Bleeding clutch the traditional way..am I doing it right?
 

I've fitted a new clutch, master and salve to my ZT and I'm really struggling bleeding it.

At first I had someone hold the pedal down while I quickly opened and closed the bleed nipple. This wasn't working - ​I got some pedal but not a full pedal.


I have now been told by two Rover specialists to bleed it the traditional way - open bleed nipple then push clutch down and hold down, close nipple, pull clutch up, then repeat. Apparently it only takes 3 pumps and all should be fine. Well, its not!

There's something in this process that I'm not sure about and no one has mentioned....after closing the bleed nipple and raising the pedal, the next stroke down has no pressure/resistance at all.......so am I meant to ignore and proceed with opening the nipple and pushing the pedal down again, or am I meant to pump the pedal up and down to build some pressure?

I hope this makes sense.

You still have air in the system, keep going the traditional way, open nipple, press pedal down slowly, close nipple.

Pull pedal upwards and repeat, always ensure you have fluid in the reservoir (You know this anyway)

I'll try some more but I have tried this quite a lot.

So I don't need to pump the pedal (with the nipple closed) between each nipple open/pedal down stroke? Perhaps my assistant at the pedal hasn't got the right technique - would to slow or to fast on the pedal be a problem?

Basically your doing the correct technique , but you can always get your assistant to weight the pedal slightly as you open bleed nipple. Then push down with a nice steady stroke . Are you getting a good steady flow of fluid on each pump or just getting air ? The most critical part for your assistant is not to release the pedal until you have fully locked off the bleed nipple .
Another method you could try is gravity by just opening your bleed nipple and keep topping your reservoir to see if it will flow through

I would push pedal first then open bleed nipple. Make sure you close it before they let the pedal back up

macafee2

Reverse bleed it. Syringe, length of tube and some old towel and news paper in the footwell, an assistant with a torch is helpful, Remove master cap and condom, use the syringe and tube to empty the master of fluid, put 8mm ring spanner on slave nipple and then draw fresh clutch fluid from bottle with tube and syringe to reduce the amount of air in the tube and push it onto the nipple. open the nipple and push fluid through until your assistant see's overflow from the master, close nipple, replace condom and cap. clean around master. I use a long screwdriver to loosen and tighten the master cap. I have used this method several times with success, including a fluid renewal on my own car last week.
Good luck.

No luck with this. Tried again this evening with a mate, and I can’t get a full pedal. I can get about 3/4 of a pedal.

I did notice when bleeding it, that there was white bits coming out in the fluid through the tube - looked like bits of polystyrene! But I think it must have been grease or something perhaps from the new metal master cylinder?

I think it must be drawing in air from somewhere