Bleeding the clutch, any tricks??

[TrickyToy]

I just bought an 87 runner last weekend and the clutch master started dripping on the pedal. I went and bought a new master cyl. and put it in.

it took me about 15 minutes to swap out the leaky one with the new one but I've been trying to bleed the thing for about 2 hours now and I can't get 'a pedal'.
Is there a trick to bleeding these things?????????

The only thing I can think is the slave is bad. I'm gonna run and get one tomorrow unless there is something I am missing.

Thanks for any help.

[liljlandon]

way ive always understood it is to
1. wear goggles
2. have 2 people
3. pump till you have pressure, bleed
4. make sure fluid is full, if not add.
5. repeat 3-4 until you get a solid, unaltering stream.
6. if you try and dont succeed, try again.
7. Repeat step 6 until you do succeed.

lol... sorry went through the same thing on my 84, found out oriellys had this really cool deal at the time, if you buy the slave/master cylinder at the same time you get them dirt cheap, or that may be my employee discount...

[TrickyToy]

I did all those steps, well all but #1.
I always had a steady stream of dot 3, never got any air. I refilled the resevoir(sp) at least 8 times.
I even tried to 'gravity' bleed it. I filled it, left the cap off, and took the bleeder out. Did that untill the Res. got low and quickly put the bleeder back in, had a steady flow of fluid the whole time.
I took the slave off and was planning on lifting it up between the engine and the fender well to make it the highest point but the line brackets made that tough.

I have to think its the slave but I'm having a hard time believing it because the clutch worked great. If the master wasen't leaking I would not of messed with it.

Is it possable the slave was bad and caused too much back pressure and thats why the master started leaking??????

[liljlandon]

Well, as i found out by working at Oriellys, anything is possible. So yes, i think that if it is essentially 'stuck' in one spot that would cause it. If you have more than one person have them push the clutch pedal in and see if the slave moves, if yes, than is it moving enough? If no, theres your problem.

[Jonathan_Ferguson]

When I bled my Clutch I had to use a Bottle and Hose so as not to induce air into the system.

[TrickyToy]

The slave was working but not enough I guess. The clutch did get a little better and I started the truck and tried to put it in gear but it was grinding so it was not good enough.
A new slave is only $12 so I guess I'll try that.
I'll check this post before I run to the parts store tomorrow in case someone chimes in with something for me to try.

Thanks

[TrickyToy]

Wow over 40 veiws and no more info.........

I went and got a new slave and swap in the new one. Gravity bleed it untill fliud started to flow. Had my 11 year old daughter pump the clutch while I bleed it, Did that a few times. I jumped in and started it in reverse, it wanted to go.
As I sat there wondering what the heck it could be because I knew it couldn't be air in the line. I started working the pedal and realized there was an inch or two of "free pedal" before it would grab, thats when it hit me like a ton of bricks. I never adjusted the clutch master rod for free play.
I pulled the pin, screwed it out to take up the slack in the pedal and I'm on the road again.


my bad


Thanks to liljlandon & Jonathan_Ferguson for your help.

[toyminator]

Did you bench bleed the master cylinder first?

[2ndGenToyotaFan]

Hehehe, good news. At least it was something simple, and you got a new slave out of it.....

[liljlandon]

Besides that when one gos, the other is really close to going.