Bleeding the clutch using a pressure bleeder?

[JohnS]

I've read the FAQ on bleeding the clutch slave cylinder when you bleed your brakes. What wasn't clear to me is if you can use a pressure bleeder (like the Motive bleeder I have) to also bleed the clutch slave? Thanks for any info,

John

[dlhoovler]

Yes. It works exactly the same as bleeding the brakes (same reservoir, unless you have a very early or possibly RHD car), and in fact I just treat it as one system for bleeding purposes. If not using the pressure bleeder, you would just need to be extra careful about the fluid lever in the reservoir since the clutch line draws from the side, not the bottom.

-Dave

[JohnS]

Thanks Dave,

I'll plan on putting her back up on jack stands this weekend and bleed the system again with the pressure bleeder. This time I won't forget to bleed the clutch too,

John

[02for2]

Just FYI...

If you have the single reservoir system and don't bleed both the Brakes and the Clutch at the same time, you will contaminate the new fluid with the old, moisture-laden fluid still left in the system you didn't bleed, necessitating having to flush the entire system again with new fluid.

Cheers!

[supark]

I used a motive pressure bleeder on mine when I did my brake caliper swap - worked like a charm. It actually burst a seal in my slave cylinder at no fault to the pressure bleeder. Guessing the slave cylinder was almost gone, and the pressure bleeder just pushed it over the edge.

[JohnS]

Just FYI...

If you have the single reservoir system and don't bleed both the Brakes and the Clutch at the same time, you will contaminate the new fluid with the old, moisture-laden fluid still left in the system you didn't bleed, necessitating having to flush the entire system again with new fluid.

Cheers!

Thanks for the info. Looks like I'll be filling up the Motive bleeder this weekend and doing the marathon bleeding of the systems on all three of my cars. I've been bleeding the brakes yearly, but never have done the clutch slaves on any of them. Good thing I have 5 new liters of Ate fluid...

In the past I've always just used the Motive bleeder for supplying pressure and not filling it with fluid. Time to fill'r-up!

[BillWilliams]

It will be worth a photo to see what comes out of there. Clutch fluid seems to get dirtier than brake fluid even when changed at the same time.

[TobyB]

I have a really complicated method of bleeding the clutch:

I attach a piece of tubing to the end of the bleeder, stick it into a bottle, then

open the bleeder.

After the fluid runs clear, I close it.

Usually takes about 5 minutes.

t

[Mike_B]

I have a really complicated method of bleeding the clutch:

I attach a piece of tubing to the end of the bleeder, stick it into a bottle, then

open the bleeder.

After the fluid runs clear, I close it.

Usually takes about 5 minutes.

t

Gotta love gravity!

[tim385]

Gee your lucky , here in Australia it goes in the opposite direction , not really just messin with ya.