Clutch bleeding

[zacon 0]

I tried to bleed my clutch today. I had the clutch line off recently, so the pedal was completely dead.

 

I tried to search around the forum and on google, and found some articles. Some people said to begin with master cylinder, then slave cylinder, some said the other way around. Some said only to bleed the slave cylinder.

 

What I did was to connect a clear hose to the bleed nipple on the slave cylinder, then open bleed nipple, push pedal, air comes out, close nipple, pull pedal, open nipple, and so on. I did this like thirty times. Still air was coming out through the hose, and I eventually gave up. I then tried the same procedure with the master cylinder, although here there was no fluid level raise in the hose. It didn't seem to work, and the pedal is just as dead.

 

The clutch was working fine before I had the clutch line off, ie. the gearbox out. I have filled the brake fluid reservoir to max with DOT4 fluid.

 

What am I doing wrong?

[kongo127 0]

The brake/fluid resvoir looks full but it´s not.

There is a internal small wall which separetes the fluid in two housings.

You just need to top it even if it´s on the maximum mark.

You will notice that it is possible to fill more oil.

[zacon 0]

Are you really sure of that? The level seemt to be below minimum when I had the clutch line off, leaking for a couple of days. I thought the separation wall was up to around the minimum mark...

 

Also, should I have the ignition on?

[kongo127 0]

I had the same issue when i bleeded my clutch (no need to have ignition on).

While i was bleeding suddenly i started to loose pressure on the cylnder.

A took a look at the oil level and seemt to be ok.

I was having no results and getting desperated.

So i top it up to the max. mark and kept filling even more oil.

The oil didn´t get of the resevoir.

It climbed an internal wall i believe.

And then i started to bleed again and i started to get some pressure.

Hope it helps...

I got sorted this way! :)

Keep posting! 8)

[RW1 0]

Clutch reservoir feed is a pipe about halfway up the side wall. The reservoir must be kept filled above this point and the top shoulder "V" mark.

 

.

[fla 9]

what's the correct procedure for doing this? I have replaced the auto for a manual and was bleeding the clutch master first then the slave, but the pedal is still on the floor, ok slightly off the floor now. Should the pedal be pumped, the bleed nipple closed, pedal pulled back up and then bleed nipple opened again, or can it remain open contiuously until fluid flows through it into the bottle? And should the master be first or the slave? Or indeed can you bleed the whole thing through the slave cylinder?

[Supercharged 2]

Pressure bleed it mate - far easier...

 

Just hook up Eezibleed and open the slave nipple, let about 250ml of fluid thru and you should be fine.

 

On a VR you shouldn't have a nipple on the master but if you have the earlier setup and it works then no point changing it... you could open that one too if the bite point does not feel right - this just gets rid of any small amount of air sitting at the end of the cylinder.

[fla 9]

OK thanks for that. My master cylinder is from a 2.0 valver so it the longer one with the bleed nipple. How is the eazibleed set up then?

[pete_griff 0]

if you don't have an eazibleed setup then the correct way is as follows:

 

always start bleeding from the furthest point away from the reservoir (same when doing the brakes).

 

1 - ensure reservoir is plenty topped up above the fluid take off from the main reservoir for the clutch master (see posts above).

2 - push a clear piece of washer fluid tubing over the bleed nipple on the slave cylinder so you can clearly see the fluid/air coming out of the bleed nipple (you may find it easier to push it over the nipple if you warm it slightly with a fag-lighter)

3 - open the bleed nipple and get a friend to push the clutch pedal to the floor and hold it there. (watch as air/fluid comes out).

4 - close the bleed nipple while your friend still has the pedal depressed to the floor and BEFORE he pulls it back up.

5 - get your friend to pull the pedal back up and take his foot/pressure off it.

6 - repeat steps 3-5 above until no more air comes out of the bleed nipple and you get a nice uniform flow of fluid that's all the same colour.

 

once you're happy that there's no more air at the slave you can move onto the master if it has a bleed nipple on it. if it doesn't then you should be finished - move onto the final checks.

 

7 - to bleed the master (if applicable), follow the exact same steps as 3-5 above for the slave. there should be a fair bit less air here and it shouldn't take as long.

 

final checks - pump the clutch pedal a few times and see how it feels (should obviously feel normal by now - i.e firmish and linear). check around all the fittings carefully for any leaks and ensure all bleed nipples are done up securely (don't forget to re-fit nipple caps if you've got them). if it's fine then start the car and try it in all the gears including reverse while the car is stationary. once you're happy with that take the car for a gentle drive and make ure it's behaving itself as you would expect it to. if that's the case then job done, pat yourself on the back and crack open a beer to celebrate!

[fla 9]

Griff, thats excellent. That's where i was going wrong - just getting my dad to pump the pedal without closig the bleed nipple in between pumps. Got through about half a litre of brake fluid with no result. Hopefully should be done with half of that now, i guess!

[zak 0]

the clutch circuit is small, it doesnt take much fluid to bleed it

[pete_griff 0]

no worries - happy to help.

if you pump the pedal with the nipple still open then air will be drawn back into the circuit...

 

and Zak is right - it doesn't take much fluid for the clutch system - just make sure you keep the fluid level above the clutch take off from the reservior on top of the brake master cylinder otherwise it's a pointless exercise and you'll have to start all over again!

[fla 9]

not having much luck here. The slave bleeds to clear fluid but the clutch pedal is not returning to teh 'up' position. PLus it looks as though the master is leaking from thje join of the fluid transfer elbow, which sits in the cylinder. Can this be replaced, or is ther a way to solve teh leakage problem here? This is winding me up now :censored: unless someone has a spare master cylinder in good working order.

[fla 9]

can the fluid transfer elbow be removed and new seals fitted?

[Toad 0]

not having much luck here. The slave bleeds to clear fluid but the clutch pedal is not returning to teh 'up' position.

 

It won't, the pedal is spring loaded. You have to pull it up after pressing it down, once bled, and the pedal is pulled up for the final time it will work properly.

 

Don't know about the elbow though....

[fla 9]

Ah OK, cheers for that Toady. The pedal is on the floor right now, i just left it like that and looked for some petrol and a match.....

[pete_griff 0]

5 - get your friend to pull the pedal back up and take his foot/pressure off it.

 

it's a pretty easy mistake to make as the pedal will return of it's own accord on a lot of other cars - typical f'in corrados and their "quirks".

 

let us know how you get on pal...

:D

[fla 9]

GRiff thanks buddy. Its winding me up at the moment, these little bloody problems. Should have been finished a good few days ago. We did the push-pull method, but even at the end the clutch felt very soft, although i didnt pull it back up finally, i just epxcted that with a full system the pressure would force it back. OK, vener mind, i'll have another go today. Just need to sort that bloody leak, dont really want to fork out another 80 notes on a new master...

[Supercharged 2]

Fla - just go and buy an eezibleed kit mate, you'll have in sorted in 5 minutes!

[Timbo 0]

It's quite straightforward to do without a pressure bleeder if you don't have one. I do, but I got into a situation where I needed to bleed the clutch without having it to hand (long story). Basically:

 

1. Attach fluid catcher to slave bleed screw and open.

2. Top up the fluid reservoir.

3. Pump the clutch pedal without letting the fluid level drop too low. ISTR you can manage down, up, down, up, with the fluid initially having been topped up.

4. If there is still air coming out, go to 2.

5. Close bleed screw.

[fla 9]

thanks all. As Toad suggested earlier, the pedal needs to be pulled back after final bleeding. Its all OK now, but all input has been appreciated.