TR2/3/3A TR3A Clutch Slave Bleed Issue?

[karls59tr]

I can't seem to get a firm pedal no matter what I try. I'm beginning to think thst an air bubble is being sucked back up the Slave to Resevoir Line when the pedal goes back up during bleeding? Can I bleed the MC where it sits rather than bench bleed it? How is this done? The slave cylinder is new(have there been any issues with Moss slave cyinders?).....pushrod is in 2nd hole on the lever and the adjustment of the rod has been done. I only get decent pedal firmness by pumping the pedal to build up pressure. Any suggestions

 

[Darrell_Walker]

Just checking, did you make sure to mount the slave with the bleed nipple above the connection to the master? Easy to to reverse, and leave a bubble in the slave that you can't get out.

 

[karls59tr]

Yes the slave bleeder is above the master inlet but that is something to watch out for in future installations.

 

[Tinkerman]

I'm standing on the floor of the shop looking down into the engine compartment (hood is not on yet). My bleed screw is underneath the master inlet. Are y'all saying that it should be the other way around? Thanks Tinkerman (Dick)

 

[Darrell_Walker]

I'm standing on the floor of the shop looking down into the engine compartment (hood is not on yet). My bleed screw is underneath the master inlet. Are y'all saying that it should be the other way around? Thanks Tinkerman (Dick)

Yes, it should be at the highest point, since the air will rise.

 

[MGTF1250Dave]

Aloha Karl, I have used a small syringe to add hydraulic fluid to a master cylinder. I removed the pipe at the output side and slowly added fluid through the output port until it was topped up. Be extremely careful of spills if you use DOT 3 or 4 fluid (AKA paint remover). A plastic glue applicator from a home improvement store will also work.

 

[charleyf]

Aloha Karl, I have used a small syringe to add hydraulic fluid to a master cylinder. I removed the pipe at the output side and slowly added fluid through the output port until it was topped up. Be extremely careful of spills if you use DOT 3 or 4 fluid (AKA paint remover). A plastic glue applicator from a home improvement store will also work.

I just helped a buddy rebuild and bleed his master ( M/C) and slave cylinders. We were not getting any fluid into the clutch M/C until he pulled out a thing that he made. It was a reservoir cap with a bicycle tire valve bolted into the top. We put that on the reservoir and used about 5 -10 pounds of air pressure and were then able to bleed the slave cylinder in very short order. I am guessing that the one push of air into the resrvoir did the trick for both the clutch and brake systems as we had rebuilt the brake M/C also.
Charley

 

[karls59tr]

Well I installed a one way valve "Speedbleeder" in the the clutch slave to assist in the bleeding process. No air bubbles...I managed to get a 1/2 to a 1/3 hard pedal so I assumed I was good to go as it seemed to shift into gear OK. After awhile it would occasionally be stiff in shifting from 3rd to 4th and sometimes it would hang up and not go into gear.....pumping the pedal helped get into gear. sometimes the pedal would be very close to the floor before engagement.! Checked the reservoir and it was still topped up. A) is it possible I'm not adjusting the pushrods properly?....do you push the clutch operating shaft lever back(towards rear of car) just till it stops....then adjust the pushrod until the clevis fork matches up with the 2nd hole in the lever and the other end of the pushrod is just touching the slave piston and then make the 2.5mm adjustment? can this be done with the return spring off....then hook up the spring? how can the adjustment be done if the spring is hooked up as you won't know when the pushrod is just touching the piston?B) if I managed to install the release bearing backwards would that throw off the clearances in clutch lever movement so that I would have the clutch issues I described? C) If there are no air bubbles in the slave,MC or line what else could cause these issues?.....maybe the hydraulic rubber hose from the slave is partially collapsed? any advice most appreciated Karl

 

[TR3driver]

the other end of the pushrod is just touching the slave piston

Not "just touching"; you want it pushing firmly on the piston so the piston is bottomed in the slave cylinder. The instructions tend to assume that the return spring bottomed the piston, but it might not if your return spring is stretched or weak.

Offhand, having the adjustment way off combined with a return spring that doesn't always do it's job is the only cause I can think of that fits your symptoms. But having something assembled wrong might explain the adjustment being way off (so far off that it doesn't have enough range to make it right).