I have a 1971 Olds service manual and the brake bleeding technique is reversed from the norm, is this the way it shoud be done? I have done lots of brake jobs and never seen this, maybe I haven't seen enough. The manual states, "The correct sequence for bleeding is left front, right front, left rear, right rear." I thought it may be for disc brakes but they only say to use the tool to depress the release button on the combination valve while bleeding disc brakes, so it is for both types I would guess. Could this be to get the brake warning light actuator rod in the combo valve to seat in the middle position so the light doesn't stay on possibly? Probably just the best way the engineers figured for bleeding this braking system, I would doubt it's a printing error, got me.

Allan

 

Every Olds manual I have details the brake bleeding process as you describe. Frankly, with split systems, I'm not sure why it matters, but I've always heard the version of starting with the wheel closest to the M/C.

Now that I think about it, I suspect the real issue is that you should bleed the system that's connected to the firewall part of the M/C first. This would make the most sense and it does vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. On an Olds, this would be the rear brakes first.

Now, if you're using a pressure or vacuum bleeding system, it probably doesn't matter in any case.