Fennnnder clutch

Thanks gents. A little update.

I took the master cylinder and clutch pedal assembly out - it was brand spanking - no wear marks etc so this is definitely down to user error I think.
I was incorrect in what I said - bleed nipple is ontop of slave.
I stripped master, re assembled with rrg where necessary.
I borrowed the bleeder from neighbour and didn’t want to knock given the corona situation!
So, I jacked her up and tried bleeding with the aid of a wooden block.
Nope, I can’t get near even an ok? I’ve left the wooden block on the pedal overnight. Hoping that that might even catch the thread so to speak. I know this must be my error but not sure how I’m getting it so wrong?

Take the slave back out the bell housing & push the cylinder all the way in & somehow lock it there. Then bleed.
Once good allow the piston to move all the way out. then push 1/2 way & refit to bellhousing.
Don’t forget fluid will go everywhere

Thanks Phil. To clarify:

Carefully draw slave out
Clamp compressed
Bleed still via slave nipple using standard bleed procedure - will have to be me and a bit of fence post so may take a while! (hydraulics stand alone)
Undo clamp (will it not blow with no pushrod and fork to be against? I.e like a brake caliper piston shooting out)
Push back on halfway and refit to pushrod

Sometimes air can creep back in past the nipple threads if it isnt nipped up as soon as the pedal is pressed down. A couple of wraps of PTFE tape can help if you have no helper
Piston wont pop out by itself (neither would a brake caliper piston)

I’ve popped caliper pistons out with air before? I’d assume the slave is a circlip and washer preventing piston shooting out. Thanks I was looking at the bleed nipple thinking ptfe would help - I’ll use that!

Just done in my head Kev and see what you mean it wouldn’t shoot out as pressure would be exiting the nipple hence clamping the slave in to stop getting an air trap there. Makes sense

Yes but it wont pop out by itself, no pressure unless you press the pedal
Edit: yeah these things can drive you a bit crazy

Thanks both - I like the idea of this!

Just remove the dust cap off the slave you may find a circlip.
Good luck in bleeding.

The bleed nipple should actually seal on the taper which seats in the bottom of the threaded hole, if fluid is reaching the threads something is wrong.

raywin said:

The bleed nipple should actually seal on the taper which seats in the bottom of the threaded hole, if fluid is reaching the threads something is wrong.
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I agree, and I also suspect where I was getting annoyed that it was slow to come through, I over loosened the nipple more than once. Ptfe would cure this error but I’ll go with a calm approach to the plan given above. Thanks again all. I have to do some work first haha!

If you look at the bleed nipple design, if the seat is not working, or the nipple is backed off, then the fluid will go through the little hole below the threads and comes out of the end of the nipple, so PTFE tape should not stop its escape.
Good news is if you dont put too much on it can stop dirt and water going into the threads and also act as an anti seizure device.

Kev12 said:

Yes but it wont pop out by itself, no pressure unless you press the pedal
Edit: yeah these things can drive you a bit crazy

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it will theres a spring behind the piston, rubber dust cover is the only thing stopping the slave piston popping out

resto_d1 said:

I agree, and I also suspect where I was getting annoyed that it was slow to come through, I over loosened the nipple more than once. Ptfe would cure this error but I’ll go with a calm approach to the plan given above. Thanks again all. I have to do some work first haha!

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if your getting little fluid at the slave its the master you need to look at, bleeding the master before fitting the pipe is often necessary

Keep the bleed hose above the nipple and full, its very easy to suck air back though the nipple.

jamesmartin said:

it will theres a spring behind the piston, rubber dust cover is the only thing stopping the slave piston popping out

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You are quite right of course, can even see the spring in the pic on page 1

We are in business - thank you.
Slave clamped, system bled repeatedly and I have a clutch. However, it’s still very low....

Kev12 said:

You are quite right of course, can even see the spring in the pic on page 1

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That’s the master innards stripped and rebuilt mate

jamesmartin said:

if your getting little fluid at the slave its the master you need to look at, bleeding the master before fitting the pipe is often necessary

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Yes did bench bleed master James cheers

resto_d1 said:

That’s the master innards stripped and rebuilt mate

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Think I better go back to bed