clutch bleeding technique

[Louis-Alain Richard]

Bob White asks :

Does anyone know how to bleed the clutch on these cars? If so can you
explain it, and maybe send me link if there is one.




Hi Bob.

Clutch bleeding is indeed tricky on these cars, but it can be done with the
help of another person. BTDT a few times.

First, be sure your parts are still OK (master and slave cylinders), because
you won't be able to do it if one is dying. And if you already replaced a
leaky one, do the other at the same time, you'll save yourself lots of
headaches.

To properly bleed it, all you need is a 3 ft length of small clear tubing, a
Mason jar (or any other clear glass bottle), a liter of brake fluid, and
patience.


First, crack open the bleeder on the slave cylinder, then re-tighten it a
bit. Then fill the clear tubing with brake fluid from the top, and drop the
other end in the Mason Jar half full of brake fluid. Quickly connect the top
end of the now-full tubing to the bleeder, and the hardest part is done.
Open the bleeder on the slave now.

Now, you need a friend kneeling in the opened driver's door, that would
depress the clutch pedal slowly with is right hand, and keep it floored. He
must grab the pedal firmly since the clutch pedal spring will want to floor
it rapidly. Now is the tricky part : your friend must release the clutch
pedal very slowly, with his hand, while evading the clutch pedal return
spring that wants to kick it up fast. Leave the bleeder open. Slow motion is
the key here. That way, the long tube filled with old brake fluid (and a bit
of air bubbles) is offering more restriction than the short tube that goes
from the slave to the master cylinder, so fresh fluid will be sucked out of
the master cylinder reservoir into the slave. When new fluid is in the clear
tubing, you'll know the slave is full of fresh fluid.

Do it a few times more, and the system will be fine for the next few years.

I did this trick on my urQ at least three times, and it worked perfectly. I
may have goofed in the description, others will correct me if I did, but it
works.


Louis-Alain