how to bleed clutch?

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mathew_colville

mathew_colville

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jul 22, 2011
Messages
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Location
Taree
i have a 93 lancer gsr, ive noticed that there seems to be alot of travel before it feels like its doing anything, the clutch doesnt seem to slip, but occasionally when i put it into 1st it will grind as it feels like the clutch isnt engaged
the firewall seems to be ok, nothing bent or anything (not that i really know what im looking for)
the paint is peeling around the master clutch cylinder but it could have been replaced (not sure)
so anyway i want to try bleeding it to see if this fixes it before i do anything else

this is what evo-00x said in another thread
1. We all know how easy it is to bleed the factory gravity fed clutch master cylinder when doing our clutches... pump, hold and squirt - easy

but i need a little more info please
so im guessing pump clutch
hold clutch?
what am i squirting ( clutch fluid?)
where is the nipple found on these cars?
if there is a how to thread please let me know where it is

thanks
mat
 
It is a pretty straightforward job - but it helps if you have two people.
  1. The bleed nipple is on the slave cylinder. Crack it open and then pour fluid into the reserve on the master cylinder and let it gravity feed through.
  2. Tighten the nipple then pump the clutch pedal once/twice and open the bleed nipple again. You'll feel the pedal depress a bit more as the fluid escapes;
  3. Tighten the nipple and release the pedal;
  4. Repeat #2 until you get a good pedal feel.
 
sorry to be a complete dummy, but where do i find the slave cylinder? if you have a pic that would help otherwise its ok

also in step 3 you say to release the pedal, does this mean that in step 2 once i pump twice i hold it in?
 
Its on the front of the gearbox just above the crossmember Matt.
Just follow the hard metal line on top of the gearbox towards the front of the car if you cant find it.
 
And yes...you pump the pedal up to create pressure then hold it in while someone undoes the nipple. Your foot will go to the floor as the fluid is released...retighten nipple then release your foot from the pedal. You will need to do this a few times till the pressure is satisfactory. Be sure not to run the resivour out of fluid while doing this or yiu will need to start all over again.
 
Pump the pedal? Are you guys for real?

You can let gravity push fluid through as suggested earlier, but this is not brakes, you don't 'pump' anything on a hydraulic clutch.

Push and hold pedal down. Open bleeder, once the aerated fluid stops moving, close bleeder and release pedal. Repeat as required till fluid is free of bubbles.

This is only half the job though. Once you've done this, you still need to bleed the slave cylinder itself. With no action on the clutch pedal, crack open the bleeder and then using your hand, push the slave cylinder piston all the way back inside, close bleeder then release.

That's it done. None of this 'pump the pedal', all that does is aerate everything in the line and give you a ton more work.
 
mat said:
sorry to be a complete dummy, but where do i find the slave cylinder? if you have a pic that would help otherwise its ok

also in step 3 you say to release the pedal, does this mean that in step 2 once i pump twice i hold it in?
Click to expand...


evo-gsr said:
And yes...you pump the pedal up to create pressure then hold it in while someone undoes the nipple. Your foot will go to the floor as the fluid is released...retighten nipple then release your foot from the pedal. You will need to do this a few times till the pressure is satisfactory. Be sure not to run the resivour out of fluid while doing this or yiu will need to start all over again.
Click to expand...
ive also done this method many times with no problem.
 
i've also just gone and slapped a self bleeder hose on it and pumped it. however NEVER fully depress the pedal you'll wreck seals
 
evo-gsr said:
Done it MANY times the way we have both posted (ENGINR and myself) and has worked for me everytime. So yes I am for real.
Lol.
Click to expand...
If by 'pump' the pedal, you mean the same as ENGINR and to press and release multiple times before opening the bleeder, you're doing it wrong and adding unnecessary steps. And making any air bubbles smaller in the process.

That's treating it like a brake system, which is entirely different.

If however, by 'pump', you're just meaning to push the pedal once and hold it, then we're saying the same thing.

