M105 Brake Fluid Type

[jonesal]

Picked up a nice M105A2 at Ripley, MN and have been going over it and am now on the brakes. Read the TM and it says DOT5 (silicon based). This must be a very early A2 model (old rear lights, mushroom handle parking brake, greasable brake cables, etc.). The color in the master cylinder is light honey colored. Is an early A2 going to be DOT3? Or the mil-spec is not blue/purple? My question is trying to figure out what fluid is in the master. Is there a way tell if it is indeed DOT 5? I want be sure before I top it off - it needs a fair bit.

Is there an early TM that would show parts for this A2? The current TM has a different parking brake set up and I don't want to replace the whole thing, just one of the greasable cables.

Thanks,
Allen
'70 M35A2
'68 M105A2

 

[Westech]

DOT5 has been the military fluid sense the 50's if you dont know flush it all out and put in what you want.

 

[jasonjc]

The mil dot 5 will losse the purple color in use.

 

[mistaken1]

Drain a little of the brake fluid into a clean clear jar, add some water and shake thoroughly.

If the brake fluid and water separate into two distinct layers within an hour or so you have silicone brake fluid. If not you have Dot 3/4.

 

[televisionman007]

Drain a little of the brake fluid into a clean clear jar, add some water and shake thoroughly.

If the brake fluid and water separate into two distinct layers within an hour or so you have silicone brake fluid. If not you have Dot 3/4.

thanks for the tip

 

[mistaken1]

thanks for the tip

Thanks, but it is not my tip, just repeating what I learned on this site.

I use a plastic syringe from a farm supply store to withdraw the fluid for testing.