Bleeding the bleeding clutch

[wounded horse]

Another post here states that the clutch requires pressure bleeding. Why is this? My wife has just done about 100 strokes (on the clutch pedal that is) and I still have air coming out in huge quantities. Off to buy an eezibleed now. Would I have been all week and still no air free clutch hydraulics?

[wrighar]

You are aware that the tapping for the clutch master cylinder feed is a long way up the brake resivouir??

I'm not sure why it needs pressure bleeding, but I've not managed to do it successfully without.

Andrew

[Mark in Ireland]

I've just done the clutch this morning and you cannot bleed it the conventual way, you need to pressurise the system. I have a Guyson pressure kit and it makes life very easy.

[paul anderson]

Guys,

I have found in the past that I need to jack the front of the car up as far as poss. ( Until the rear valance almost touches the ground ) and use an Easybleed to do a good job. I've also seen a suggestion from someone to reverse bleed it from the slave via the master up to the reservoir using some form of pump arrangement.

The master cylinder outlet is on the lowest point so any air trapped ther will not find its way out.

Paul@Kippen.

[Paul Harrison]

Pressure bleeding may be needed since the clutch cover springs will push the slave cylinder back along with the air once the pedal reaches the floor. When doing brakes you do not get this. Even pressure bleeding is a bit hit and miss. I ahve found it also helps to push the pedal down once or twice whilst the fluid is flowing and once a firm pedal is achieved to leave it alone.

[mark e]

It's all to do with the low position of the slave cylinder and the convoluted pipe runs. The pressure bleeder is necessary in order to achieve sufficient fluid flow rate to force the air out downwards. Pumping the pedal also helps (have done the 9k clutch bleed several times, they are notoriously difficult )

[grentarc]

I managed to bleed the clutch on my '87 9000 without pressure by disconnecting the join just above the gearbox, which is where the air gets trapped, and very quickly pushing the pedal down, then blocking the hose with a thumb, then doing it untill all the air was removed, then screwing it together, and a final bleed through the bleed nipple. This resulted in the hardest clutch i had ever felt on that car.... may have to do it to the aero, because the clutch feels soft compared to the Turbo!