Brake Bleeding Argh!

two man key off is fine for 550's. RR, LR, RF, LF last caliper to bleed. You can bleed just the outside bleeder through the spokes so you don't have to take the wheel off.

 

They bleed just like any other brake system as long as you do not allow air in the system that can get into the ABS system. Make sure you bleed the master cylinder, too.

The 575M has Bosch 5.3 ABS/ASR and the 550 has 5.0.

Bleeding instructions are in the 550 workshop manual, which you can download for free from ferraridatabase.com. One difference from normal is they recommend bleeding the front calipers first. One of the pros can chime in and let you know if there is anything wrong with that.

 

Makes no difference.


R/R, L/R, R/F, L/F was really good advice in 1965.


Some subsequent cars it is just a really good way to waste a great deal of brake fluid and yet on other cars it just makes you feel like you are doing it the right way.

The important thing, like anything else is to understand why in 1965 they said R/R, L/R, R/F, L/F and apply that to more modern brake designs.

 

Brian, I understand bleed the wheel with the longest run from the MC first. I am no sure why. If looking to replace the fluid this procedure will displace greatest amount first. Assume this is why, no?

Philip

 

tazandjan Says everything.
I repeat

 

Invest in a Motive or similar contraption. I won't say that it has made brake bleeding a pleasure, but it sure is easier and I don't have to drag my wife out to the garage any more. Also, a trick I learned here on another thread, alternate the colors of the fluid on each change and you will know when you have clean fluid bleeding out.

 

don't confuse bleeding with changing. fluid bled regularly can avoid total system changes which are more involved. a typical brake line is about AN-3 and wheelbase on typical car 100". If you do the math that is about 2.5oz of brake fluid on that line. A measured container works as well as swapping blue/gold ATE super fluid which is OK for street but not a great fluid overall and I would not use it for track unless you got a really good brake system. For 99% of drivers bleeding happens so rarely that the 2 man method is the best. As a racer I have been able to achieve the hardest pedals two man. That includes clutches too. Motive bleeders etc. are OK but just not as good in my opinion. When people have trouble bleeding for example the 348 clutch I always tell them they can move the fluid better with the foot than the pump. If I am trackside and by myself I will on very rare occasion dial my nitrogen tank down to 10psi and presureize the master and bleed the corners. Real shops have much better 1 man units that can move fluid. I have never been lucky enough to have one of those.

 

That is really important if it has air in it but as FBB said, changing brake fluid and bleeding air are 2 very different things.

 

That method is best to displace the air in a system if is has air. If it is just a routine change, it does not have to be done that way.


By federal law all motor vehicles sold in the US since 68 have a dual master cylinder system. That means all have 2 complete seperate hydraulic systems. 99% of those are divided F+R so it makes zero difference which end you start at.

Next, due to various elements of car design the RR wheel is not always furthest from the master cylinder. On a 308 or 328 the RF wheel is the closest. Some have pretty convoluted plumbing by the time you look at where they had to run the lines and where they had to locate the ABS unit. And as in the case of the 308/328 or any BB even the master is not in front of the driver.


The only way to know how to do something is to know why. If you do not understand how a system works it is best left to someone who does but then a pitifully small percentage of professionals these days have any idea how a car works either. That is the primary reason I went back to a one person operation.

 

If I wanted to change the brake fluid in my 99 550, would I follow the steps discussed above or would I need to do something in addition? And at what point in the bleeding process do you bleed the master? I purchased 'brake fluid' test strips and I'm still okay, but envision I'll need to change the fluid within the next 12 months. Thanks. Frank

 

Frank- Recommended brake fluid flush and fluid change interval is annual.

 

Thanks Terry. Looks like I missed that one in the maintenance guide. Frank