Bleeding Clutch Line - Transmission Forum

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Bleeding Clutch Line
Monday, July 18, 2005 7:16 PM
Ok well i have bleed the line like 3 times allready and it keep having a little air in it to the point where when u goto put it in gear it grabs a little bit . does anyone have any good tips of how to bleed the clutch line? .

Re: Bleeding Clutch Line
Saturday, November 05, 2005 1:23 PM
I'm now having the same issues after my trans rebuild. Maybe this refresher will help. Anybody?



Re: Bleeding Clutch Line
Saturday, November 05, 2005 2:09 PM
I replaced my master and slave not long ago..first clutch i putit was defective(changed slave at same time..when i put in the pec clutch i fitted a new master with the slave i got from spec..ne-waz
First make sure the connection between the slave and master line is good, not loose cause air will get sucked in(and possible can leak).
To bleed the clutch, it's just like brakes. Make sure the resevoir is full of fluid, put the cap on so you don't suck any air. Pump the pedal, not to floor yet(SLOWLY,fast will cause air bubbles)..Hold to floor while someone releases pressure through bleeder on slave line, the pedal will get catch at the floor when there's no pressure(normal). Repeat pumping/hold untill there is no air coming out of the line. Always make sure you have enough fluid in the resevoir, don't fill up resevoir while pumping pedal(chance of sucking in air)
If you need any more info....just ask
Re: Bleeding Clutch Line
Saturday, November 05, 2005 2:22 PM
the best bleeding technique is to have someone at the slave open the bleeder and then pump the pedal 2 or 3 times, the last pump hold the pedal down and have the assistant close the bleeder. filler up and away you go.
Re: Bleeding Clutch Line
Saturday, November 05, 2005 2:37 PM
also you can buy/rent a bleeder for brakes..it's air pressured, so oviously you'll need a air line of such. I use it at work, works fast and allows you to work solo
Re: Bleeding Clutch Line
Saturday, November 05, 2005 5:00 PM
kyle 102565 wrote:the best bleeding technique is to have someone at the slave open the bleeder and then pump the pedal 2 or 3 times, the last pump hold the pedal down and have the assistant close the bleeder. filler up and away you go.


WTF?????? If you open the vavle and then pump it will suck air. You pump the clutch first, then hold and release the valve.

To the one who started the post. It seemed he was not asking how to bleed the clutch but why he is having this problem. What year is your car? If it is a 2000+ I have found that the line where is attached to the Fluid res, is too loose. I think air can such in there. I recently put a clamp on mine. After bleeding my clutch again all seems good.



FU Tuning



Re: Bleeding Clutch Line
Saturday, November 05, 2005 5:05 PM
John Higgins wrote:
kyle 102565 wrote:the best bleeding technique is to have someone at the slave open the bleeder and then pump the pedal 2 or 3 times, the last pump hold the pedal down and have the assistant close the bleeder. filler up and away you go.


WTF?????? If you open the vavle and then pump it will suck air. You pump the clutch first, then hold and release the valve.

To the one who started the post. It seemed he was not asking how to bleed the clutch but why he is having this problem. What year is your car? If it is a 2000+ I have found that the line where is attached to the Fluid res, is too loose. I think air can such in there. I recently put a clamp on mine. After bleeding my clutch again all seems good.


Bluecavalier426 wrote:Ok well i have bleed the line like 3 times allready and it keep having a little air in it to the point where when u goto put it in gear it grabs a little bit . does anyone have any good tips of how to bleed the clutch line? .

Re: Bleeding Clutch Line
Saturday, November 05, 2005 5:25 PM
EdgeZ24 wrote:
First make sure the connection between the slave and master line is good, not loose cause air will get sucked in(and possible can leak).
To bleed the clutch, it's just like brakes. Make sure the resevoir is full of fluid, put the cap on so you don't suck any air. Pump the pedal, not to floor yet(SLOWLY,fast will cause air bubbles)..Hold to floor while someone releases pressure through bleeder on slave line, the pedal will get catch at the floor when there's no pressure(normal). Repeat pumping/hold untill there is no air coming out of the line. Always make sure you have enough fluid in the resevoir, don't fill up resevoir while pumping pedal(chance of sucking in air)
If you need any more info....just ask


Yea, did that, still isn't right, I think I'm gonna try clamping it like John siad. It's gotta be sucking air from somewhere.



Re: Bleeding Clutch Line
Saturday, November 05, 2005 6:30 PM
im having that same problem too,where can i find the bleed valve thing so i can try to bleed mine and clamp that sumbitch got a 2003 cavalier by the way =)
Re: Bleeding Clutch Line
Saturday, November 05, 2005 8:37 PM
John Higgins wrote:
kyle 102565 wrote:the best bleeding technique is to have someone at the slave open the bleeder and then pump the pedal 2 or 3 times, the last pump hold the pedal down and have the assistant close the bleeder. filler up and away you go.


