CLUTCH / CYLINDER PROB

P

peter2000

New Member
I ATTEMPTED TO BLEED MY CLUTCH THE OTHER DAY ITS THE FIRST TIME IVE TRIED IT.I FOLLOWED THE INSTRUCTIONS IN THE BOOK USING THE GLASS JAR AND PIPE . MY PROBLEM WAS THAT NO MATTER HOW MUCH I TOPPED UP THE RESERVIOR IT DIDNT SEEM TO DO ANYTHING THE GLASS JAR JUST FILLS UP WITH THE FLUID I USE AND THERES NO TENSION ON THE CLUTCH PEDAL. I TIGHTENED AND RELEASED THE BLEED NIPPLE ACCORDINGLY. I WAS GOING TO REPLACE THE MASTER CYLINDER BUT CANT GET A SPANNER INTO THE BOTTOM BOLT TO GET IT OFF. HAS ANYONE ELSE HAD THIS PROB? ANY INFO WOULD BE GRATELY APPRECIATED

CHEERS PETER :D
 
Hi Peter,

I would be careful with the master cylinder.

My slave failed and I had to cut the pipe to replace it. I couldn't get the union out of the master and ended up drilling it out. I also struggled getting the bolts off like you. I think I used a deep socket though.

Are you doing this single handed? You need to get all of the air out of the pipe. there is no force on your pedal because there willl be a mixture of air and fluid in the system. The bleed nipple should be open on the down stroke of the pedal and tightened before the pedal is released and repeated until there is now bubbles in the fluid coming out. This is difficult to do on your own. I have a one man bleed kit which uses air from a spare tyre but normally I would use rover special tool "wife".

Try with an assistant as I suggested. If you have been doing this there may be a burst seal. have you any fluid near the pedals?

Colin
 
It is possible that there is still air in the slave cylinder, however it is also possible that the valve and/or spring is broken within the master cylinder.Two additional ways to clear unwanted air from the slave are: Unbolt it and bleed it with the piston end upward,or press the piston all the way back with a screwdriver to force the air from the slave.
Dick West
 
Hi Peter,

My clutch failed - in traffic - right in front of a Garda (police) car. After a lot of repair efforts, I eventually replaced both Master and Slave cylinders. To access the bottom bolt on the Master, I used a socket and about 3 or 4 extensions bars. I had the ratchet close to the front of the engine bay where there is room for movement.

The one man bleeding requires a bit of flexibility, with the left hand on the clutch pedal and right hand on the spanner with the bleed nipple. Pump the clutch pedal 3 or 4 times and tighten the nipple as Colin said. Keep topping up the Master so it won't empty and draw in air. It can be done, but I will redo it with my new bleed kit and spare wheel when time permits. Good Luck.

Regards,
Ray
 
HI RAY ,

CHEERS FOR THE INFO :D THE BOTTOM BOLT ON MY MASTER IS TOTALLY INACCESSABLE A CANT GET A SOCKET IN AT IT AS THE THREAD THAT THE BOLTS ON TOUCHES THE CYLINDER LEAVING NO GAP I GOT A QUARTER TURN ON IT WITH AN OPEN ENDED SPANNER BUT NOW THAT ITS MOVED IM SNOOKERED COULD I JUST HACKSAW IT OFF ?

PETER ???
 
There should be a gap.

I would have another go at bleeding before getting the hacksaw out.

colin
 
Peter,

I tend to agree with Colin, give the bleeding another go.

Colin - is there a way that Peter could eliminate the Master as being the source of the problem. Undo the flexi pipe from the Slave and bleeding the Master and flexi pipe. Then put your thumb on the end of the flexi pipe and have someone carefully press the clutch to see if there is pressure? Would this be too dangerous?

Regards,
Ray
 
AFTER TRYING TO BLEED IT I TIGHTENED THE SLAVE BLEED NIPPLE BACK UP AND NOTICED THAT WHEN I PRESS THE CLUTCH THE FLUID /AIR MIX THATS LEFT IN THE PIPE PUSHES DOWN TO THE SLAVE. DOES THIS MEAN MY MASTERS OK ? I WAS GETTING BUBBLES IN THE FLUID IN THE JAR WHEN BLEEDING IT BUT IT SEEMS LIKE THE JAR JUST FILLED UP MORE AND HARDLY ANY FLUID STAYS IN THE PIPE.
THERE AGAIN IT MAY JUST BE THAT IM NOT DOING IT RIGHT.

CHEERS GUYS
PETER :(
 
Ray,

I don't think that doing that with the flexi pipe would help. Peter say the the fluid is coming out so there is a push from the master cylinder. If a seal was burst then I think he would see some fluid on the rod from the pedal. Also need to think about your skin and pushing fluid into your thumb etc.

I am not sure if he is bleeding it properly.

Peter, first make sure the fluid tank is full. loosen the bleed nipple just until the fluid seeps out and then just tighten it til it stops. get a ring spanner on the nipple and the put the tube/pipe on the nipple and the other end in the jam jar with a bit of fluid.

If you have a lovely assistant to pump the pedal then you are ready to begin.

To get a feel of the system get the helper to press the pedal in with the nipple closed. The should be llittle resistance, if the pedal is pumped again a few more times then the pedal should become firm. (if you pressed the clutch pedal 30 times and it is still soft then the master cylinder probably needs looked at).

Anyway the pedal has been pumped and some firmness is felt. whilst the pedal is the floor open the bleed nipple. You should feel and see the fluid coming out under pressure. tighten and get the helper to let the pedal up. watch the end of the pipe in the jar and make sure that you aren't sucking in fluid ( if you are tighten the nipple a bit more until it doesn't).

so now your helper is ready to pump and you are ready to open. tell them to push in and then open the nipple. watch the bubbles flow into the jar. tighten then tell the helper to lift off the pedal. repeat this until the pedal firms up.

It is important to open and close the nipple at the right time. You must also keep the fluid tank topped up with fresh fluid.

My other half doesn't like being on pedal duty but you need to make sure that they a doing it properly.

If this doesn't help email me and I will give you my number and we can talk it over.

Colin
 
Last year I bought a long, narrow bodied 13mm socket & a long extension bar (1/2'' drive) with the part that fits in the socket chamfered so the socket can angle itself slightly in tight spaces. Well! It gets to those bottom brake & clutch cylinder bolts so well you'd think it was one of Rovers special tools. I'll have to use it again soon as our 2200's clutch master is leaking. :)
 
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