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MG MGF Technical - Bleeding Trophy/AP racing/TF 160 brakes

It is soon going to be time to bleed and replace the fluid on the AP racing 4-pot caliper brakes on my TF 160 and I thought I would attempt to do this myself. However, after having read the "instructions" in the workshop manual, I am rather unsure about how to proceed.

Basically, my experience from a Lotus Elise was that one should start with the corner closest to the master cylinder/ABS unit (both located on the right hand side in my LHD car) and finish with the back corner furthest away. In other words, the sequence on a LHD car should be front right, front left, rear right, rear left.

However, my TF manual (in French, so presumably adapted to LHD cars) says something completely different, indicating that one should follow the order rear left, rear right, front right, front left. Is this order the same as the one specified in a manual in English? In which case, doesn't this mean that they just forgot, when translating the manual, that the master cylinder/ABS unit are located on the other side in LHD cars. BTW, I know that the master cylinder is on the left hand side on UK cars but where is the ABS unit?

To complicate matters further, since the front calipers have two bleeding nipples each, the manual says to first bleed the outer nipples and then the inner nipples "in the order specified above", whatever that means (rear left, rear right, front right outer, front left outer, front right inner, front left inner... ???????).

Basically, I am very confused and I would be extremely grateful if someone who knows what he is talking about (as opposed to me...) could give me a good procedure, RELEVANT TO MY LHD CAR, to follow to make sure that I do this fluid change the right way, ensuring the bleeding is perfect and no air/old fluid remains in the system.

Many thanks in advance!

Per
Per

>as the one specified in a manual in English?

Yes, did brake fluid change twice already and never had any problem.

Take care never getting air into the ABS until. I think in that case you need a proper vacuum tool (like workshops have) to bleed right then.

Regards
Dieter
Dieter K.

In all honesty I think that when you are simply bleeding to replace the fluid and sharpen up the response after a club competition day the order does not matter that much. When you have air in the pipes due to a new caliper or whatever it becomes more important. Either way I always start furtherest fom the master cylinder and work my way towards it. Certainly when I build a car or replace a metal pipe it becomes important to get some fluid into the system so that a "pedal" is created and you can then tell if there is any air present by the spongy feeling and the fact that the pedal pumps up. For routine bleeding/replacement it is not as critical.

Good luck.......David
d mottram

Thanks David and Dieter! Since it is a routine fluid replacement that I want to do, I will follow your advice and not worry too much about the multiple nipples on the front calipers or the order of the corners. I will use only the nipple at the very end of the pipe, on each caliper, making sure to keep the reservoir topped-up all the time, to keep any air out.

BTW, does anyone of you know roughly how much fluid I will need to do the car?

Thanks again!

Per

P.S: Shouldn't the clutch fluid be drained at similar intervals too?
Per

A litre should suffice.
Yes the clutch is a good idea but more difficult to access in an MGF.
d mottram

This thread was discussed between 19/02/2004 and 20/02/2004

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