WTF?????? If you open the vavle and then pump it will suck air. You pump the clutch first, then hold and release the valve.\
any air you take in from releasing the pedal will get pushed back out, but yeah your right shut the bleeder after pressing in the clutch, dont ever bleed a clutch like a brake system, the results are lousy. open the bleeder, pump and hold down, then shut the bleeder. been doing it that way for 20 years. alot of clutches wont build pressure at all bleeding like a brake system.
Re: Bleeding Clutch Line
Saturday, November 05, 2005 8:43 PM
Nitro wrote:
EdgeZ24 wrote:
First make sure the connection between the slave and master line is good, not loose cause air will get sucked in(and possible can leak).
To bleed the clutch, it's just like brakes. Make sure the resevoir is full of fluid, put the cap on so you don't suck any air. Pump the pedal, not to floor yet(SLOWLY,fast will cause air bubbles)..Hold to floor while someone releases pressure through bleeder on slave line, the pedal will get catch at the floor when there's no pressure(normal). Repeat pumping/hold untill there is no air coming out of the line. Always make sure you have enough fluid in the resevoir, don't fill up resevoir while pumping pedal(chance of sucking in air)
If you need any more info....just ask


Yea, did that, still isn't right, I think I'm gonna try clamping it like John siad. It's gotta be sucking air from somewhere.

If you've bleed the system good, and your still getting air after time..then yah clamping that pipe mentioned isn't a bad idea at all. Just be careful cause it's not a rubber pipe, it's more like a plastic.

Re: Bleeding Clutch Line
Saturday, November 05, 2005 8:58 PM
Patrick Carter wrote:im having that same problem too,where can i find the bleed valve thing so i can try to bleed mine and clamp that sumbitch got a 2003 cavalier by the way =)

I don't know if the getrag is in the same position a izuzu, but if it is..on the transaxle bellhousing..front of the car in the area of the starter(yet on the transaxle side) you'll see a line going in parallel to another line coming out..at the end of the line coming out has the bleed screw
There are 2 lines that can come loose, i mentioned before that its a plastic line. But i misread what pipe john had discribed. The one he's talking about is made of rubber and goes from the resevoir to master..the plastic line is from the master to the slave. You could clamp the resevoir hose..but if you're sucking in air from somewhere..might as well just clamp all 3 fittings..just a thought
Re: Bleeding Clutch Line
Sunday, November 06, 2005 4:19 PM
EdgeZ24 wrote:
Nitro wrote:
EdgeZ24 wrote:
First make sure the connection between the slave and master line is good, not loose cause air will get sucked in(and possible can leak).
To bleed the clutch, it's just like brakes. Make sure the resevoir is full of fluid, put the cap on so you don't suck any air. Pump the pedal, not to floor yet(SLOWLY,fast will cause air bubbles)..Hold to floor while someone releases pressure through bleeder on slave line, the pedal will get catch at the floor when there's no pressure(normal). Repeat pumping/hold untill there is no air coming out of the line. Always make sure you have enough fluid in the resevoir, don't fill up resevoir while pumping pedal(chance of sucking in air)
If you need any more info....just ask


Yea, did that, still isn't right, I think I'm gonna try clamping it like John siad. It's gotta be sucking air from somewhere.

If you've bleed the system good, and your still getting air after time..then yah clamping that pipe mentioned isn't a bad idea at all. Just be careful cause it's not a rubber pipe, it's more like a plastic.


You are right it is plastice, but flexible. Now the line further down is harder and can break. Right where it connects to the Fuild Res, it is soft, and has a rubber insert in it.



FU Tuning



Re: Bleeding Clutch Line
Sunday, November 06, 2005 5:50 PM
Funny thing is, when I was bleeding it, I pumped about a pint of fluid through the whole system and wasn't getting any more bubbles out of it, but it still does the same thing, grabbing real close to the floor. And I was in the drive through line today in 1st gear, just sitting there holding the clutch down, and it started to grab without me letting off the pedal. I had to shut the car off, pump the pedal and restart. From then on i left it in neutral until I needed to move. This sucks bad. I'm gonna try coating the o-ring in the quick disconnect with vaseline. I think that's where it's sucking air.



Re: Bleeding Clutch Line
Sunday, November 06, 2005 8:13 PM
Nitro wrote:Funny thing is, when I was bleeding it, I pumped about a pint of fluid through the whole system and wasn't getting any more bubbles out of it, but it still does the same thing, grabbing real close to the floor. And I was in the drive through line today in 1st gear, just sitting there holding the clutch down, and it started to grab without me letting off the pedal. I had to shut the car off, pump the pedal and restart. From then on i left it in neutral until I needed to move. This sucks bad. I'm gonna try coating the o-ring in the quick disconnect with vaseline. I think that's where it's sucking air.

Dude thats pretty bad, i don't think your sucking air...i think your loosing pressure back through the master. To cause a fault that bad, if you were sucking air, it would be leaking fluid out that same area..because that would be a large leak
Re: Bleeding Clutch Line
Sunday, November 06, 2005 8:47 PM
im having the exact same problem as Nitro...do we just get a new clutch master and replace it? cus i replaced mine when i got my stage II clutch and flywheel installed and that was only 8k miles ago..and mine is doign exactly what Nitro's is...i have to pump it, its grabbing without me taking my foot off..this sucks..i have no pressure when i push my clutch in. its like air.
Re: Bleeding Clutch Line
Monday, November 07, 2005 4:04 AM
Kyle Strosnider wrote:im having the exact same problem as Nitro...do we just get a new clutch master and replace it? cus i replaced mine when i got my stage II clutch and flywheel installed and that was only 8k miles ago..and mine is doign exactly what Nitro's is...i have to pump it, its grabbing without me taking my foot off..this sucks..i have no pressure when i push my clutch in. its like air.

