Matt-
congratulations!
(and keep that wallet handy, you'll be needing it!)
I have bled the Brakes on my 400i not so long ago
and so can offer encouragement, at least
the 400i may be even more intimidating
when it comes to Brake Service
as it has 2 seperate circuts PER CALIPER
(a la the Daytona)
and 3 Bleeder fittings on each caliper
I did approach this service with some trepidation
and did in fact screw it up the first time around
(let one of the resevoirs run dry)
but it all turned out OK in the end
in fact, I was afraid that my car needed more attention
than merely bleeding the brakes
but I was pleasantly surprised at how much they improved
after the Bleeding process was completed successfully
(and was thourougly disgusted with the condition of the Brake Fluid
that came out of my Bake System, I might add)
I cannot overstress the importantance of bleeding the Brakes
(meaning
completely changing the Brake Fluid,
NOT just purging out any air)
on ANY older car, especially Ferraris
this is often overlooked and or neglected
and the Brake Fluid can get down right NASTY
I would recommend this be an annual service
(and I believe the Service Manual will concur)
as for the procedure
I used the basic technique
that I would use on any car-
get a helper and bleed them manually
i.e. 'Hose and Jar' method
NOTE: I have tried pressure bleeding
Mity-Vac, etc, etc
and have found the tried and true method
is still the best
The Service Manual is interesting
in that it states to start with the nearest i.e. shortest circuit-
e.g. the LH Front Caliper
wheras I always start from the furthest i.e. longest circuit
e.g. the RH Rear Caliper
this may not matter
I always get a kick out of the procedure
as outlined in the Service Manual for my car-
they show the Brakes being bled into a Wine Bottle!
(I use a Pickle Jar, as it is more stable)
as for fluid, I hear that Castrol LMA
is the fluid of choice
(I bought a gallon of NAPA Brand DOT 4, however)
be
real careful around paint and interior
Brake Fluid (especailly used) is NASTY
other than that,
I usually put a light coating of
Anti-Sieze on the Brake Bleeder Fittings
to help avoid future snap offage-
(as the fittings are drilled and cross drilled)
they tend to break easily
combined with the Steel Fittings in
Aluminum Castings syndrome
they can be in there real tight
I 'crack' them with a 6-Point Socket
THEN bleed with an open-end
other pointers:
naturally this is a good time to asses
the General Health of the Brake System-
Hoses, Seals, Pads, Calipers, Rotors, etc
as well as assess Suspension Condition
Shocks, Ball Joints, Control Arm Bushings, etc
Wheel Bearings?
Exhaust Hangers?
etc, etc, etc
(You get the idea)
