Brake Fluid Replacement Procedure

I use a Motive pressure bleeder. They are not expensive and get the job done. You need the red European adaptor to fit your GT4. Recommended fluid change every 2 years. I use Castrol fluid. Other guys use other methods and fluids as you saw from your search.
Hope this helps.

 

There's no Ferrari red magic here, the procedure is no different than what you'd do for any other 1980ish car.

The easiest way to replace the brake fluid in a healthy system is to gravity bleed:
Remove reservoir cap, top off reservoir with fresh fluid.
Open bleeder on right rear caliper, let it drip while you drink one cold beer.
Close bleeder, open bleeder on left rear, let it drip while you drink another cold beer.
Repeat for the two front calipers.

Just remember to watch the reservoir, keep it topped up so you don't get air into the system.

You'll need a wrench for the bleeders, a short length of clear tubing to push over the bleeders to get the dripping brake fluid into a pan, and a refrigerator or ice chest to keep the beer cold.

 

First thing to do is to suck out the fluid in the reservoir. That way you don't waste time pushing old fluid through the system. Then pour in new fluid. Then bleed using whatever procedure you like.

 

I've completed this task last week and it worked perfectly. It's true that this is like working on a typical 80's vehicle. I would have never believed I could do this until I watch a few YouTube videos and read some posts here. Good luck and remember to have fun.

 

This is good place to start.

This is also good.
You may want to remove the front/rear bias valve, clean it to make sure it is working properly. It is located on the front firewall above the steering rack and has the pink wire connected to it. About a days job to remove, clean, and refit it. You know, while you're in there....

 

Did not see it mentioned and maybe because it’s common known, but just in case: as a warning: brake fluid is an extreme corrosive chemical. Thoroughly wash everything involved after your done. Especially any painted surface will suffer dearly from extensive contact with brake fluid. ( whithin days..)

 

This is excellent information that is often forgotten. Brake fluid is nasty stuff and destroys paint. Be sure to use dedicated containers and rags that do not touch anything else and throw them all away when you are done. A brake fluid flush is a really easy job but can turn into a nightmare if you start getting brake fluid all over the place.

 

Ah - yes, good point. It's not absolutely necessary if you're gravity bleeding because you can use the extra time for a cold beer or other important tasks, but if you're in a time-is-money situation this is indeed the first thing to do.

 

I bought the Speed Bleeders. They have a spring loaded valve in them. You just crack the bleeder open and pump the pedal a few times. The valve does not let air back in when the pedal is released. Just keep topping off the fluid and it is a quick and easy one person job.

 

No one has answered your question directly, so I'll sketch the basic process so that others may “critique”:

The concept is that you want to flush new brake fluid from the reservoir just in front of the windshield, through the four brake lines, and out the bleeder nipples on each caliper. A 308 only needs about 1 liter of fluid total to bleed all 4 lines (for your first time, buy 2 liters).

I had never heard of the drip-and-drink-beer method, which sounds like it works, but usually you want to artificially create a pressure differential between the reservoir and the bleeder nipples. This is to speed the process and to flush any air out of the system. Air should not normally be in the system but brake caliper work, changing brake hoses etc. will introduce lots. Any air at all, no matter how it got there, will cause the brake pedal to feel “spongy”.

There are three common ways to create the pressure differential:

1. Use the master cylinder by having someone press the brake pedal while you open the bleeder valve at the brake caliper. Have the person press the pedal, you open the nipple for a little bit, they pump again and the two of you repeat until about ¼ liter per wheel has been flushed through. Two liabilities: a.) the brake pedal can move beyond its normal range of motion causing the rubber seals to move over rough or rusty shaft permanently damaging the seals, and b.) the reservoir can run dry if you don’t refill it frequently introducing air into the system.

2. Use a vacuum bleeder at the bleeder nipple. With these you use the vacuum bleeder tool to create suction at the nipple and draw fluid from the reservoir. One liability: the reservoir can run dry if you don’t refill it frequently introducing air into the system.

3. Use a pressure bleeder at the reservoir. This is a pressurized tank containing brake fluid which is connected to the reservoir with a sealed cap. You just pump it up to 15 psi and bleed the 4 brakes. Two liabilities: a.) more work to clean-up the tank afterward, b.) pressure is scary.

FWIW, I use method 3 with the Motive Pressure Bleeder. It fits all 3 of my European sports cars (two E30 BMWs and my 308 GTS). I love the thing.

