advice needed clutch bleeding

I just replaced my clutch master cylinder. The peddle has no resistence, I don,t think it is bled properly. I have tried the 2 person method, one pump and one bleed, I have also a hand vacuum pump that I can get a 15 PSI vacuum with. Nothing is coming close to getting a resistive peddle. By the way the bleed nipple is at the bottom of the slave. I can't swap the line and the pipe around because one is 3/8ths and the other is 7/16ths. have not tried jacking the front end up in the air, anybody have a dummy proof suggestions? I am tired of rolling under the truck and the fluid everywhere.
series 2a 109 2.25 petrol.
Do I need to buy some kind of expensive foolproof system?

Using the two man method did you get fluid under any pressure coming out at the clutch cylinder? If not check that the pipe has not been flattened anywhere. If that's ok then I'd suspect that your replacement master cylinder is faulty.

either leave the pedal pushed down for 24 hours or master cylinder is knackered, unlike most brake master cylinders,the clutch is directly attached internally from memory- you could try tapping after every release of the pedal just in case

no, nothing of pressure coming out with the 2 person attempt. i will leave the peddle down for 24 hrs and report back.
Is it possible I have the adjustment wrong for the peddle and plunger part?

CakeBandit said:

no, nothing of pressure coming out with the 2 person attempt. i will leave the peddle down for 24 hrs and report back.
Is it possible I have the adjustment wrong for the peddle and plunger part?

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It is possible the adjustment is wrong- if it isn't getting full throw, also loosen pipe into it and push pedal a couple of times to prime it you should get fluid pumped out tighten pipe and try again.

throughly rinse any spilled brake fluid so it does not attack paint or catch fire on hot exhaust.

I have a board wedged on top of the peddle now. gave another attempt at bleeding with the hand pump vaccum tool, then just did a bunch of 1/4 inch long strokes mid range of the "full cycle" and holy moly- I got to some resistence, It felt like my old clutch!The status right now is about 2 full pumps before I get to operating the slave. I hope that means my master isn't bad, just need some more bleeding and patience tomorrow. will update tomorrow.

have you checked adjustment on push rod for master cylinder ?

no, I will look up the correct way to do. hope I can do it from inside the cab as the resevour is mounted to the inspection plate and has solid lines to it.

Are you tightening the bleed nipple with the pedal up or down? I usually give it a few pumps then tighten the nipple with the pedal all the way up, works for me.

if your bleeding you should tighten nipple with pedal held down as its when pedal comes up air can be sucked in

The bleed nipple should be at the top - you'll never bleed it properly if it isn't. Sounds like your slave cylinder has been put on upside down,

oxides said:

The bleed nipple should be at the top - you'll never bleed it properly if it isn't. Sounds like your slave cylinder has been put on upside down,

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well spotted

Murphy's second law, I believe.

Thanks for all the replies. Oxides, you mentioned the slave is installed wrong. I noticed this too, I have never changed a clutch slave, can I unbolt it, and rotate it 180 degrees? I tried to switch the pipe and the bleed nipple around yesterday so the bleed nipple would be at the top, but they where different sizes.

Also, I'm not sure if this is original, but my slave is on the exhaust manifold side. The line from the master to clutch slave goes under the fuse box then down to slave- which is near the exhaust manifold.

I wonder if the PO "back-bled" from the nipple, and that is way it is on the bottom.
Searching the net -I have read of success for some owners to ramp up the front end or hang their truck from a tree. hehe

I think I am going to park on a hill, and try that, then if I still can't get it I will turn the clutch slave right side up and re-bleed some more :-(

Ok, solved! Newton or Murphy was right on. I crawled under the truck for 20 minutes and turned the slave so the bleeder is at the top. A lot easier then I thought it was going to be, and the when I pulled the slave out no extra parts came rolling out

It bled good using just the hand vacuum tool. Just need to adjust the linkage a bit I think- hoping I can do this from inside the cab.
Thanks all