Riders and mechanics with XTR M9200 / M9220, Deore XT M8200 / M8220, Deore M6200 / M6220 or BR-MT805 / MT600 / MT620 brakes who need the correct Shimano oil for a bleed or an oil change.
Shimano Low Viscosity Oil (model SM-LVOIL, item code ISMLVOIL01) is a thin mineral oil made for a specific group of Shimano hydraulic disc brakes. Shimano's stated aim is a reliable bite point in all temperatures and trail conditions. This is the 100 ml bottle, which Shimano also shows in a printed carton. The oil is orange and the label shows an L in the droplet, where standard Shimano mineral oil is red with an M.
Shimano's supported-models list is the deciding factor. Levers: BL-M9200, BL-M9220, BL-M8200, BL-M6200, BL-MT620. Calipers: BR-M9200, BR-M9220, BR-M8200, BR-M8220, BR-M6200, BR-M6220, BR-MT805, BR-MT600, BR-MT620. That covers XTR M9200 / M9220, Deore XT M8200 / M8220 and Deore M6200 / M6220 brakes. Look-alike sets such as XTR M9100, XT M8100 and Deore M6100 are on Shimano's standard mineral oil list instead, so do not go by the series name alone.
Shimano is clear that the wrong oil can stop a brake working, so never mix this oil with standard Shimano mineral oil or any other oil, never use it in a brake that is not on the list, and never put DOT fluid in the system (DOT fluids are glycol based, absorb moisture and damage paint). Shimano's safety data sheet lists a kinematic viscosity of about 5 mm²/s at 40 °C, against about 8 mm²/s for the standard oil.
Shimano's low viscosity oil
The oil Shimano lists for its dedicated low viscosity brakes.
Aimed at a steady bite point
Shimano's stated aim is a reliable bite point in all temperatures and trail conditions.
Only for listed models
BL-M9200, M9220, M8200, M6200 and MT620 levers with the matching calipers.
Never mix
Shimano warns against mixing it with standard mineral oil, and DOT fluid must stay out too.
Compact 100 ml bottle
A small bottle with SM-LVOIL 100ml on the label, suited to a bleed or top-up.
Product
Fluid
Compatibility
Packaging
Low viscosity
Viscosity is how thick an oil is. Shimano's data sheet gives this oil about 5 mm²/s at 40 °C, thinner than Shimano's standard mineral oil at about 8 mm²/s. Shimano's stated aim for it is a reliable bite point in all temperatures and trail conditions.
Mineral oil, not DOT
This is a mineral oil. Unlike glycol-based DOT fluids it does not soak up moisture from the air and it does not damage paint, but it is not compatible with DOT systems, so the two families must never be mixed.
Built for dedicated brakes
Shimano lists the levers and calipers designed for this oil and warns that using the wrong oil, or mixing the two Shimano oils, may stop the brakes working. Brake hose, connector inserts, flare nuts, olives and TL-BR001 / TL-BR003 bleed tools can be used with either oil.
Flash point and boiling point
Shimano's data sheet lists a flash point of 70 °C (closed cup) and an expected initial boiling point above 150 °C. These are laboratory figures for the oil, not a DOT-style dry or wet boiling point rating, which mineral oils do not carry. Keep the oil away from heat and flame.
Great for
Maybe not for
This is the 100 ml pack of SM-LVOIL. Read the model number on your lever and caliper, or check the brake's manual: only the models on Shimano's Low Viscosity Oil list use it (BL-M9200, BL-M9220, BL-M8200, BL-M6200, BL-MT620 and their calipers). If yours is not on the list, do not use it. Shimano updates its lists from time to time, so check the current version for very recent brakes.
Match the oil to the brake
Check the model number on both the lever and the caliper against Shimano's list. Shimano says to use only the oil listed for your brake, never to mix the two Shimano oils, to use oil from a container stored clean and sealed, and to keep water and air out of the system. Shimano says the same hose, olive and TL-BR001 / TL-BR003 bleed tools suit either Shimano oil, but a tidy workshop keeps one labelled syringe and funnel for each oil so nothing gets crossed.
Handling and disposal
Wear gloves and eye protection and work somewhere well ventilated. Keep oil off the rotor and pads. Shimano's manuals say to clean hoses and tools with isopropyl alcohol or a dry cloth, not brake cleaner, and to change the oil when it becomes noticeably discoloured. Shimano's data sheet classes the oil as an aspiration hazard (may be fatal if swallowed and it enters the airways) and toxic to aquatic life, so keep it away from children and heat, store the container sealed in a cool, dark place, and take used oil to a proper disposal point rather than a drain.
Bicycle components, fishing tackle and rowing equipment.
Shimano is a Japanese company founded in 1921 and headquartered in Sakai, Osaka. Its main business is developing, making and distributing bicycle components, fishing tackle and rowing equipment.
On the bike side its range covers drivetrains, brakes, wheels and pedals, and it publishes dealer manuals and supported-model lists for its hydraulic brake oils, so there is a clear answer to which oil goes in which brake.
