On the conservative side.
Shelf life for brake fluid is determined by one thing in practice: water absorption. water lowers the boiling point of brake fluid, and corrodes brake components.
So how well closed is it?
Is the top tight? Is it that good a seal even when it is?
How humid is your environment?
How much humid air is in the can with the top closed tightly?
I would maybe allow it a few months and then not use.
You do need to ask "for what application?". For most street use, nearly anything is sufficient. In fact for street use i would suggest you use a LOWER boiling point fluid designed to absorb less water. Race fluids, while great when new, absorb water faster and must be changed more frequently than more pedestrian types.
My preferred street fluid is Castrol GT-LMA.
track use, on the other hand, may see temperatures of 300-600 degrees at the caliper housing. This is extreme stuff. PCA track rules call for the fluid to be 100% flushed within one year of the track date. Most people in advanced run groups halve that, and also bleed along the way.
So it comes down to:
[
artzthings.com]
well, do ya? :-)
Grant
Grant
gee-lenahan-at-gee-mail-dot-com