Bleeding Clutch

[franknsr]

Would like to hear some input on what has worked for you when bleeding a clutch when the system has been completely drained. Asking for a friend. A friend with a hammer shaped hole in his garage wall.

[Donkey Hotey]

First: I have a Mityvac bleeder which does the job 99% of the time. There was the time where I couldn't find it though.

Without it:

I pumped the master a few times, held it to the bar and opened the fitting at the slave. Burped out any accumulated air. Closed the fitting. Released the lever, pumped it up and repeated it. That ended up being frustrating as heck and probably what caused your friend to throw the hammer at the wall.


The other thing I've done is taken advantage of our slave cylinder design. I loosen the locknut and rotate the screw counterclockwise to push the piston inward. When it bottoms out, I open the valve, then close the valve. Ready? Turn the screw the other direction and move the piston all the way outward. That will suck fluid down from the master cylinder into the slave.

NOW pump up the master, build a little pressure and hold it to the bar. Crack the bleeder fitting and screw the piston back to the inward position. If you do this right, you should be rewarded with fluid and bubbles gurgling out of the port. When the piston is all the way in, close the valve, release the lever and repeat.


So you're using the threaded piston at the bottom to get a good bleed out of the system. As a final step, when I think it's all good and bled, I will one last time, suck the fluid down into the slave and then force it back up to the master (with the lever released this time). Any remaining bubbles in the lines will usually be forced up and out the top when you do this.

[franknsr]

Well, that's just genius. I would expect no less from you Greg. :-) Between that and Bruce"s advice in another post about using a squeeze bulb to push the fluid through the master I might have a chance here. Thanks man

[Donkey Hotey]

Well, that's just genius. I would expect no less from you Greg. :-)

Hey, you're giving me far too much credit. After throwing the hammer at the wall, I was desperate to bleed the system without the Mityvac. Oddly that thing disappears and reappears all the time. Maybe time to buy another and store it somewhere else.


Related: when I do brake pads on any of my bikes, I use fine steel wool and soapy water to clean the brake pistons while the pads are out. I'll even pump the master cylinder to force more of the piston out so the sealing surfaces are nice and clean. If they're clean, they're usually easy to push back into their bores.


With the pistons totally pushed into the bores, almost all of the brake fluid is now 'upstairs' in whatever master cylinder you're bleeding. Suck that fluid out of the reservoir, refill with clean stuff. You now you have a thoroughly bled system AND got to change almost all of the fluid in the process. It saves all the bleeding hassles of trying to do it the traditional way.

[wytfut]

Easy Frank.... we are just schmoes like everyone else      LOLOLOL

I had a miteyvac for years (plastic model that finally wore out), and it seemed to help bleed the clutch. But 525 seems to be the classic conundrum bitch. I've worked on 12 different X's thru the years, and some just bleed ever so quickly, mine doesn't like to bleed at all, and then others that will bleed easily one time and horrible the next.

One thing I learned, is just to be patient...     and as always in the back of my head, if I'm getting pissed working on any part of X's, I quit, and come back later (hour, day, week.... what ever). If I do not quit, I usually break something, trying to get something to do what it wasn't designed to do.

Not shopping currently, but there are systems out that that "push" rather than "suck".  Physics involved,.... hmm maybe an advantage? If/when I purchase such a system I'll try to remember to report on results.

flatlandersupportingXworld

[EBRXCELMOTUSIOR]

I used a standard automotive bleeding kit with a hand vacuum pump on my Excelsior. It took about three tries to get all the bubbles out. Make sure you use new sealing washers on the stand pipe in the primary cover. It will leak and you will have to take it all apart again. Don’t ask me how I learned this:)

[wytfut]

EBRX
Like I said some bleed very easily.... others do not. I have no clue why/where/what....
You are fortunate.