bleeding clutch

[Catch]

I am in the throes of installing a new slave cylinder in my 1979 Spider 2000. I was reading some threads last night that advised bleeding the system with the valve in the 12 o-clock position, or it would be impossible to get all the air out of it. Does that mean you bleed it before you place the slave in the mount? If you bleed it in the mount (fully installed) the bleeder points towards the front of the car and not the 12 (Upwards) o-clock position. Seems as it would be difficult to bleed it and then install it. I must be missing something. Please help? Thanks - Catch:

[Tifosi]

Yup, in the mount with the bleeder pointing toward the radiator and the nipple at the 12 o'clock postion when looking at the back of the cylinder like a clock face. (hose at 6, nipple at 12)

You cannot bleed it while the slave is out as all it will do is pop the actuation rod out of the slave and spew fluid everywhere then be an SOB to put back together.

[Joe Papa Sr]

Also, this helps kep it less messy........attach a clear plastic tubing from home depot, I think 1/4" ID, maybe 15" long, to the bleeeder screw tip, and place into a clear empty plastic water bottle. Like this, it is easy to observe as it fills so it wont overflow, and you wont make a big mess under there. You can easily and conveniently observe the tube for bubbles or absence of them while pumping.

[Catch]

I appreciate your help. I don't know why I didn't think of the clock face. I could only think of the bleeder sticking straight up in the air. "Old timers" disease. Anyway thank heaven for these forums and the great people that take their time to help you. I hope I can do the same. My Spider and I have been together for 28 years and a lot has happened but this is the first clutch slave for me. Catch

[Tifosi]

While you're at it, you might want to grab the body of the slave with a set of vice grips to keep it in position while bleeding as sometimes the act of pumping the pedal and the action against the clutch fork can cause it to rotate in its mount.

Nothing super tight mind you, just enough to hold it there.

Oh, BTW, make sure you get the circlips in the proper grooves as it's possible to put them in the wrong spot which in turn will make the clutch act really goofy regardless of a good bleed. (ideally you'd put the one that goes on the radiator side/hose & nipple end on first before installing the slave, then slip the slave in and put on the other)

[Catch]

Thanks for all your help. It was something. I installed the slave OK but the bleeding was difficult. I finally used the pump oil can method and got enough of the air out to finish bleeding it in the ordinary way. The pressure bleeding works but I think I can design something that doesn't cost $200. You have to watch the bleeder as it leaks even when the method is working. I used the trick with the lock grip pliers and it worked great, especially since I had to worry the old slave out with a hammer. Ain't that the way. Tight when you want it loose, and loose when you want it tight. Anyway thanks again for all the caring help. Catch

[dabigboy]

Just a quick tip on the bleeding stuff, I found it was quick and simple on my neighbor's (who was helping me at the time while I torqued on the bleeder nut under the car) suggestion for him to push the clutch pedal all the way to the floor, then I loosened the valve and let it drain, tightened it again, and he released the pedal. It only took like maybe 3 or 4 cycles of this to fully restore clutch operation (this coming from having the system totally open), though I went ahead and did it a few more times to be sure. Maybe this is common knowledge and the way everyone does it, but I just thought I'd throw it out there. Made for a very quick and easy task (except for grabbing onto that valve nut while it was in the 12 o'clock position, which was moderately annoying but not too bad).

[Tifosi]

For future reference, Speed Bleeders are your freind.

[Catch]

I believe that you are totally correct about the speed bleeders. My first experience with them, however, was disappointing in that the one that I used leaked badly when in use (on my BMW motorcycle). I tried everything.
I tried the hold the clutch down with a stick trick. I tried the one where you let the fluid supposedly run down on its own. The only thing that worked was pressure bleeding from the bottom up with a rig made from an old pump oil can and a piece of vinel tubing The problem was filling the system and getting ALOT of air out. Maybe having it jacked up had something to do with it not wanting to fill, but that was the only way I could get under it. I suppose that some cars are different in the position of their lines, but now I am a firm believer in the pressure from below system. I am still going to see what I can cobble up to do as better job than the oil can (which did pretty well). Then dabigboy's suggestion which is the standard home method, was used to finish the project off. Alot of help guys and a lot of interest, and even with a sore back, I didn't feel alone. Thanks

[Joe Papa Sr]

Last tip.......That old glycol fluid is accepted by my local auto zone as waste fluid, like motor oil. Check your local store to see if they do too. No sense dumping the stuff elsewhere.

[WopJob]

you know, when I bled my clutch I connected a small hose to a bottle with a little fuid on the bottom attached to the slave nipple. Opened it and to my amazement gravity does the worm for me, the fluid slowly poured into the bottle while I added more fuid to the reservoir. No pumping and closing. I could see the air bubbles come out, when they stopped I closed the bleeder. and I was done.

[dabigboy]

Oh yes, one other amusing little anecdote from my clutch-bleeding experience. Right after the job was done, I took the car for a little drive, was out maybe 10 minutes or so. Plenty of stop-and-go driving, a brief "Italian tune-up" you know. When I got home and checked for leaks, I was amazed to find my pair of vise grips AND the too-large length of hose that I'd hung onto the bleeder valve nipple, still in place. I guess that's what I get for rushing stuff at 1:00 in the morning!