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Bleeding the Clutch

  #1  
Old 02-19-2013, 09:55 PM
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Default Bleeding the Clutch

I've seen a couple questions about bleeding the clutch fluid. There's a couple different ways including the traditional method of pumping the pedal. I'll try to explain the different methods and pro/con for each. For any number of reasons you might like one method better than the others.

These methods should work with pretty much any hydraulic clutch, but I've actually owned the following cars & it's OK with them.
1992 Accord
1995 Integra
2003 Accord
2007 Civic
several Saabs & even a 72 Datsun
 
  #2  
Old 02-19-2013, 10:07 PM
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My variation on the traditional pedal-pumping method.

You'll need a couple things:
- Brake fluid.
- Something to suck the fluid out of the reservoir, like a turkey baster that will never go back to the kitchen.
- Hose that fits over the bleed screw of the clutch slave cylinder.
- Empty bottles for the dirty fluid.
- Helper to pump the clutch pedal.
- Couple feet of string.

1) Put hose on the bleeder screw of the clutch slave cylinder, and into a bottle for the old fluid.

2) Suck the old fluid out of the clutch fluid reservoir, as much as possible. Helper sits in the drivers seat. Loop the string around the clutch pedal so you can pull the pedal back up.

3) Fill the reservoir with clean brake fluid.

4) Helper pumps the clutch pedal down & up a few times then holds it down.

5) You open the bleed screw a bit. The clutch throw-out lever will spring back towards the slave cylinder as the fluid comes out into the hose. Close the bleeder - try to close it just before the lever gets all the way in.

6) Helper lifts the clutch pedal. It won't spring back up, so you have to pull the string. Use your foot to control it, DO NOT allow it to snap quickly up.

Go back to #3 and refill the reservoir. Then repeat steps 3-4-5-6 over & over until the fluid comes out clean. (Old fluid will be darkened)
 
  #3  
Old 02-19-2013, 10:09 PM
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Another way is to bleed the fluid "uphill" so you aren't fighting against the buoyancy of the air bubbles. You'll need a pressure bleeder or some type of syringe. Small syringe from car-parts store for sucking fluid out of something. The one I have came with a hose that fits over the bleed screw.

Suck out the fluid from the clutch reservoir using a different method, maybe a turkey baster that you'll never put back into the kitchen.

Fill the clean syringe with new fluid, turn it up & get the air out of it.

Put the hose over the bleed screw on the clutch slave cylinder.

Open the bleeder & push fluid in. Fluid will flow to the master, and the reservoir will fill. The trick is how to refill the syringe & pump more, without any air bubbles. Can't really help with that because I use a pressure bleeder to push fluid into the clutch slave.
 
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