Bleeding Clutch Questions
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 299
Likes: 1
From: Ottawa Ontario
Bleeding Clutch Questions
Hey guys I'm going to bleed my clutch this weekend and had a question or two if any of you knew.
My car is a 95. I can reach the bleeder screw underneath the slave actuator without removing it from the transmission. I was thinking of bleeding it like normally bleeding brakes. I looked it up in the FSM and it says to remove the actuator to bleed it. Is that really necessary?
My next question is should I do it the traditional way or using a MightyVac and reverse bleeding it?
Lastly, the FSM says I can push most of the air out by taking the cover and the moisture trap off the master cylinder and gently stroking the clutch. I can see how this would push air up to the master cylinder and would be the easiest bleeding method. Is this too easy and I should stick to one of the aforementioned bleeding methods?
My main question is does the actuator have to be off the car to bleed it?
Thanks!
My car is a 95. I can reach the bleeder screw underneath the slave actuator without removing it from the transmission. I was thinking of bleeding it like normally bleeding brakes. I looked it up in the FSM and it says to remove the actuator to bleed it. Is that really necessary?
My next question is should I do it the traditional way or using a MightyVac and reverse bleeding it?
Lastly, the FSM says I can push most of the air out by taking the cover and the moisture trap off the master cylinder and gently stroking the clutch. I can see how this would push air up to the master cylinder and would be the easiest bleeding method. Is this too easy and I should stick to one of the aforementioned bleeding methods?
My main question is does the actuator have to be off the car to bleed it?
Thanks!
Pro
Joined: Mar 2008
Posts: 552
Likes: 2
From: Dubuque Iowa
I would think the actuater has to be off. Otherwise it will be continually pushing on the slave cylinder, and wouldn't get any fluid down there... but I could be wrong. I changed my slave cylinder over the winter and had to bleed the system. It isn't a hard job.
Drifting
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 1,363
Likes: 7
From: 1994 LT1 Coupe 6-speed with FX3 & 2000 LS1 Vert 6-Speed with F45 Hunterdon County, NJ
HOPEFULLY THIS IS NOT TOO LATE...
DO NOT BLEED THE SLAVE WITH IT REMOVED FROM THE TRANSMISSION!!
It will push the piston too far out, risk popping the rubber nose off, and pushing the piston/seal into the non-machined or corroded area and you'll likey have leaks thereafter.
At best, with removed, just do a gravity bleed (no pedal movement at at all).
Thereafter, reinstall and then bleed like normal -- and finish up with 50 pedal pushes of moderate speed to move any remaining air to the master.
DO NOT BLEED THE SLAVE WITH IT REMOVED FROM THE TRANSMISSION!!
It will push the piston too far out, risk popping the rubber nose off, and pushing the piston/seal into the non-machined or corroded area and you'll likey have leaks thereafter.
At best, with removed, just do a gravity bleed (no pedal movement at at all).
Thereafter, reinstall and then bleed like normal -- and finish up with 50 pedal pushes of moderate speed to move any remaining air to the master.
Advanced
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 92
Likes: 0
From: Meridian Mississippi
I bled mine with the slave cylinder off the tranny. My slave cylinder had two stops machined into it so the piston couldnt come out. I held the slave cylinder vertical and got someone to pump the clutch while I bled it like a normal brake system. Check yours and see if it has the two stopper thingies.
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Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 299
Likes: 1
From: Ottawa Ontario
Ok well I did it yesterday and actually started removing the slave cylinder from the transmission and decided after it was just loosened to try and bleed conventionally to see if it worked.
It did and with my wife in the car pumping and holding the clutch and me releasing and closing the bleeder screw everything went smoothly. I tightened down the slave cylinder to the transmission and put the car down.
After pumping the clutch pedal about 50 times it works like a champ.
Thanks to the replies.
It did and with my wife in the car pumping and holding the clutch and me releasing and closing the bleeder screw everything went smoothly. I tightened down the slave cylinder to the transmission and put the car down.
After pumping the clutch pedal about 50 times it works like a champ.
Thanks to the replies.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 299
Likes: 1
From: Ottawa Ontario
By the way not related to your post but related to the bleeding, I tried using a Mighty Vac to reverse bleed it and that thing is useless. I spilled more clutch fluid than anything. lol
Last edited by -=Tom=-; Mar 24, 2009 at 10:33 PM.
Pro
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 617
Likes: 8
From: Morgan City LA
Hey Mike, on mine when I loosened the bleeder screw the fluid starts coming out pretty darned quickly. I think the danger in using gravity alone is that the fluid will bypass any debris in the line whereas if there's pressure it's more likely to push it out.
By the way not related to your post but related to the bleeding, I tried using a Mighty Vac to reverse bleed it and that thing is useless. I spilled more clutch fluid that anything. lol
By the way not related to your post but related to the bleeding, I tried using a Mighty Vac to reverse bleed it and that thing is useless. I spilled more clutch fluid that anything. lol
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 1999
Posts: 2,949
Likes: 23
From: Bowling Green KY
Sounds like you got it already but this guy works wonders:
http://www.brakebleeder.com/product.php?pid=2
Phoenix Injector, this is also what Bill @ZFDoc recommends.
Had a 93' where I tried everything under the sun, spent many hours, etc etc - bought this thing and had clutch pedal in about 30 seconds!
http://www.brakebleeder.com/product.php?pid=2
Phoenix Injector, this is also what Bill @ZFDoc recommends.
Had a 93' where I tried everything under the sun, spent many hours, etc etc - bought this thing and had clutch pedal in about 30 seconds!