Bleeding the brakes is a quick and easy job. It's a lot less messy than, say, changing the oil or (shudder) draining the coolant system.

 

^^ fast, easy, no mess.

 

As someone who has just started this procedure let me add a few remarks. I see this as two distinct ways to bleed/flush the brake lines, with the wheels on the car or off. My remarks are if you are leaving the wheels on and only lifting the car enough to reach in there to access the bleed nipples.


BEFORE you start, things to have on hand:

See if you have the rubber dust covers for the bleed nipples. If not order from Amazon, I think that these should work:
https://www.amazon.com/Caliper-Bleeder-Rubber-Nipple-Fitting/dp/B07M7686XX/ref=sr_1_1?crid=60YVD4QM677Z&keywords=Brake+Caliper+Bleeder+Caps+Rubber+Brake+Bleed+Nipple+Cap+Greese+Zerk+Fitting+Cap+Dust+Cover&qid=1643038935&sprefix=brake+caliper+bleeder+caps+rubber+brake+bleed+nipple+cap+greese+zerk+fitting+cap+dust+cover%2Caps%2C111&sr=8-1

Take out each bleed nipple and clear the hole on the side and the "main" hole that the fluid flows through. Crud will build up if thy are left alone too long which makes fluid flow impossible.

Get the Motive pressure bleeder : https://www.amazon.com/Motive-Products-100-System-Bleeder/dp/B00CJ5DV2I/ref=sr_1_6?crid=28IJAJ1257YKB&keywords=motive+pressure+bleeder&qid=1643037703&sprefix=motive+pre%2Caps%2C107&sr=8-6
This is the one with the correct cap for the 328.

Verify that you have a box end 7mm wrench

2 Quarts of DOT 3/4 brake fluid. (My only comment on brake fluid is that some are purchasing the blue or gold fluid (Well that color is now not sold.) to enable an easy visualization of when you have flushed it. My understanding is that this is for racing applications only where the fluid might be changed every season without fail and is more hygroscopic than off the shelf DOT 3/4.)

A fair amount of paper towels or rags.

And then follow this:

I can't find Carl's account to ask permission but here it is anyway. Good luck!

 

I just gravity bleed a quart or so through the system each Springtime. Works perfect.

 

someone put this together for an 328 ABS
for reference, not mine, but works fine

 

I pressure bleed my '87 at about 8 psi after sucking out fluid in reservoir and refilling with fresh fluid. I use an old Mercedes reservoir cap with nipple I rigged up to maintain pressure.

 

Good point! I did not run the pressure bottle at the recommended 15 PSI but only 10 psi. Seems to work just fine.

 

Be really careful when using a pressure bleeder like the Motive, which I've used for about 20 years. The vinyl tubing is pinched where it is clamped to the body and to the cap, and after repeated uses the cheap vinyl tubing starts to fatigue and weaken at the clamp area, and then can rupture without warning one day when you pressurize the system. When it ruptures, it sprays brake fluid all over your car, you, the garage walls and everything else. It's happened TWICE to me. And when it does you have to move quickly to wash the fluid off of painted surfaces, as it takes just minutes for brake fluid to destroy paint. Motive really needs to build this thing with a stainless steel braided sheath to prevent this problem.

What I do now is use the Motive bleeder dry, just to create the pressure. This requires me to break pressure and remove the cap from the reservoir 3 or 4 times during the procedure to keep the reservoir topped up, but it's better than praying the hose doesn't explode (again) while it's filled with fluid under pressure.

 

I had the same problem. I replaced the original clear plastic hose with a more substantial rubber one.

 

I had read about this being a problem earlier. Motive now says to clean the entire assembly with alcohol and let it dry before putting it up. Also they recommend replacing the hose every 3 years.

For my occasional use that should be sufficient.

 

A final note or so...

When releasing the pressure from the Motive tank, unscrew the top VERY SLOWLY, no, even slower than that. If its slightly too fast you will be surrounded in a fog of brake fluid which just cant be good.

Pay attention to the instruction to fill with 2 quarts of brake fluid. They aren't kidding, especially if you haven't done this in too many years.

Cover the fitting where the brake cap hose connects to the pressure tank hose with something soft, maybe blue tape. This helps if you disconnect the fittings when removing the brake cap hose as that thing is going to spin around. Remember though that I did this with the spare tire holder pieces out so there was a lot of room.

Verify that the 7mm open end wrench is in hand before you put the rubber cap back on.

Actually a lot easier than cam belt changes...