Need to bleed your clutch by yourself...?
04-01-2009, 03:40 PM
#1
Need to bleed your clutch by yourself...? ...but don't want to buy a "one man bleeder?" Do what I did and just cut a hole in the floor of your car. When you think about it, not cutting a hole in your floor is going to cost you about $100... or what ever that braided line thing runs. Once you've got a hole in the floor, you can gain access to your bleeder valve simply by peeling back the carpet... and that’s it.
You can completely bleed your clutch, by yourself with the car ON THE GROUND, simply by using your deep well 7/16 socket (with a 1/4 ratchet/extension), an old rag to soak up the brake fluid as it shoots out, and your left hand to pump and hold the clutch pedal to the floor as you open and then shut the valve. It doesn’t get any easier or cheaper than this folks. You don't need a buddy, or to jack the car up off the ground. This is especially handy when you install a clutch, take it for a test drive, and then realize that you need to keep bleeding the clutch.
I used a 3" hole saw and cut a hole right through the plastic liner inside the car (behind the carpet), and let it cut right on through to the transmission area. I just eyeballed the place to put the hole saw, and the 3" hole gave me plenty of room for error. Once you're done bleeding it you can simply put some duct tape over the hole, push the carpet back over the hole, and throw the old soaked rag away. No new noise or grime/nasty is introduced to the cabin.
Be careful as you are going to deplete the fluid level in your clutch master cylinder reservoir with about 4 cracks of the valve during the bleeding process. So about every other time you open the valve to bleed you will need to add a little brake fluid to the reservoir.
Again, bleeding the clutch involves pumping the clutch pedal, holding the clutch pedal to the floor, cracking the valve and then closing it, pump the clutch pedal a few more times, then repeat.
Here are some pictures of the hole I cut:
Feel free to comment!
You can completely bleed your clutch, by yourself with the car ON THE GROUND, simply by using your deep well 7/16 socket (with a 1/4 ratchet/extension), an old rag to soak up the brake fluid as it shoots out, and your left hand to pump and hold the clutch pedal to the floor as you open and then shut the valve. It doesn’t get any easier or cheaper than this folks. You don't need a buddy, or to jack the car up off the ground. This is especially handy when you install a clutch, take it for a test drive, and then realize that you need to keep bleeding the clutch.
I used a 3" hole saw and cut a hole right through the plastic liner inside the car (behind the carpet), and let it cut right on through to the transmission area. I just eyeballed the place to put the hole saw, and the 3" hole gave me plenty of room for error. Once you're done bleeding it you can simply put some duct tape over the hole, push the carpet back over the hole, and throw the old soaked rag away. No new noise or grime/nasty is introduced to the cabin.
Be careful as you are going to deplete the fluid level in your clutch master cylinder reservoir with about 4 cracks of the valve during the bleeding process. So about every other time you open the valve to bleed you will need to add a little brake fluid to the reservoir.
Again, bleeding the clutch involves pumping the clutch pedal, holding the clutch pedal to the floor, cracking the valve and then closing it, pump the clutch pedal a few more times, then repeat.
Here are some pictures of the hole I cut:
Feel free to comment!
04-01-2009, 03:49 PM
#3
No one will even know the hole is there until you pull the carpet and tape back. If you were to sell the car to someone, they would probobly like the idea of an access hole. I know I would. Its more of a modification/improvement than a destructive act. Unless you're hoping to have your car on some 100% stock auction block 35 years from now, I wouldnt worry about it.
04-01-2009, 04:42 PM
#4
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Nice tip.
But the remote bleeders are worth their weight too, especially if you're replacing the slave already. No need to repeatedly open and close it at all. Pretty hard to mess it up.
But the remote bleeders are worth their weight too, especially if you're replacing the slave already. No need to repeatedly open and close it at all. Pretty hard to mess it up.
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04-01-2009, 09:47 PM
#8
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It's an awesome idea, except for the hole being that big. The road/engine noise has to be a pain in the ***. I have a 1" hole cut and it makes it ALOT easier, except I can hear alot of noise transferring inside the car.
04-01-2009, 10:59 PM
#9
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mity vac is hard to do cause of the tight space and you pretty much gotta do it by feel. i like this idea, but i'm gonna try it on my bro's car first. i'm a little concerned about road or wind noise. i'll start will a small hole first though and make it bigger if i need to. it would be sweet if i could get away with a 3/4 inch hole
04-02-2009, 09:55 AM
#10
I have absolutely no issues with a 3" hole. The back of the duct tape (the part that isnt touching anything over the hole) was clean when I took it back off after about 2k miles. Its not any louder, or windy, or anything. Its like its not even there. I chose the 3" hole because it gave me the best shot of being close.
04-02-2009, 07:47 PM
#12
I used a 1 inch hole saw and it works great. I cut a square of the sound dampner out, drilled the hole, bleed the system and just put the square of material back in place. I think thats better than using tape, and its def not any louder!!! I hope that helps clear up the road noise issue
04-03-2009, 03:14 AM
#13
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I have my tranny out right now and since I have a 98 with 117k I got a new master and a new slave.
Can I bench bleed both together while they are out of the car? Gravity bleed? Someone have the address of the engineer who signed off on the location of the bleeder so he can assist? (oh and I just LOVED shoving that busted up ring into the grimy connector to the slave,,, chewed up the connector housing on the line I need to keep)
Somebody busted the vent and valve on the tranny so I have to wait on that to come in before I can continue
Can I bench bleed both together while they are out of the car? Gravity bleed? Someone have the address of the engineer who signed off on the location of the bleeder so he can assist? (oh and I just LOVED shoving that busted up ring into the grimy connector to the slave,,, chewed up the connector housing on the line I need to keep)
Somebody busted the vent and valve on the tranny so I have to wait on that to come in before I can continue
04-03-2009, 09:52 PM
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In my search for a remote bleeder the problem I encountered was a RELIABLE seal to the slave.
I ended up getting the LPP bleeder with the bonded washer and thread sealant. Lets hope that holds cuz I really DON'T want to pull the trans AGAIN!
There was someone on here who welded a bent metal tube to the stock bleeder valve, which looked like the most reliable way to do the remote bleeder, but I don't have the welding skills to weld a brass(?) piece to a metal tube...
I ended up getting the LPP bleeder with the bonded washer and thread sealant. Lets hope that holds cuz I really DON'T want to pull the trans AGAIN!
There was someone on here who welded a bent metal tube to the stock bleeder valve, which looked like the most reliable way to do the remote bleeder, but I don't have the welding skills to weld a brass(?) piece to a metal tube...
04-03-2009, 10:43 PM
#16
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That hole is huge lol. Glad it worked for you though. Am I the only one who uses a motive power bleeder? It's also a one man job and easy to use plus you can use it to bleed brakes. For the clutch no remote bleeder is required and contrary to popular belief the bleeder valve is not that hard to get to, all you need is one ratchet and one 7/16 or 11mm socket, that is all.
04-05-2009, 10:14 PM
#17
For some reason my car is acting like it needs to be bled again. I noticed that it had a little play in the top of the pedal, it was like hell to get it into gear, and the clutch engaged really low to the floor. I bled it and everything was GREAT. One day later and its back to the way it was. Somehow I think some air was introduced to the lines again. At least I don't have to do anything crazy to bleed this thing.
