AberdeenAngus
Registered user
Water will make no difference when cold, it will only become apparent when it reaches boiling point (higher than 100deg. C because it will be under pressure) and becomes vapour, which is compressible.
Indeed. If you could keep the temperature well below 100 degrees C, you could completely fill the brakes with water and they would work just fine.
The only reason for using oil is because of the heat that brakes generate.
We often use water based hydraulic systems on subsea kit to be kind to the dolphins.