Everything is installed in prep for remounting the ZF. New CHS, clutch, DMF, and PP are included.

To bleed, I used Bill's method of preloading the slave with fluid (via syringe). Then, after attaching the hose, it was mounted. 50-75 presses of the pedal have been completed until air bubbles stopped. (I haven't done anything about lowering the front of the car (that's still in the air completing engine install, etc...

With the CHS at least semi gravity bled, I can see about 1/16" movement at the TO bearing. Because the TO, clutch disk, and pilot bearing don't appear perfectly aligned, I tried to realign with the pilot tool after bleeding.

I can't feel slack in the clutch disk with the pedal pressed (PP released). IOW, when I move the pilot tool around I can't feel if the disk is moving around. (Seems like there was 1/4" around the perimeter when I installed the PP over the top of it.)

Visually, and with the pilot tool pressed in firmly, it looks like the clutch disk is too low or the TO bearing (pressure plate) is too high. Unless the PP is non-symmetrical, I'm thinking there's no way it could be off.

If I insert the pilot tool lightly, it appears to line up. Another thought is that the pilot bearing isn't totally perpendicular to the crank (though I thought it was flush in the crank journal). Here, I'm saying the pilot tool may not fit TIGHT in the pilot bearing. If loose enough fitted at the tip, I might be seeing alignment UNTIL I press hard enough where the tapered tip meets the fluted entrance to the pilot bearing. And, when pressing hard enough, the pilot tool seems to be "showing me" a downward angle out of the pilot bearing.

If my pilot bearing is correct, then it would seem my clutch disk is still sitting a bit too low (assuming my TO bearing/PP can't be too high). And, it would seem I'm not bled well enough to get enough release on the disk to lift it higher.

Thoughts?

pic for reference....

(NOTE: This was a HARD pic to take since shadows created from ANY off-axis pisitioning of the camera were created. And, that makes alignment look worse than it is. Notice even this pic has a shadow.)

 

Someone else was pressing my pedal today (while I monitored air release into the master cylinder reservoir). I just tried it myself and I still need more bleeding. That's for sure. The pedal's not firm yet.

 

Once your pedal is firm, you will be able to insert the pilot tool with someone pushing your clutch pedal down and spin the disc radially very easily


The last time I bled my ZF slave, I put a SS braided brake hose on the top of the clutch slave, then I put a brass nipple with a speed bleeder onto the opposite end,,

I bought a 2 foot long SS braided hose so i could bleed the slave by placing the bleeder end into a coffee can up by my valve covers and I could pump the pedal myself until I saw no air bubbles come out,

and when your fluid gets black, just loosen the bleeder and put in fresh fluid in the master and pump the pedal until it all goes clear again,,

then I would tighten the bleeder and tuck th hose behind the master cylinder... worked great!

 

With all new parts, there won't/shouldn't be any black fluid! LOL

My thought was to take a speed bleeder (or use the 2-man option), to bleed it. Do they take the metric bleeder (IIRC, 10mmx1.5)

I also had planned on using small vacuum hose clamped to the bleeder and run it up to the master. That would create a loop for the fluid to travel around.

I'm just wondering if that method would work as mounted or if the bleeder (pointing down) would have to be rotated up. (After removing of course).

 

The simple way with what you have is to have some one pump the pedal slow,, with a tube clamped to the bleeder as you describe,, tell them to push slow and shut off the bleeder before they bottom out the pedal. Make sure you have the bleeder up high with the slave rod end on a 45 degree or steeper down angle.

My wife and son are expert at pushing the pedal for me.

 

Since the bleeder and hose connect to the same end, you're saying make sure than end is higher than the rest of the cylinder. I assume bubbles will rise and go out the bleeder.

If the SC was left mounted, do you think air would stay in it?

Did you know if the fitting was a 10mm x 1.5 -- if I decided to install a speed bleeder? (The only other size bleeder on the "HELP! cards" was 3/8"x16 IIRC.)

 

How?

I can't tilt the car that far and I thought it could damage the SC if I actuate it while unmounted. Seems like Bill (ZFDoc) once told me that would pop the retainer ring loose that holds the plunger assm in. And, that's not good.

 

I got the wife to pump me today...you know, the clutch pedal.

Except for any angling of the slave, I did as instructed.

First, I gravity bled the system which didn't really seem to need it. I'd already done the 50 pump thing first (after priming the SC before assm). This has to have been a mistake. Had I gravity bled THEN pressed the clutch, I might have got it on the first try.

Anyway, I filled and bled it like brakes. First time milky fluid was expelled (probably air bubbles). Next came the black fluid as described. (Is that rubber cleaned off from manufacturing?) Third time, it went back clear and I got some pedal (after pumping the pedal about 100 times). Fourth time created no change.

Movement is now up to about 1/4". But, it's not where it should be. The pedal does not "engage" until about 2/3rd's of the way down.

Again, I didn't think I could remove the SC to tilt for risk of damage. Plus, the front is on stands with another one under the bell-housing. Things could get a bit tricky if I even try to lower the front and raise the rear of the car. That's because of the fixed stand under the bell housing.

Kinda makes me think I should get a helper over and see if I can get the ZF back in. If I can (along with the C-beam), then I could remove the stand(s) and get to tilting this summabeach.

I still need more pedal though.



Note: I can't check for radial movement of the clutch disk using the pilot tool though. The plastic ring on the back of it is designed to turn/freewheel. How helpful is that!

 

Unbolt the slave, and hold it in your hand, have someone pump it slow and tell them to stop when the rod is stroked out, then you press the rod back with your hand ( put a rag on your palm) and tilt the bleed end up while their foot is not on the pedal, REPEAT AND REPEAT,, then bolt it on when it is bled.

 

Can you damage (pop out) the SC if you push it too far? How do you know it's fully extended and just ready to cause damage?

I'm guessing w/o the SC mounted resistance is nil (unless it's pressing against the retainer)?

 

I got past this obstacle today.

I asked my neighbor to borrow his floor jack (after he returned from a weekend trip). That way I could use two (in tandum) to raise the rear of the car and the rear of the non-supported motor. After getting the rear slightly higher than the front, I pumped the clutch. Several more bubbles popped out and my clutch came up.

Just as ZFDoc's site suggests, the car has to be level for the self-bleeding techique to work. (High in the rear would probably work too.)

Wouldn't you know the clutch starting to squeak today too. Even though I used the better Valvoline Syn Dot4, I guess I'll need to swap to the GM stuff to cure that. (At least that's what's posted on Bill's website.)

Also, when I had enough pedal, I was able to reposition the clutch disk as needed. But, this time the puller ring popped out of the pilot tool. That's right...my tool stayed stuck in the bell-housing. Talk about an "Oh chit reaction!" LOL Luckily it pulled out with needle-nose (though not w/o a small fight).

Guess nothing can go exactly right the first time. Something is always needing to be wrestled to the ground.

When the wife asked why each step seems to take so long, I offered to explain. She just said never mind and walked off. No way she'll ever know how complicated this seemed at first, how much I learned, and how much is envolved. None of it is that hard -- just a PITA like anything else!

Thanks for your help LD85!



P.S....The slave did not require removing to complete bleeding. I followed ZFDoc's website for gravity bleeding. I will still assume a reverse bleeder might evacuate a bit more -- if I decide to do that. You know...when I'm forced to try a different fluid to stop the squeak!