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bleeding problems? Help please

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ichthos

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Went to the movies with my bugeye last week, but had problems getting it into gear on the way home. Turns out the slave cylinder was leaking badly. I replaced it,and bled it. I was all set to go for a drive tonight with my sweetie, but found that unless I pump the clutch pedal before I shift a couple times, I can't get it into gear easily. I have bled that stupid slave cylinder twice now. Did I just do a bad bleed job, or is it something else? Any advice would greatly be appreciated.
Kevin
 
Bleed the clutch again! You still have air in the line. When you pump it you are compressing the air along with the fluid. When it sits the air reappears with no pressure on it. Most likely the air in the clutch line is in it where the line goes across the firewall. There it is higher than the master cylinder. The clutch line is a bugger to bleed. I use a homemade pressure bleeder like this one https://www.bmw-m.net/TechProc/bleeder.htm
 
Bill M taught us you don't need a pressure bleeder to get the same effect. Simply hang a large bottle of fluid at the top the garage door and connect with a long hose to that same sort of fitting on the master cylinder. Bob's yer uncle.
 
Sometimes you can force that bubble of air that collects in the line above the master back into the master and out by pushing in the slave all the way. Worked for me anyway.

Kurt.
 
.....or, after you have bled the slave a few times, bleed it at the top of the line.

This isn't as simple and it's more messy because there's no actual bleeder screw.

Have an assistant pump the clutch pedal a few times and hold the pedal down. Loosen the line that goes into the clutch master cylinder (at the top end). Fluid will squirt around, so it's good to have lots of rags in this area to catch the fluid (it will damage paint).
Make sure the assistant does not release the pedal until you retighten the line.
Repeat this a few times....it usually gets the "upper bubble" of air out of the system.
 
Thanks for your help everyone. It worked good enough to go for a drive last night, but I still don't think I have all the air out. What is a speed bleeder?
Kevin
 
Speed Bleeder is in essence a rubber pipe with one way valve. You fit it to the the bleed nipple and undo the bleed nipple a tiny bit. when you press the clutch brake fluid will be expelled but on release the one way valve will stop any air from being sucked back in creating a similar situation as when the bleed nipple would have been closed again. Thus you can do it alone.

Risks are the pipe popping off and air enters the nipple again, or tiny amounts of air being sucked in via the nipple threads.
 
The pressure bleeder works well. I've also had success with a vacuum system where you add a vacuum to the bleed nipple and suck the fluid through. Worked very well to get basic pressure in the system without the use of an assistant, but then used the assistant to get the final rock hard result.
 
Kevin,
A speed bleeder is a normal bleed valve with a one way valve built into it. I use them and it allows you to open the bleeder and bleed the brake or clutch hydraulics by yourself. Just replace the old style, put a rubber tube on the tip to control the fluid spray/splash, and pump the pedal as you would normally. Make sure you get one that fits your slave or caliper properly because if they are too loose it will allow leakage around the threads.
Rut
 
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