Castrol LMA going away?

Well, maybe not everywhere -- but I just found out the ONLY place that carried it 'round here, isn't any more.

Just to assuage my momentary panic: are there any other major DOT3 brands out there that won't cause rubber problems?

Castrol LMA is DOT-4, not DOT-3.

The rubber seal material changed at some point during the late 1970s but I don't know when. There is an unspoken bit of truth that needs to be mentioned. The DOT-4 requirement applies to cars still running their original rubber parts (flex hoses, PDWA, MC and wheel seals, etc). If you have completely rebuilt your hydraulics within the last 15 years (ALL rubber parts new) then you can use DOT-3. The last Lockheed/Girling MC I bought even had a note on the cap that said "For use with DOT-3 Fluid".

There are quite a few places where you can get LMA on the 'net. Google and see!

Doug -- do you mean that <span style="font-style: italic">any </span>DOT4 fluid is compatible with the old British rubber, and it's just the DOT3 to shun? I confess I'm a little in the dark about the DOT<span style="font-style: italic">x</span> specifications.

I've replaced most of my brake rubber in the last few years: front hoses, both rear cylinders, rear hose, and MC. The status of the front cylinders I'm not sure of, since I haven't personally replaced them. Just my luck for them to be original and I use brake fluid that turns them to goo.

It's a '76, so it might be a non-issue anyway. Just want to be sure before I have a DCO moment.

And yeah, I guess I could order it online if it's that big a deal. I'm just cheap and lazy, I suppose, and don't want to spend pennies on shipping if I don't hafta.

Thanks Doug! I've been arguing with people about the dot 3/4 issue for some time. Glad you cleared the issue up. Wasn't aware it was changed in the 70's. Everything I have would be mixed anyway so I will continue with the Dot 4 except in what I've changed over to Dot 5.

Kurt.

I cannot say if one brand of DOT-4 is more or less compatible with Lockheed/Girling rubber parts. Castrol was the OEM fluid, I don't even know who else makes DOT-4. Of course, in the U.S. DOT-3 is everywhere. But it attacks paint just as well as DOT-4. Therefore, all my British cars have DOT-5 fluid.

If you think the DOT-3/4 controversy was confusing, start a conversation about DOT-5. That new MC I installed (the one that said to use DOT-3) had a warning noted inside the box telling me NOT to use DOT-5 or I would void the warranty.