I have a 2004 Pontiac Sunfire with the 2.2 Ecotec engine.

So I replaced the notorious clutch hydraulic line that had warn through against the electrical harness bracket it rubs against. I'll save the details of the whole process but now it comes time to fill and bleed the system. Many tutorials I have read don't seem to apply totally as the ecotec has the slave cylinder internally placed within the clutch housing and without a bleed valve directly on it. Only the bleed valve in the line immediately before it.

I tried the suggested traditional methods. Push and hold pedal down, open valve, close valve, lift pedal, repeat.

What has me most concerned here is that either the slave cylinder or the clutch itself is squeaking LOUDLY when the pedal is moved. This is the condition that really is not improving and I thought it might have to do with air still being in the slave. This squeaking condition did not exist before I started this repair.

Now I read on one forum for the ss cobalt, someone said you can get around this by having your partner pump the clutch up and down several times with the bleed valve closed, then hold the pedal down while the bleed valve is opened slowly. I tried this and it seemed to release air (at the bleed valve) and fluid then I closed the valve. A jet of fluid would shoot up into the reservoir but no bubbles. However after going through this process a dozen times nothing seemed to change or improve. Every time there would appear to be a bit of air coming out the bleed valve followed by a jet of fluid. After pumping a couple times on the pedal with the bleed valve closed, pressure does build and pedal becomes stiff. Too stiff I would say.

I'm at a loss here.