Clutch bleeding

[Pomorza]

Hey guys.

In the past couple of months I've noticed that I'm loosing fluid from the clutch. I haven't yet identified where it's leaking from but I'm leaning on the slave as for what I've been told the master tends to leak into the car. (on the floor). Anyhow, this afternoon I checked the fluid and I'm out almost completely. There's a small amount the keeps the clutch working but its hard to shift in the Z now. So I'm planning on bleeding the system as I'm worried if I add fluid I might get air in the system.

Did some research and found this interesting video (

.) Anyone every tired bleeding this way?

Jan

[SteveJ]

Another way that works well is to have a friend add fluid while using a vacuum pump at the slave cylinder. I used a large mason jar as a reservoir for the vacuum pump. It worked great for me.

[SteveJ]

Okay, I tried it, working from under the car. It didn't work well for me. I suggest that if you try it, go at it from the top. I'm still not sure it will work that well, either. Also, make sure you have a long enough tube from the oil can to the bleed screw.

[Pomorza]

Okay, I tried it, working from under the car. It didn't work well for me. I suggest that if you try it, go at it from the top. I'm still not sure it will work that well, either. Also, make sure you have a long enough tube from the oil can to the bleed screw.

I ended up doing it both ways. From the bottom I fed the fluid up to the master until it was about to over fill. Pressed the pedal a few times and opened the bleeder screw to make sure I had fluid. A tiny bit of air popped out. It seems that you end up feeding air into the system but it's rather easy to bleed out.

Thanks for the help

Jan

[sblake01]

Ever since I tried a power bleeder a few years ago, I wouldn't do any kind of bleeding job without one. It requires a compressor but it's the only way to go. It's a one man opertation, it has a resivor that keeps the fluid level up, no pedal pumping, and you could even do a complete fluid replacement with it if necessary.

[SteveJ]

I ended up doing it both ways. From the bottom I fed the fluid up to the master until it was about to over fill. Pressed the pedal a few times and opened the bleeder screw to make sure I had fluid. A tiny bit of air popped out. It seems that you end up feeding air into the system but it's rather easy to bleed out.

Thanks for the help

Jan

I think I need to clarify. I think it might help to approach the slave cylinder from engine compartment instead of underneath. I was probably also handicapped by using too short of a piece of tubing from the oil can to the bleed screw.

[Pomorza]

I think I need to clarify. I think it might help to approach the slave cylinder from engine compartment instead of underneath. I was probably also handicapped by using too short of a piece of tubing from the oil can to the bleed screw.

Gotchya. I understood what you said no clarification needed. I used a three foot rubber hose so I had no issues at all from the bottom.

Jan

[cozye]

I use a combination of vacuum pump and an old fashioned 2nd hand. I've got a long tube on my vacuum pump, I suck a bunch of fluid through the system with the vacuum pump while having someone keep the resevoir full. Then to finish it off I just bleed it using a helper with the method in the service manual. Works for me on brakes and clutch. I think the key for me is i'm not opposed to running a half quart of fluid through it.

[sblake01]

Why do you need a helper after you pull the vacuum? That's essentially what my power bleeder does and all I do at that point is close the bleeder and I'm done or move on to the next wheel for brakes until I've done all four. At that point, the clutch or brakes, depending on what I'm working on, is/are done without pumping the pedal.

[cozye]

Why do you need a helper after you pull the vacuum? That's essentially what my power bleeder does and all I do at that point is close the bleeder and I'm done or move on to the next wheel for brakes until I've done all four. At that point, the clutch or brakes, depending on what I'm working on, is/are done without pumping the pedal.

because when you pull brake fluid through with a vacuum, I've found that a tiny amount of air still enters the system around the bleed screw threads. Also I suspect that tiny bubbles like to hang around in the nooks and crannies and high spots and don't pull out as easy as they push out. And there is no harm in doing an "extra" good job just to be sure. I figured this out on motorcycles when I would get unexplained brake fade on the race track. Nothing like screaming towards the end of a 3300 foot straight at 165 mph and having no brakes I found that if I manually pumped, then cracked the bleed screw a few times on the hole system after priming with a vacuum pump, a little extra air came out and brake fade was a lot less. I have to flush and bleed brake fluid on my bike every other weekend so I've had a fair amount of practice at it.

If you are pushing through the fluid with positive pressure, you shouldn't have that issue. With the vacuum on it though it's different.

[sblake01]

Okay. The function of that method must be a little different than using my power bleeder because I never have to go back and pump the pedal.

[cozye]

Okay. The function of that method must be a little different than using my power bleeder because I never have to go back and pump the pedal.

Yeah, basically I just use the vacuum to pull most of the air out and prime the line real well. I've not had great success in using a mighty vac as the final bleed solution. It does save a lot of time though since once you've got the lines primed real well it only takes 5 minutes to finish manually. I also like the vacuum pump to keep the fluid in the container and not make a big mess.