Bleeding brakes: inner or outer bleed screw 1st?

I'd start bleeding the brakes from the furthest bleed screw from the resisvior

I've read on the Forum that you need to have the ignition on the 355's as you said to run the ABS pump to pressurize the circuit to bleed the brakes properly.

Have a read of these Thread below, It might help you out

http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=89667&highlight=355+brake+bleed

http://www.ferrarichat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=88146&highlight=355+brake+bleed

 

I just did this on my 348. As the WSM says I did furthest caliper from reservoir first, but as per your question, I bled the outer bleed point first at each caliper. At the weekend I saw a paired one man bleed kit for sale, only a few bucks but means you could do both bleed nipples simultaneously at each caliper, handy.

With ignition switched on, but engine not running, be careful to keep regular checks on the reservoir level, with the accumulator running and a bleed nipple open that fluid level doesn't half drop quick, then you'll be doing the clutch bleed too!

 

From WSM reading, and my understanding of the two types of 355 ABS:
- Early cars (should be 95 to 97) have a Teves ABS with a master cylindre which is not vacuum assisted, but power assisted.
- Later cars have a Bosch ABS wich is added to a conventional vacuum assisted master cylindre.
I think it is good practice with Teves ABS to switch it on (no need to run the engine) and to depress the brake pedal. This allows to bleed the maximum volume of fluid. Even wonder if it is really possible to bleed rear brakes without pushing a bit on the pedal ???
Bosch ABS can be bleeded in conventional way. No benefit to switch it on because the built-in pump is only used to remove and send to the reservoir the extra fluid during ABS reducing pressure phase.
Anyway, on both systems, it is not possible to change completely the liquid without actuation of the ABS valves. There will always be some liquid wich is trapped in between valves or between valves and reservoir (not a great deal anyway imo).

For what concern which screw first, i always use to do the inner first. My own rational, imagine you have bubles or durt in the lines, you want to remove that as soon as possible from the system ie by the inner screw. I do not want to have that going through the caliper. And then I complete caliper flushing by the outer screw. Just personal practice ... and anyway not sure it makes any difference

Same for which caliper first, i am not sure starting to the farthest is still applicable to modern cars where front and rear braking systems are almost independant. Wonder if that is not an old practice when cars have X type braking circuit (left rear connected to right front and vice versa). On a 355, both rear wheels are connected to the same line, so imo no reason to favor one caliper. Idem for the front wheels which have independant lines from the ABS module.

Only my opinion and will be happy to read comments ....

 

Yeah never thought of it like that, Nice write up Eric