So... 2 weeks now, the Jeep ZAV has been down and out. The Clutch Slave went out, so i replace it with a new one. Went about bleeding it like a normal clutch, but it wont get firm (haha, ya thats what she said...) Ive tried everything; Underneath opening and closing the bleeder as my girlfriend whines and complains about pushing up and down and pumping, even read on an XJ forum telling me to "pump it like 200 times, just pump the hell out of it.." I am out of ideas and am desperate. What can i do?????
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Feb. 7, 2011 6:32 p.m. DukeOfUndersteer SuperDork
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Feb. 7, 2011 6:44 p.m. z31maniac SuperDork
Maybe you just got a bad one?
I got nothing.
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Feb. 7, 2011 6:47 p.m. ansonivan HalfDork
- Make sure the master cylinder linkage is adjusted correctly, the pedal must allow the piston to return fully or it will always have some trapped air
- Leave the slave bleeder closed and tap the pedal off the top stop, don't push it far, about 1/2" will do
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Feb. 7, 2011 7:22 p.m. DukeOfUndersteer SuperDork
ansonivan wrote:
- Leave the slave bleeder closed and tap the pedal off the top stop, don't push it far, about 1/2" will do
:going outside and trying: Wish me luck!
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Feb. 7, 2011 7:36 p.m. DukeOfUndersteer SuperDork
nothin
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Feb. 7, 2011 8:06 p.m. ansonivan HalfDork
Did you check the master cylinder adjustment?
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Feb. 7, 2011 8:11 p.m. DukeOfUndersteer SuperDork
it was cleaned and adjusted 2 weeks ago. No leaks around the master or slave...
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Feb. 7, 2011 8:29 p.m. ansonivan HalfDork
Other stuff I've done to bleed a troubled hydraulic system:
- apply pressure to the reservoir with a pressure bleeder if available or rigged up air compressor supply
- curse a lot and become immensely angry
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Feb. 7, 2011 8:40 p.m. Derick Freese Dork
Mine bled straight away. Do you have the internal slave or the external slave?
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Feb. 7, 2011 9:21 p.m. Streetwiseguy Dork
Pressure bleed, and in some cases, a reverse pressure bleed is the way to go. Sometimes people claim that just pumping the clutch pedal eleventy billion times will bleed it. Others suggest letting it sit so the air works its way out the top. I have sometimes had success just opening the bleeder and then keeping the master topped up, no pedal work at all. I have found that trying to bleed a clutch while pumping/opening/closing the bleeder never works. Too much likelyhood of drawing air in past the seals on the return stroke.
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Feb. 8, 2011 7:20 a.m. DukeOfUndersteer SuperDork
In Reply to ansonivan: Ive cursed and thrown tools for 3 weeks now...
In Reply to: Derick Freese: Its external, yea im lucky
In Reply to: Streetwiseguy: Ive done all of those methods. Pumped, let sit for a E36 M3 week, bleed like a typical clutch. Out of ideas...
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Feb. 8, 2011 7:21 a.m. Entropyman New Reader
I had trouble bleeding a slave cylinder once, it didn't bleed until we changed the angle of the vehicle. We were trying to bleed it on a steep driveway, once we moved it to a more level location it bled fine.
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Feb. 8, 2011 7:39 a.m. DukeOfUndersteer SuperDork
yea, thats the one thing i havent done yet. Read somewhere that i have to jack up the rear of the Jeep and then bleed
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Feb. 8, 2011 8:12 a.m. Teh E36 M3 HalfDork
Is your girlfriend letting the pedal come all the way up before depressing it again?
Did you try "bench bleeding" it? I've only heard of this for master cylinders, but I don't see why you couldn't/wouldn't do it for the slave as well.Also, I use one of those "check valve" bleeders and haven't had problems, but now that I've said that, I'm sure to never be able to bleed again.
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Feb. 8, 2011 8:22 a.m. 7pilot Reader
If you open the bleeder, will it drip fluid steadily? If not , I would try reverse bleeding using pressure.
m
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Feb. 8, 2011 8:25 a.m. DukeOfUndersteer SuperDork
In reply to 7pilot:
trying this after work. When the bleeder is open, it doesnt drip.
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Feb. 8, 2011 9:00 a.m. iceracer Dork
I assume you have checked the fluid level.
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Feb. 8, 2011 9:02 a.m. DukeOfUndersteer SuperDork
Fluid has been topped off everytime i touch it.
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Feb. 8, 2011 9:31 a.m. Matt B HalfDork
Time to buy/rent a pressure bleeder kit? Can you rent those?
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Feb. 8, 2011 9:35 a.m. DukeOfUndersteer SuperDork
Might go by Harbor Freight and pick one up
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Feb. 8, 2011 10:57 a.m. CGLockRacer Reader
What I have done in a Miata.
Open bleeder. Step on clutch and hold. Close bleeder. Repeat. No multiple pumps. Just pump once and hold. It takes forever, but its the only way I can get fluid to the slave cylinder. Then I bleed like normal. It also could be a bad master cylinder.
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Feb. 8, 2011 2:56 p.m. DukeOfUndersteer SuperDork
That is what I am suspecting right now. Think the Master is bad. Might as well change it out...
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Feb. 8, 2011 3:39 p.m. pete240z SuperDork
Back in the mid-1990's on my 1966 Datsun Roadster, the slave hose went bad and I thought it would be cool to have our welders cut the ends off and reweld the fittings to a stainless steel braided metal hose assembly. Looked great!
I had the same problem and even sourced a new slave cylinder. No pressure. Four weeks of wrenches bouncing across a concrete floor. Great sound BTW.
I stopped at Nissan and bought the correct rubber hose. Problem solved and cool metal hose ended up in the garbage can.
