[emantil]

Hi everyone,

I just replaced the master clutch cylinder and I'm having trouble bleeding the system. Which tools? Can anyone help??

Thanks!
Erick

 

[karlcchen]

Haven't done the job myself, but isn't there a bleeding valve on M/C? I knew there is one on slave.

Karl

 

[BlackAlfa]

I find the easiest way and one man operation is to detach the slave cylinder from the transmission. Raise the slave cylinder high so the trap air in the clutch hose rise to the slave cylinder. Attach a brake fluid drain tube and crack open the bleeder screw. With the bleeder screw pointing upward, push the slave piston in by hand to let air and fluid out. Close the bleeder screw before letting the piston return out. Do this a couple of times and all air should be out of the brake line. The supply line to the clutch MC should generally slope down so air should rise to the brake fluid bottle. Operate the clutch pedal a few times to make sure there is no trap air.

 

[AlexGS]

I found that a related problem was when I had bolted the slave cylinder into place (pushed in by clutch withdrawal fork), then I opened the bleed nipple on the slave cylinder, and I pressed the clutch pedal down. Bad idea. The clutch pedal will not come up - well, the pedal comes up, but the piston is left behind.

The solution was to unbolt the slave cylinder again, let it expand (drawing in fluid), then I covered the fluid reservoir on the brake m/c and with the other hand (i.e. single-handed) I pushed the slave cylinder piston in sharply. I heard a satisfying THUNK as the pedal returned.

-Alex

 

[MrT]

I hadn't remembered the master cylinder pushrod being separate from the piston Isn't there a snap ring or other mechanism fixing them together? I'll have to look at the drawing, I guess. I mentioned my experience with bleeding the clutch here:

http://www.alfabb.com/bb/forums/showthread.php?t=46591

 

[elite38868]

If you haven't already done so, I would recommend you bench bleed it before you even install it. This will save you a lot of time and frustration.

 

[BlackAlfa]

If you haven't already done so, I would recommend you bench bleed it before you even install it. This will save you a lot of time and frustration.

I did this a few times and I never have to bench bleed the clutch MC. It might help but it will also make the installation more messy with fluid in the MC !

The clutch MC has a snap ring to hold the push rod in place. But for the clutch slave cylinder, there is NOTHING to retain the piston in place so DON'T pump the clutch pedal if the slave cylinder is not mounted on the bracket and the push rod is against the pivot arm. It will be a big mess if you pop the piston out ... of course I've been there before !

 

[MrT]

I'm glad to have your comments, Bob. The snap ring might not be present in all installations, depending upon, shall we say, certain attributes of the P.O.

And I once upon a time nearly popped the slave cylinder piston out, just as you describe. The boot kept it from going anywhere. I realized my folly before any damage occurred.

Michael

 

[AlexGS]

Yes, the snap ring and washer prevents the piston/pushrod from coming out of the master cylinder, but there is nothing holding the pushrod 'in' to the piston, meaning that if the piston is pushed in during bleeding, I found that the pushrod came out freely (up to the washer) with the piston still pushed in. Hence my comment about the need to squeeze the slave cylinder to get the piston back out. Hope that makes sense!

-Alex

 

[Richard2]

Oh no, no, I've never had the piston come out, no, no

However, I've learned to use a "C" clamp to hold the slave piston in while bleeding.