Bleeding clutch

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rgabbitas

Member
Posts
32
Location
Holmes Chapel, Cheshire
Hi, I have fitted a new master and slave cylinder and a new flexible hose on my series 3 with 200tdi fitted.
I can't get a clutch, have ezybled it reverse bled it but no joy.
I have put a plate across the slave to stop the piston coming out but still no peddle. If I blank of the master cylinder it is solid.
Any ideas? Thanks
 
Hi, I have fitted a new master and slave cylinder and a new flexible hose on my series 3 with 200tdi fitted.
I can't get a clutch, have ezybled it reverse bled it but no joy.
I have put a plate across the slave to stop the piston coming out but still no peddle. If I blank of the master cylinder it is solid.
Any ideas? Thanks
Try putting a tube on the open slave nipple, tube in a jar, lid off master cylinder, and pour in lots of fluid, see if it fills by gravity. Might take a while.

Ezybleeds never work for me, and too much pumping sometimes seems to stir it up, and put more air in.
 
When I was trying to bleed my clutch, I came to the conclusion that the problem was that the slave cylinder piston wasn't retracting fully, and due to the design of the slave cylinder the result was that a bubble remained in the cylinder that could never be flushed out.

I removed the slave cylinder, pushed it all the way home such that there wasn't a void for the bubble, and then refitted it. I then used a *vacuum* bleeder (like one of these: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/163242488389 ) on the slave cylinder bleed port, so I could bleed it without risking the piston moving and any more air in the line getting into the cylinder again. That seemed to work very well, and the clutch is now feeling pretty good.
 
Check the seals! I had problem last year with my series 3 lightweight. Fitted new old stock slave & master cylinders with no joy. Turns out the new master cylinder seals had perished
 
When I was trying to bleed my clutch, I came to the conclusion that the problem was that the slave cylinder piston wasn't retracting fully, and due to the design of the slave cylinder the result was that a bubble remained in the cylinder that could never be flushed out.

I removed the slave cylinder, pushed it all the way home such that there wasn't a void for the bubble, and then refitted it. I then used a *vacuum* bleeder (like one of these: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/163242488389 ) on the slave cylinder bleed port, so I could bleed it without risking the piston moving and any more air in the line getting into the cylinder again. That seemed to work very well, and the clutch is now feeling pretty good.
Thanks I give it a go.
 
Unsure on s3, but is there any sort of bush/spacer that could have fallen int the flywheel housing as you removed/fitted the new cylinder?
 
Did mine a couple of days ago.
Nipple on bottom.

PTFE tape on nipple thread.
Cracked it open with a tube into jam jar.
Three fast and heavy pumps on the pedal.
Topped up pot and gave it another three fast pumps.

It didn’t give the bubble a chance of hanging around ;)

working fine.
 
Nipple at the top?
I have on mine (basic for hydraulic systems), but as the cylinder is horizontal and the nipple port is below the upper edge of the cylinder, there's still the possibility for a bubble to remain at the top and can't be flushed out if the piston doesn't push back far enough.
 
Did my 101 on my own...removed slave from bellhousing let it hang filled resevoir and left it for an hour then cracked bleed nipple and clear no bubbles fluid flowed out nipped up and perfect peddle...
 
When fitting new master or slave I recommend getting some fluid in it before it goes on the vehicle. Had a new master a few years ago that after the first pedal press the piston stuck at the end with spring unable to push it back. Recon time in storage can result in internals becoming sticky. A blast with the air line freed it after I finally found the problem.
 
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