Well I'm not there to look at your car and condem the master as being faulty, you could even have your slave leaking and not even know it.
But before you changed the master you had no problem right..then after you fitted the new one in place, you started having problem?
Re: Bleeding Clutch Line
Monday, November 07, 2005 5:32 AM
well the reason why i bought the Stage II clutch was cause i smelt the smell of burning metal/rubber so i was like great there goes my clutch well soon to find out when they were ready to finish it it was my Clutch Master that actually went out on me and my clutch was fine and thats why i could smell burning metal/rubber...im really hopen this isnt the slave cylinder..
Re: Bleeding Clutch Line
Monday, November 07, 2005 2:19 PM
I checked for leaks today and found none. I figured it must be that I didn't tighten the bleeder enough since I didn't find any new wet spots. That damn small thing is hard to get tight without rounding it off. But I succeded in getting it another 1/8th turn and while I was down there, I took the quick dissconnect back off and greased up the o-ring to make sure it would suck air past. Then I tested it out by letting the car idle in 1st with my foot to the floor (clutch of course) and after about 2-3 minutes it still didn't start to grab, so maybe my issues are over (I hope!). It still grabs a little lower to the floor than I would like, but it's not nearly as bad as it was.



Re: Bleeding Clutch Line
Monday, November 07, 2005 5:38 PM
Nitro wrote:I checked for leaks today and found none. I figured it must be that I didn't tighten the bleeder enough since I didn't find any new wet spots. That damn small thing is hard to get tight without rounding it off. But I succeded in getting it another 1/8th turn and while I was down there, I took the quick dissconnect back off and greased up the o-ring to make sure it would suck air past. Then I tested it out by letting the car idle in 1st with my foot to the floor (clutch of course) and after about 2-3 minutes it still didn't start to grab, so maybe my issues are over (I hope!). It still grabs a little lower to the floor than I would like, but it's not nearly as bad as it was.

How much mileage do you have on this clutch, do you think it's possible that your clutch is almost finished?? I'm not saying thats the problem, but a worn out friction disc can cause it to grab...and grind also into gear at times
Re: Bleeding Clutch Line
Tuesday, November 08, 2005 2:55 PM
Nah, still good, I checked it when I had the trans out. Clutch has about 15K on it.




Re: Bleeding Clutch Line
Wednesday, November 09, 2005 8:45 PM
i sorta had the same issues ^. i got my ACT clutch installed and it would grab right away/ grab with the clutch peddle all the way down, grind gears. Bled and it got alot better. a month or so later the clutch master thingy on the firewall busted off and i got a new one. (100k miles). now i got about 40k miles on that clutch and master cylender and all is perfect. well i put in the spec flywheel 13k miles ago, but the clutch looked great.
147k on the stock tranny too ( knock on wood).

anyways..
good luck.





Re: Bleeding Clutch Line
Thursday, November 10, 2005 2:50 PM
Jake wrote:..... a month or so later the clutch master thingy on the firewall busted off and i got a new one. (100k miles). .........

anyways..
good luck.


Happened to me last week. I made a stainless steel retainer bracket that allowed me to reuse the busted master cylinder, but I think it's shot internally now. I'll be getting a new one as soon as I get over my little lazy spell, lol.



Re: Bleeding Clutch Line
Sunday, November 13, 2005 9:38 AM
Yeah i recently replace my clutch with a Spec Stage 3 and fdanza flywheel and about a week befoe i had to bleed the clucth becasue it ran outof fluid becuse the slave was leaking, but not sucking air and then after i replaced the clutrch and got the car back on the ground i could get the clutch to blees at all,nothing and it turned out to be a bad clutch MC, replaced it an all it good now.

But before mine was realing right by the floor, andnow it releasees way at the top, i barley have to touch the pedel and have had to get used to driving the car all over again, someof the due to the new flywheel, it requires some different techniques than i used befoe, like it doesnt like low speed 2nd gear take offf ith out major chatter, whch i could do with the stock clutch.

But everything else i like, it engages fast with no slip and seems a bit quicker thru the revs.


But in the factory service manual, it says to attach a hose to the outlet on the bleeder screw, and submerge the other end of the hose in a bottle of brake or clutch fluid and the open the bleeder and slowly depress the pedal till you no longer get any air bubles in the bottle, i did this method the first time i had to bleed it and it worked like a champ, the second time a trans shop R&Red the Clutch MC so im not sure how they did it.

Hope this helps


Mike

1992 GMC Sonoma GT #492. Oh, Its just a stock V6!

1999 Cavalier Coupe, daily driver, 2200/M5. Mods and pics are in my registry.
+
That pretty much says it all.


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