clutch bleeding success!!!

[steve_k]

afternoon folks,

i'm back again with more bleeding problems (excuse the pun).

over the past few days i've changed the clutch, master cylinder & slave cylinder and a one piece braided steel clutch line with an3 fittings on my sport,
filled the reservoir with fluid & left the bleed nipple cracked open slightly for an hour or so,

nipped it back up & left it over night,

came to bleed the system today using my pressure bleeder & after find a couple of very small leaks (all sorted now) & all i'm getting is a drip from the slave cylinder bleed nipple,

anyone had this? any ideas on how to go about sorting it?

[paultv]

I didn't use my pressure blender at all.

Twas really easy... check my post at the top of this section "Clutch master and slave tips"

Paul

[steve_k]

I didn't use my pressure blender at all.

Twas really easy... check my post at the top of this section "Clutch master and slave tips"

Paul

cheers paul i'll have a look,

[steve_k]

just read that post of your's,

when i fitted both cylinders yesterday i filled the reservoir, let the level drop then opened the bleeder on the slave, left it a while, topped up the reservoir,

came to bleed it today, level was still the same (near the top), got under the car, attached the rubber hose on the bleeder other end in a jar, opened the bleeder, pumped the peddle a few times, but there was next to no resistance yet the peddle came straight back up,

decided to try the pressure bleeder (this is when i found a couple of tiny leaks, fixed them), attached the pressure bleeder, got back under the car, undid the bleeder & all i got was a little drip every few seconds,

checked the peddle & it was still the same,
thing is, bthe master & slave are brand new febi one's (not cheap) so i'm sure there cant be a problem with them.

this is as far as i got today, now totally stumped.

[paultv]

Sounds like air in the master, open the bleed nipple and add a bit of tube into a bottle with some fluid to cover the end of the tube, now pump the pedal long and slow to push the air out and let the fluid into the system, watch the resevoir doesn't get too low. After a few pumps you should feel a little resistance build up, get under the car and close the nipple. You should have decent pedal at this point, any remaining air should bubble up to the resevoir.

Paul

[steve_k]

Sounds like air in the master, open the bleed nipple and add a bit of tube into a bottle with some fluid to cover the end of the tube, now pump the pedal long and slow to push the air out and let the fluid into the system, watch the resevoir doesn't get too low. After a few pumps you should feel a little resistance build up, get under the car and close the nipple. You should have decent pedal at this point, any remaining air should bubble up to the resevoir.

Paul

right, sounds like a plan of attack for tomorrow, fingers crossed.

[steve_k]

right, didn't get a lot of time today but did find that there was a hairline crack/split in the steel an fitting at the end of the clutch master cylinder/start of the braided steel line.

new one on order should be here in a day or two,

also found out the cap for the ezibleed has a small split with the pipe goes through the lid just under the brass fitting, new one of those on order aswell.
managed to get a chance to check the bleed nipple on the slave cylinder, all clear,

soon as i get chance next week i'll remove the slave cylinder & check that over,

also, the fluid level in the reservoir is still the same as yesterday (near the "full/max" line).

hopefully replacing the ezibleed lid/cap & the split AN fitting will sort it as either of these could be letting air get drawn in.

[steve_k]

well i got all the new bits i needed, got them all fitted,

when to use the ezibleed only to find the spare tyre was flat
got it pumped up to the right pressure, and now its raining,

will have another go tomorrow (providing it's not raining) & try again, fingers crossed it works this time.

[Foe]

well i got all the new bits i needed, got them all fitted,

when to use the ezibleed only to find the spare tyre was flat
got it pumped up to the right pressure, and now its raining,

will have another go tomorrow (providing it's not raining) & try again, fingers crossed it works this time.

Good luck and hope it works this time!

[steve_k]

well i got all the new bits i needed, got them all fitted,

when to use the ezibleed only to find the spare tyre was flat
got it pumped up to the right pressure, and now its raining,

will have another go tomorrow (providing it's not raining) & try again, fingers crossed it works this time.

Good luck and hope it works this time!

cheers foe, so do i.

only time will tell though.

[steve_k]

well i went to bleed the clutch using the ezibleed only to find that the clutch master cylinder had sprung a leak.

hooked up the pressure bleeder, opened the valve on the spare tyre, went under the car & opened the bleeder vale on the slave cylinder, got a very small dribble again,

looked at the reservoir, a noticed it was nearly empty & so was the pressure bleeder.
so i checked the master cylinder only to find a wet/damp patch underneath it, unhooked the pressure bleeder & pressed the peddle by hand,

surprise surprise fluid started to squirt out a little hole in the rubber boot on the back/end of the cylinder.

so, seeing as the old one is going back i've got another new one on the way.

i guess i'll go back to the 2 man method as it looks to me like the pressure bleeder was to much for it.

fingers crossed when i fit the new master cylinder & use the 2 man method this will be the end of it.

[Foe]

My word what a palava!!
No need for two man.
When I replaced both slave and master cylinder, I had the jar and tube under the slave cylinder, from there knelt on my knees and depressed the clutch with my hand whilst looking at the fluid coming out from the slave and keeping an eye on the fluid level from the clutch reservoir, topping up before it ran too low.
Good luck and hopefully, this time round it works

[HJ1981]

I replaced the slave cylinder back in February when i replaced the clutch/flywheel and resealed the transmission, i used a simple pressure bleeder without issues including the hose from the clutch master cylinder to slave.