Either way, ENGINR's comment about pushing and releasing it twice before the bleeder is opened is just pointless. If you've filled the line with fluid by gravity, you're not replacing or adding any fluid by 'pumping up' the clutch, because by virtue of it's design, it's incapable of being 'pumped up'. As per the link I listed above, you'd be pushing the release bearing further and further into the flywheel/clutch assembly. The slave returns to the same place every time, unlike brake pistons and pads that 'pump out' when you've replaced them.

Think about it... ;) Lol!
 
Seems like your outnumbered here Ian. You love a good debate dont you?
Just to add....the method we have suggested, was used, succesfully, not only by a mechanic friend of mine but also by the local gearbox shop. Amazing how they would use a method which is supposedly wrong huh?
It worked successfully on the many occasions, so I will stick with whats worked many times in the past.

Lol.
 
evo-gsr said:
Seems like your outnumbered here Ian. You love a good debate dont you?
Just to add....the method we have suggested, was used, succesfully, not only by a mechanic friend of mine but also by the local gearbox shop. Amazing how they would use a method which is supposedly wrong huh?
It worked successfully on the many occasions, so I will stick with whats worked many times in the past.

Lol.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I've been known to be an argumentative so-and-so at times... I like how you didn't answer my question though. Lol!

If that's what rocks your boat, go right ahead. You say your way works, and it used to with me as well. I then started doing it this way, and the clutch felt 'better' for want of a better description.

I also know mechanics who claim to be able to do our style of timing belts, but don't even seem to consider the rear balance shaft being out of phase is even possible. Good job we all listen to mechanics explicitly, eh? ;)

If you guys are just plain unwilling to even try this alternative method, fine. I learned not to bother leading horses to water years ago.
 
Nobody said anything about not being willing either.
All we have said is that this is the method we have used and it has been succesful and you have just basically said, no you are all wrong and got on your high horse once again.

We can all bring horses into this now cant we?
 
You have to be careful with pushing in the slave piston by hand. It seems to pull air in past the slave seal. They are a bit of a pita. I tend to pull them off the mounting and tilt the slave towards the bleed screw. Or at least park the car on a hill.
 
Ah, I see.

Might not have been obvious enough. I was trying to find out which way you were meaning. Did you mean you repeatedly push the clutch pedal (as per ENGINR's comment) or do you mean push down once and maintain pressure, function the bleeder, then return the pedal to starting position (which is my standpoint)?

And to start with, it wasn't a high horse. It was me being incredulous. I said that pumping a clutch is wrong, then afterwards sought clarification as to what you meant exactly, just to see if something's maybe been lost in translation between continents.

Up in this neck of the woods, you pump the pedal with the bleeder open to bleed brakes. You push and hold the pedal once to apply pressure before opening the bleeder and then close bleeder before returning the pedal to the starting position to bleed hydraulic clutches. This is not called pumping a pedal up here, as it can easily confuse folks into doing exactly the same as they would with brakes, which doesn't work.

So, are we actually arguing over terminology, or do you also subscribe to wasting effort by pumping the clutch numerous times before opening the bleeder?

(I might also point out, I haven't said at any time that you wouldn't end up with a bled clutch, but questioned why you would want to pump it at all, and then also said to bleed the slave as well. I've said several times now that you're just adding steps for no reason.)

And on my high horse again? WTF is that is reference to exactly? I've only got 63 posts on here, so I'm not sure what you're on about. Unless you're meaning other forums perhaps?
 
jack of all said:
You have to be careful with pushing in the slave piston by hand. It seems to pull air in past the slave seal. They are a bit of a pita. I tend to pull them off the mounting and tilt the slave towards the bleed screw. Or at least park the car on a hill.
Click to expand...
They are indeed. Didn't even think to include that bit, good call.
 
That v8 archive post is good. Bike brakes dont get pumped either as the smaller bubbles are harder to get out.
Tho he mentions the bleed back port on clutch master. Both brakes and clutches have this. If I pull apart a bit of brakes, I pin the pedal down slightly and disco the brake light switch. This stops the fluid leaking out. I do the same with clutch, if the port is blocked, no fluid leaks out.

Interesting about removing bleeder before depressing slave rod, I will try that next time
 

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