Me and sx7r have been pumping the pedal and bleeding the clutch for 3 hours.

What we do is pump quite a few times and then open the valve and quickly close it while the pedal is depressed.....


The fluid level hardly moved at all in the last hour or so.

Anyone have any suggestions on how to make it bleed faster?

 

when my mechanic and i did it.. i pumped that ***** for like 2 hours with barely any results. we ended up finding a clutch bleeder at the shop, but other than that I have no clue how to speed it up, but I will look around and get back to you.

worthless post i know, but i will be looking hard.

 

It is a very tedious process if you have to do it manually. It took me Chaz and my dad like two hours nonstop to do mine. Gotta make sure to get rid of all the air pockets and pump the clutch many times.

 

i've literally pumped the clutch at least 15,000 times, im not ****ting... the fluid doesnt move...

 

When you pour the fluid into that reservoir, you need to rebolt the bolt, then pump. Then unbolt, pour, rebolt, then pump. Keep repeating that process. It's very tedious.

 

I had to actually bleed the clutch system from the reservoir believe it or not. The air is completely taking up the room in the lines and master cylinder. Pump it up and loosen the upper fitting into the master cylinder a few times. It is VERY tedious, but it worked for me. Also, try talking to a GOOD shop. They have a brake fluid changing kit that uses air (like for air tools). It plugs on top of the reservoir and forces brake fluid through the lines, freeing the system of air and old fluid.......That worked for me the second time......

And, were you trying both bleeder screws, or just one of them?????

 

And one more thing, is the master cylinder that you got new or used? I had originally purchased a junk-yard cylinder and it ended up the the diaphram in the cylinder was shot, not allowing it to "compress" the fluid in the lines.......

 

ramius: Both bleeder screws, obviously primarily the lower one.

Craig: Yeah, been doin that

 

used, but it's definately pushing, u can feel the air moving out of the bleeder lines... the master cylinder is ruled out for sure.

 

leaks? loose joints? everything securely hooked up? failed parts?

 

it's all secure ..... Theres no leaks at all

 

Maybe you have a blocked hydraulic line? Also, when you open the bleeder valve, keep it open until fluid stops coming out, that way you'll move fluid and any trapped bubbles through the lines faster. (From your description it sounds like maybe you weren't allowing enough time for fluid to escape.)

 

Ian had the same problem when trying to bleed is, and it ended up having an air leak in the system. You can fashion your own bleeder, go to a hardware store that carries gardening supplies. You will need a sealable bottle like the kind they use for spraying pestacides on plants. YOu will also need some thick rubber to use as gasket material, an extra master cylinder cap, some brass fittings, and some long hose, like the kind used for fish tanks. Sounds kinda hokie I know, but if you get the idea, it will work. Good luck.

 

When I bleed hydraulics I used a hand-op vacummp tester and a special plastic bottle with two vacuum hoses plumbed airtight into the cap. I connect my vacuum pump to one bottle, and connect the other bottle hose to the bleeder screw (I remove the bleeder and wrap a little bit of teflon tape around the theard and resintall it 75% first so the threads seal but the bleeder is open).

Then I draw a vacuum on the bleeder screw and watch the fluid beind drawn through the clear vacuum hos into the bottle. Keeping the reservoir topped up! Bleed the Slave, then the master.

I don't like pressure systems because you can never get the pressue just right, and the reservoir was never design to operate under pressure, but the hydraulics lines will run under vacuum easily.

Also, make sure the reservoir is empty and you're starting with fresh fluid. The vacuum pump/bottle setup works great for removing brake fluid from the reservoir. (I use it a lot on tranny rebuilds to get oil/fluid out of the nooks and crannies and especially from the VB etc.

 

Took me about 10 minutes to do...

Something else must be wrong... no?

I was at the dealer when they had replaced a part on my clutch line...

Pumped it and bled it for something like 10 minutes and it ran great afterwards.

 

I have to agree, it shouldn't take more than 10-15 minutes unless something else is wrong, or you're not doing it right.

 

Yup definitely. I suggest opening the top bleeder valve, and the bottom. Pour fluid from the top through a funnell until you get fluid pouring out on the bottom. That should save you plenty of time. Close the bottom valve afterwards and bleed the top valve first since air tends to go out and that valve is on top, it should be easiest. And when you're pumping the clutch, pull it up slowly. Important thing is, valves closed, press clutch in, open valve and close quickly. Pull up clutch slowly, and repeat. Took me 2 hours the first time but i didnt know what i was doing. Now i can do it in like 10-15 mins. You should get some hose and put it on the end of the bleeder valve and submerge it in fluid so that it doesnt suck air back into the system. Get clear hose from home depot, i believe its 3/8".

 

you i never thought of it... but it would be cool to have see through hoses... do we have that option? would be very neat!

 

ok we bled the hell out of the system. One slave was damaged so we replaced it with a spare...it seems to be working, as far as not leaking....

There are no bubbles really, and the line is clear, but no pressure is being built..... ideas you guys?

 

If there is air in the clutch master cylinder, then you may have to remove it and bench bleed it. If you are pumping fluid through the lines until all the bubbles are gone and you're still not developing pressure then it's either that or your master cylinder is shot and needs replacing.

 

Yes, if you have fluid in the lines with no bubbles, but there is NO pressure in the pedal, then like I said before, your master cylinder may be shot. My local mechanic, who has been in the business for over 30 years, said NOT to use junk-yard master/slave cylinders. He said that the seals and diaphrams in the cylinders dry up over time and when used again, will fail or leak, or do nothing at all, as is your case. I would keep trying again and again, then if all else fails, order yourself a new master cylinder.....:-(

 

yeah i ordered one.... o'reilly's for 58 bux, tax included, as opposed to oem nissan for 107 + tax...we'll see.

 

When I replaced my clutch I ran into this same issue. I thought this damn thing was engineered by a bunch of morons after trying to bleed the system for like 30 min. You have to go to both top and bottom bleeder nipples back and forth. Air will get trapped in the upper line and it really makes it easier and the design starts to make hydraulic sense. It was a pain and my girl was like sh it you dont know what the hell your doing and I was ****ed myself.

What I did is take the quart size empty brake fluid container and drill two holes in the top and plumbed one clear hose into one hole and then to the nipple that I was bleeding at the time. I would compress the bottle and then cover the other hole with my finger and press the bottle in the opposite direction creating a vaccum in the bottle which aided in getting the system bled. A tool like what scruit was talking about would be best but this worked none the less. Good luck and break her in slow.