I just replaced the clutch master cylinder last week or so, bled the brakes and clutch with the same bleeder, no issues. When i open the bleed nipple, i leave it open for 30 seconds with a pressure of 1.5 bar in the bleeder. Sometimes those tiny air bubbles take time to travel down the line(s).

[steve_k]

My word what a palava!!
No need for two man.
When I replaced both slave and master cylinder, I had the jar and tube under the slave cylinder, from there knelt on my knees and depressed the clutch with my hand whilst looking at the fluid coming out from the slave and keeping an eye on the fluid level from the clutch reservoir, topping up before it ran too low.
Good luck and hopefully, this time round it works

cheers for that foe will give that a try when the new M/C gets here.

[steve_k]

I replaced the slave cylinder back in February when i replaced the clutch/flywheel and resealed the transmission, i used a simple pressure bleeder without issues including the hose from the clutch master cylinder to slave.

I just replaced the clutch master cylinder last week or so, bled the brakes and clutch with the same bleeder, no issues. When i open the bleed nipple, i leave it open for 30 seconds with a pressure of 1.5 bar in the bleeder. Sometimes those tiny air bubbles take time to travel down the line(s).

i normally use the pressure bleeder on the brakes & clutch but this time i think i just got a dodgy M/C,
fingers crossed the new one works this time.

[flybynite]

i normally use the pressure bleeder on the brakes & clutch but this time i think i just got a dodgy M/C,
fingers crossed the new one works this time.

Can you regulate the pressure on your bleeder? or is it just what you pump the tyre too? Don't think it applies to the E30 but quite a few cars have a strict maximum bleeding pressure if being pressure bled.

If you pressurise the reservoir, you are putting pressure on areas of the MC that were not designed to take it. I was always taught to do it at 1 Bar/15psi and no more which is why I use a regulated bleeder or more often I just do it the old fashioned 2-man way

[steve_k]

i normally use the pressure bleeder on the brakes & clutch but this time i think i just got a dodgy M/C,
fingers crossed the new one works this time.

Can you regulate the pressure on your bleeder? or is it just what you pump the tyre too? Don't think it applies to the E30 but quite a few cars have a strict maximum bleeding pressure if being pressure bled.

If you pressurise the reservoir, you are putting pressure on areas of the MC that were not designed to take it. I was always taught to do it at 1 Bar/15psi and no more which is why I use a regulated bleeder or more often I just do it the old fashioned 2-man way

the pressure bleeder i use i one of these \/\/\/\/\/\/

https://www.halfords.com/workshop-tools ... -eezibleed

the instructions say no more that 20 psi but i've found that if it's <15psi it normally works fine.
unfortunately i can't regulate the pressure on it.

the new M/C should be here this morning so i'm going to get it fitted then try the technique that foe suggest above to make sure it's all good,

got my dad coming over tomorrow so i'll do it the 2 man method.

while i'm waiting i might as well fit my new smoked fog lights

[steve_k]

well thats the old clutch M/C out & the new one in, all plumbed in & (hopefully) ready to bleed to tomorrow.

wish me luck.

[martauto]

well thats the old clutch M/C out & the new one in, all plumbed in & (hopefully) ready to bleed to tomorrow.

wish me luck.

Mart.

[steve_k]

well thats the old clutch M/C out & the new one in, all plumbed in & (hopefully) ready to bleed to tomorrow.

wish me luck.

Mart.

cheers mart, fingers crossed its dry tomorrow so i can (try) and finally get the clutch bled.

[paultv]

I hope you sort this out!

Paul

[steve_k]

I hope you sort this out!

Paul

so do i.

will see what happens tomorrow.

[Foe]

Good luck

[steve_k]

well it looks like a success, went out earlier to try & get the clutch bled,

i tried the trick/technique that foe mentioned above, did this a few times (a lot) & with the use of a breaker bar behind the brake/throttle to hold the clutch peddle down while i nipped the bleeder screw up.

pumped the peddle a few times afterwards & there was plenty of resistance at the peddle, also held the peddle down & went through the gears, all went it nice & smooth.

i think there's still a little bit of air in the system but only time will tell.

so, thank you to all of you who offered advise,

[Foe]

Excellent news!!!
And well done for preserving

[steve_k]

Excellent news!!!
And well done for preserving

thanks, there was no way it was going to beat me.

[martauto]

Excellent news!!!
And well done for preserving

thanks, there was no way it was going to beat me.

Nice one Steve, great when a plan/s come together

Mart.

[paultv]

Yay!!!



Paul

[HJ1981]

Glad to hear it

[steve_k]

again, thanks folks,

next step(s), bleed the coolant, clean the inside out, give it a wash then off for mot.

[joeyb]

I had a nightmare bleeding my clutch up when fitting the M52 and ZF box. Best method in the end was to make a bracket to fully compress slave whilst it was hanging down from the box (but connected still) and then used Eezibleed kit.