Brake fluid change - advice needed!

Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.

DelDrew

Member
Joined
Jan 27, 2017
Messages
30
Location
Chelmsford, UK
Car
'19 GLC AMG 43 & '07 CLK280 Sport Convertible
Hi all,

Can I get some advice on changing the brake fluid on my 2007 CLK280 sport.

I saw on a w208 topic that the sequence of bleeding those models is:
Rear right
Rear left
Front right
Front left

I don't know if this is the same for our 209's and also whether this sequence is only correct for left/right hand drive vehicles, so I may have to reverse the right's and left's for my right hand drive car (the brake cylinder and reservoir are located on the right hand side of a right hand drive vehicle).

Having said all that, this sequence goes against my previous knowledge of brake fluid changes where I was always told to start at the wheel closest to the master cylinder and finish at the furthest away wheel. This would give me:
Front right
Front left
Rear right
Rear left

I'll be doing this job with a hand held vacuum pump.

I'm grateful for any advice that can be offered!!!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
 
I was always taught to start at the furthest point from the master cylinder and finish at the closest. Mind you, that was on cars with no more sophistication than servo brakes; and most didn't even have that. Certainly not cars with ABS etc so may be completely different these days.
 
The sequence for my Nissan (so admittedly not entirely relevant) is; rear left, front right, rear right, front left. - Apparently it's because the proportioning valve is intentionally crossed so that should one side fail it will always brake a front and rear wheel on opposite sides.

I would start with the rears as they are furthest away; more volume to move, then the fronts should be easier.
 
I would suggest that you let a garage change the fluid,I see that Halfords will do it for less than £40,the draining of the system is different with cross over valves in the system also with ABS,where the car should be running when you start the process.
 
Zip thats ok if you can trust them [i dont ] but thats only for the crowd over close to my location . I just open up the bleed nut and let it drip out . Keeping my eye on the top up tank .Lock up one i have done and move to the next one ..Starting at the longest away from top up tank .
 
I always understood the order is longest pipe run first down to shortest run last.

Left and right order will depend on which side of the car is used for the front to rear pipes, as the W209 abs unit is on the left, I would guess the pipes also run down the left (nearside), thus giving the order as right rear, left rear, right front, left front.

WIS indicates dealers use a machine which communicates with the abs unit to ensure it gets fresh fluid, I think the manual method leaves some old fluid in it. Mind you, last time I saw fluid being changed at an indy, it was the manual method using a vacuum pump.
 
Zip thats ok if you can trust them [i dont ] but thats only for the crowd over close to my location . I just open up the bleed nut and let it drip out . Keeping my eye on the top up tank .Lock up one i have done and move to the next one ..Starting at the longest away from top up tank .

I've recently done mine and did do a search to see if there was any special method for the ABS and couldn't find anything. I also did the same gravity bleed through a clear tube in order to measure the amount of fluid bled at each wheel. It's a little slow but very safe as long as the master cylinder reservoir is kept topped up. I did them in the usual order of furthest away from the master cylinder first. Seems to have done the job with no problems.
 
Start the furthest away from the master cylinder, bleed a fair amount out of the first corner to bleed the reservoir.
 
Thanks for all the advice everyone.

Should I have the engine running or not while bleeding the lines?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro
 
As each brake line is independent - as long as the master cylinder never runs out of fluid, it makes sod all difference regarding the order you bleed the lines.
 
Thanks for all the advice everyone.

Should I have the engine running or not while bleeding the lines?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Had mine done at an Indy very cost effective, and remember some need a pressurised flush ... mine a CL500 C216 did!
Mine had Adaptive Braking and an EPB ... pretty sure he said you need Star to do it.
Really not worth doing it yourself, when you dont know how.
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top Bottom