Its just $30-35 and I’ll replace the whole fluid anyway.
Don’t want to have a broken line a couple month later or years and having to do it all again. At that time I will definitely replace with an SS line.
2. Soon brake fluid and pads will follow. Why not to spend $125 on SS brake lines! I know bleeding the brakes could be a PIA if compared to clutch bleeding.
3. Why to use ATE... as recommended by many here??? If I will replace the clutch and brake fluids, why spend $10 on an average fluid when I can spend ~$18 on something better!!! If its a racing fluid that will require replacing on 6 months or will cause any other harm, I would say NO. But if its something that will be better than stock then I’ll prefer to spend the extra $8.
It is not a matter of upgrade just to “upgrade.” If I will “invest” money and effort, then let it be a good investment!
A 2003 completely stock, in excellent conditions (its still a 2003), well maintained, worth those extra few bucks!
Because the SS lines are not better inherently. They are aftermarket parts. You're taking a risk any time you install something aftermarket.
In reality, SS lines work out as long as you buy good ones with teflon jackets AND you ensure they're not rubbing on something.
I guess there's not much reason not to do this... but there's also no reason to replace them. Your stock one is not likely to "break in a couple of months".
My point is only that, for anything on this car, you should not consider aftermarket parts as an upgrade. In virtually every case, they are a downgrade in SOME respect....which is often why they weren't put on the car from the factory.
To answer your brake fluid question, ATE TYP200 will work as well as off the shelf DOT3 for your use.
Because the SS lines are not better inherently. They are aftermarket parts. You're taking a risk any time you install something aftermarket.
In reality, SS lines work out as long as you buy good ones with teflon jackets AND you ensure they're not rubbing on something.
I guess there's not much reason not to do this... but there's also no reason to replace them. Your stock one is not likely to "break in a couple of months".
My point is only that, for anything on this car, you should not consider aftermarket parts as an upgrade. In virtually every case, they are a downgrade in SOME respect....which is often why they weren't put on the car from the factory.
To answer your brake fluid question, ATE TYP200 will work as well as off the shelf DOT3 for your use.
Thanks!
Will think twice on the SS lines.
Will go with the ATE or some synthetic...
The main reason for using a high end brake fluid is the higher boiling point. On the street you will likely never get your brakes hot enough to see a benefit from the higher boiling point.
05-03-2019, 03:25 AM
