ravenls6v

Tried bleeding my clutch with a motive for the first time...didn't go well. Got the 8mm gear wrench on the bleeder, got it cracked, nothing coming out really so turned it a little more and seems I disconnected the line inside the bell housing. I didn't even turn the bleeder much past a quarter turn. Now I have clutch fluid coming out of the bottom of the bell housing. How f'd am I? I assume trans has to come out and I might as well put in a speed bleeder now, correct? What a pita...

bmylez

iTrader: (3)

Are you positive it's not running down the side of the trans and it just looks like it's coming out the bottom.

ravenls6v

I thought of that too but it does appear to be coming out of the bottom, although kinda hard to tell for certain after the mess of the bleed hose popping off mid bleed. Started car and moved it forward in the garage and got a big puddle under the trans. Im assuming the slave line came off in the bell housing somehow. It's my first time bleeding it so I didn't know how much of a turn of the bleeder would disconnect anything inside but I tried to stay within the quarter turn in the faq guide.

Fweasel

iTrader: (6)

I would think you're only screwed if the bleeder came out completely and fell into the bell housing. If the bleeder is still supported on its own, it must still be threaded into the slave. Did you try closing the bleeder?

ravenls6v

Car is an 04 with 10k on it and original everything...did the 15 psi of the motive bleeder blow out a slave seal or something?

ravenls6v

Bleeder was tight, when its loose it seems quite wiggly and then tightens up again quickly. Not sure how it feels typically since it's the first time I messed with it.

Sweetwilliebrownjr

Just bleed it like it like nothing happened. Even though it came loose inside the bell housing, it to still pretty much bleed the same, except the fluid will bleed from a different place. As long as you tighten it down when done, it should, for the most part, work the same. Save the extra work for later.

ravenls6v

Did the bled fluid maybe pool up inside the bell housing and that's what leaked out of the bottom when I pulled my car forward? I had fluid coming out around the bleeder instead of just into the line of the catch bottle it seemed. Total mess lol. Mod hell all over a clutch bleed..

ravenls6v

Thanks for the help ***** B...I guess that's what I'll have to do. Car still moves at least so that's a plus.

ravenls6v

So I basically just dumped 50 bucks worth of amsoil dot 4 on my floor...

DMM

The easiest way to F up the hydro circuit of the clutch is to attempt to use a power or vacuum bleeder on the system.

The only way to correctly bleed a release bearing system is to crack the bleeder first, and slowly depress the pedal closing the bleeder as the pedal hits the end of travel. The systems don't hold much, three times usually has the system bled.

Andringa

What happen to you is really common.

The "bleeder tube" thing is a solid piece that threads into the slave. Most people incorrectly assume that it is a tube with a bleeder on the end of it. The idea is that you unthread the entire tube slightly from the slave, which should allow fluid to make its way out the tube, just like a really tall brake bleeder.

The problem, is that the bleeder is plugged, so no fluid came out until you got it loose enough for fluid to leak out around the threads and into the bell housing.

I had the same issue with my V. i bled it, and then i just sprayed down the clutch through the inspection port and I haven't had any problems 20k miles later.

FYi the bleeder threads are also at an angle, which makes the bleeder wobble and seem broken when you loosen it.

Tighten it back up, and clean it up, you should be good to go.

ravenls6v

Andringa you completely nailed it. Exactly what was going on. That and the faq write up I followed suggested a ratcheting 8mm stubby that I found to hurt more than help, you could crack it open but had to pull the drain hose to flip the wrench and close the bleeder while you lost more fluid than necessary adding to my oh **** brake fluid puddle. Next time I'll just try using a regular 8mm stubby wrench, it seems like it would work better than the ratchet wrench.

Sweetwilliebrownjr

No offense, but horseshit. I use a power bleeder on mine every time and have no problems. Bleeding is bleeding. If the air/ contaminants are out, theyre out.

MarkOne

Agreed. I just used one for the clutch recently and it worked fine.

Forcfed93

iTrader: (10)

This just happened to me yesterday when I was trying to bleed, also with a Motive.

I loosened it up to where it was very wobbly. I was scared to completely unthread it from the slave so I tightened it back up and gave up. Any ideas on how to break the bleeder loose? Doesn't seem like there's much of a way to reach and hold on to the tube itself.

isis

iTrader: (1)

Once it's wobbly, fluid should be coming out the threads and eventually drips out the bottom of the bell housing. Once it drips clear, you're done. No idea how to get it to work right, but done is done. Like the others in this thread, I was scared I messed something up, but it seems to have worked out. Clutch has been fine for a few thousand miles.

Forcfed93

iTrader: (10)

When I loosened it, it was quite wobbly and not a drop of fluid came out anywhere and the motive still had full pressure. I didn't loosen it any further for fear of it coming out.

I don't have any issues with shifting or anything, so it's not a huge deal, just wanted to put fresh fluid it.

I'll likely be installing an LS7 clutch assembly in the next few months, so I'll probably just wait and handle it then. Hopefully I can do the clutch master upgrade at the same time.

isis

iTrader: (1)

That's strange. I definitely saw a slow drop in pressure (over like 10 min or so) and it took a while before fluid started coming out the bottom which gave me plenty of time to freak out. Not fun but it worked out. I plan on the ls7, MC upgrade, and def remote bleeder once the clutch wears out. It seems fine at only 38k miles.

cmcneal0252

I am having issues with my clutch disengaging. I have a McLeod clutch, an LS7 slave and a stock master cylinder. I have measured the throwout clearance and it is between an 1/8 - >1/4 of an inch. I have installed a remote bleeder on the slave. I have pumped a ton of fluid through the system. The clutch is not fully disengaging, clashing gears, will not go into 1/Rev. with the motor running. Shifts fine without the motor running. There is a slight squeak in the clutch peddle, rubber inside the cylinder. I suspect the master cylinder is bad but I need some advice?

BTW - I am new to the forum, well really to all forums. Should I post a new thread to get help?