Ok, to start with, here's a link for the thread I started yesterday relating to why I tried to bleed the clutch tonight. I don't know if any of the original problem has anything to do with the issue now at hand...

So, tonight after finding the bleeder valve for the clutch (not a small task), I tried bleeding it. First off, I'd read about attaching a hose to the nipple and putting the hose into a jar and whatnot. Well that was a moot point a minute or two later after turning the valve and having the hose come off. But the hell with it, what's a few ounces of brake fluid on the garage floor.

At first, my dumbass was having a hard time figuring out which way to turn what to open the valve, because of looking at it from above. Figured that out though, and eventually (with my girlfriend holding the clutch in) was rewarded with a "pssshhh" sound as fluid and what sounded like a sh!tload of air came out, but not out of the nipple, just all around the bleeder valve/screw thing. As soon as I tried to tighten the screw back in, I had a bad feeling, as it wouldn't ever actually become "tight" or snug even. I wasn't forcing it or trying to turn it really hard or anything, it really would just keep turning. Almost felt stripped but it didn't actually just fall out or pull out. But I eventually stopped turning it and had her let go of the clutch. Came right back up which didn't seem right. After a second try of pushing clutch in then loosening the screw, more "psssshhhh," then tightened again (at least tried to, again, wasn't really snug), then let go of the clutch, and, surprise, the pedal stays on the floor. Seemed like a good sign really from what I'd heard. Repeated a few more times, and after like the 4th time it seemed that the clutch pedal was getting stiffer than it was before, which again, seemed to be a good sign. Added a little more brake fluid to the clutch reservoir to replace what had ended up on the floor, and just seemed to get better at that point. I thought we had it.

However, that damn screw just wouldn't actually snug up, and no matter how much I turned it, it would just keep going "psshhhhh." And after a while, the stiffness in the pedal left, and now, the pedal stays on the floor again. Can't get it to come back. And the car, which I could shift just fine in and out of gear when it was turned off before, now can't even be taken out of gear with the engine off. I'm at my wit's end here, totally pissed off and frustrated with myself that I apparently f@cked something up that shouldn't be all that hard at all. Any ideas what I might have broken or screwed up in the process? I don't doubt that, while I may have bled some air out to start with, I probably just somehow let more air back in again. What can you screw up by trying to bleed the clutch, because with my luck, I probably broke or destroyed something bizarre. Could I have somehow destroyed the slave/master cylinder? Caused the throwout bearing to take a sh!t? I don't know...but right now the car is sitting half in, half out of the garage after trying to back it out again by starting it in reverse...and I can't get it out of gear even. I'm pissed as hell, pretty much entirely at myself.

you need to get 2 people to bleed the fluid proplerly.

put a hose from the bleeder to the cup with some fluid already in it. as soon as the person releases pressure from the bleeder push the gas pedal in, then close the bleeder and take off the clutch pedal. you can see air bubbles in the hose. as soon as it looks like theres no more bubbles coming out from the bleeder then stop. clutch pedal should feel normal.



I want to share something with you - the three sentences that will get you through life. Number one, 'cover for me', Number two, 'oh, good idea, boss', Number three, 'it was like that when I got here.'

There were 2 people. Now...as far as the procecure you described, what I'd read before was to push the clutch in before releasing pressure, rather than after. Like I said though too, the hose came off the bleeder as soon as I turned it to release pressure. The whole damned thing just didn't seem to work the way it was supposed to, I mean, like I said, I can't seem to get the bleeder to actually "close" now at all, no matter what it just turns and turns forever without really tightening back up. I figure something had to have broken or stripped...I'm probably @!#$.

you can screw it right off and check if its stripped. doesnt sound too good



I want to share something with you - the three sentences that will get you through life. Number one, 'cover for me', Number two, 'oh, good idea, boss', Number three, 'it was like that when I got here.'

Myles wrote:you can screw it right off and check if its stripped. doesnt sound too good

I'll have to try and take it off sometime tomorrow, er, today and see. I've gotten used to assuming the worst when it comes to me and cars, specifically with my last one. It'd figure my luck would continue with this one...

If the bleeder valves is stripped, you should be able to get another one. Maybe a hardware store etc... It sounds like your process was correct. Maybe there was already something wrong with the bleeder valve.



FU Tuning