Having a hard time bleeding clutch
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Jul 2021
Posts: 11
Likes: 3
Having a hard time bleeding clutch
Hello everyone just wanted to drop a quick thank you before I start this thread I know there’s probably one in existence but I can’t find a clear cut answer!
Everyone my name is Johnny and I’ve recently inherited my old mans 88 C4 a car I’ve been in love with since I was a kid. Unfortunately the cars been on jackstands for a few years and since my fathers passing I’ve really have put some effort into getting it back on the road we’re it belongs.
so I put a new clutch kit, clutch master and slave cylinder in. I bench bled the clutch master, and for the life of me can’t get any fluid out of the clutch master reservoir? I’ve disconnected the line on the back of the master I know I’m not air bound there. But dam I can’t get this slave to have fluid! I thought it was funny when I bought the part from AutoZone they said there was a note in the system that is hard to bleed!? But didn’t think this hard.
Any help would be appreciated, thank you in advance
-Johnny
Everyone my name is Johnny and I’ve recently inherited my old mans 88 C4 a car I’ve been in love with since I was a kid. Unfortunately the cars been on jackstands for a few years and since my fathers passing I’ve really have put some effort into getting it back on the road we’re it belongs.
so I put a new clutch kit, clutch master and slave cylinder in. I bench bled the clutch master, and for the life of me can’t get any fluid out of the clutch master reservoir? I’ve disconnected the line on the back of the master I know I’m not air bound there. But dam I can’t get this slave to have fluid! I thought it was funny when I bought the part from AutoZone they said there was a note in the system that is hard to bleed!? But didn’t think this hard.
Any help would be appreciated, thank you in advance
-Johnny
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 13,348
Likes: 233
From: SCMR Rat Pack'r Charter Member..Great Bend KS
During your (attempted?) bench bleeding, were you able to able get fluid to flow out of the master cylinder (MC)? It sounds like you may not have....
If not, take the MC back and get another; it is faulty. This may be the simple answer to your problem.
Rebuilt, and even new, components are no guarantee that they are in perfect working conditions. The humans who assemble these things can, and do, make mistakes....and faulty components occasionally get past inspections and are not unheard of.
Last edited by rocco16; Jul 26, 2021 at 02:26 PM.
Thread Starter
Cruising
Joined: Jul 2021
Posts: 11
Likes: 3
Your description can be interpreted several ways, so I'm going to ask this:
During your (attempted?) bench bleeding, were you able to able get fluid to flow out of the master cylinder (MC)? It sounds like you may not have....
If not, take the MC back and get another; it is faulty. This may be the simple answer to your problem.
Rebuilt, and even new, components are no guarantee that they are in perfect working conditions. The humans who assemble these things can, and do, make mistakes....and faulty components occasionally get past inspections and are not unheard of.
During your (attempted?) bench bleeding, were you able to able get fluid to flow out of the master cylinder (MC)? It sounds like you may not have....
If not, take the MC back and get another; it is faulty. This may be the simple answer to your problem.
Rebuilt, and even new, components are no guarantee that they are in perfect working conditions. The humans who assemble these things can, and do, make mistakes....and faulty components occasionally get past inspections and are not unheard of.
Race Director
Joined: Dec 2002
Posts: 13,348
Likes: 233
From: SCMR Rat Pack'r Charter Member..Great Bend KS
So, you can't get the slave to accept fluid??
See if you can apply shop air to the slave's inlet. If the air then comes out of the open bleeder, it should work.
If no air comes out of the open bleeder, then you'll need a new slave cylinder.
See if you can apply shop air to the slave's inlet. If the air then comes out of the open bleeder, it should work.
If no air comes out of the open bleeder, then you'll need a new slave cylinder.
Racer
Joined: Mar 2020
Posts: 387
Likes: 148
From: Langton, Ontario, Canada
2025 C4 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
Get a brake bleeder tool that uses a hand-held vacuum pump to draw fluid into the slave cylinder. Yes it's difficult to do this job.
One think I was told when I did mine was this:
Pump up your clutch as good as you can, and hold the pedal to the floor for 10 seconds or so. Then slide your foot sideways off the clutch pedal, which allows it to spring up into its resting position. Do it several times if you need. I don't know why it works, I don't care why it works. Just know, it works!
One think I was told when I did mine was this:
Pump up your clutch as good as you can, and hold the pedal to the floor for 10 seconds or so. Then slide your foot sideways off the clutch pedal, which allows it to spring up into its resting position. Do it several times if you need. I don't know why it works, I don't care why it works. Just know, it works!
