Gravity Bleeding Clutch?hel

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Hi everyone,

I have done a gravity bleed on my brakes before and it worked well.

I need to replace my clutch slave cylinder and as I do not have a helper can I gravity bleed the clutch system?
 
Seldom works on the clutch, but give it a try. Pushing back on the slave pushes the air out the master, the spring will push the slave piston back...repeat. Get a horse syringe, fill with fluid and push back up the system from the slave.
 
Originally Posted by Silk
Seldom works on the clutch, but give it a try. Pushing back on the slave pushes the air out the master, the spring will push the slave piston back...repeat. Get a horse syringe, fill with fluid and push back up the system from the slave.


+1 Many do need to be reverse bled. I did an an MGB that drove me crazy getting it bled, that was the only way to do it.
 
Originally Posted by Trav
Originally Posted by Silk
Seldom works on the clutch, but give it a try. Pushing back on the slave pushes the air out the master, the spring will push the slave piston back...repeat. Get a horse syringe, fill with fluid and push back up the system from the slave.


+1 Many do need to be reverse bled. I did an an MGB that drove me crazy getting it bled, that was the only way to do it.


That's what I had to do with my 300ZX. Had to "massage" the air out of the slave cylinder, bleed it there, and it also has a bleeder topside by the passenger side headlight. Takes forever and probably went through at least a quart of fluid. No way would a gravity bleed take care of that system.
 
Originally Posted by Trav
I did an an MGB that drove me crazy getting it bled, that was the only way to do it.


Back in the '70's some British cars used a plastic pipe for the clutch...it used to drive us crazy watching the air bubble going up and down, and not coming out the bleed screw.
 
Originally Posted by StevieC
Gravity bleed never works well in my experiences.
I think might work well on a newer or well maintained car, you're not going to gravity bleed your FF brake fluid at 150k km. I've tried on my old heaps but the rears stop flowing eventually.
 
Thanks guys,

And if I do get a helper then the normal 2 man job should work?
Similar process to a 2 man brake bleed?
 
Let me be the contrarian. On the Rat, the clutch master can't be gravity bled until the MC is unbolted from the firewall and pointed down. Attach the hose to the MC, then un-do it and tilt it just right. The hose is like an air hose. plugs into the slave. You bleed the whole business by holding it open until you see clear fluid. Plug it into the slave. Top off MC then open bleeder on the slave. 528e was bled by unpinning from the fork and pumped by hand until the fluid was clear. A leaky brake/clutch wont gravity bleed unless the system is air tight. It is a simple way to prove the systems integrity. I would use a board between the front of the seat and the brake pedal and ran the seat forward until the lights went on too. Then go open a bleeder. Gravity give a good pedal feel.
 
Originally Posted by Kruse
Cardone makes a large plastic syringe that can help bleed some of those pesky master cylinders and hydraulic clutches. Works wonderful on a Ford Ranger hydraulic clutch that can be a job to bleed.

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/AAZ-10-5000MCB/



Good advice, however I suggest getting them off EBay for a fraction of that cost, just takes a week or so to get them from China.
 
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