New Procedure to bleed the hydraulic system
04-07-2005, 01:48 AM
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New Procedure to bleed the hydraulic system I talked to Red (owner of McLeod) today for quite sometime about my issues bleeding the hydraulic system (installed Street Twin, Mcleod MC, and new Slave) and no matter how many times I pumped/cracked open the bleed port, the pedal (300+) it would NEVER come back off the floor.
He told me a different way of trying to bleed the system. You have to bleed it in two separate halves, Upper & Lower. Keep in mind that I have tried every suggestion that I could find on the net and none of them worked after I had installed everything in the car. Bench bleeding is another option BEFORE you install it, if you have a mityvac.
I just finished the car and its 2:30 in the morning so I'll make this brief.
1. Disconnect the quick disconnect line and bring it back up to the RESERVOIR.
2. Remove Reservoir cap.
3. Make a hook with a 180* bend ( I used a decent sized nail)
4. Submerge the quick disconnect(QD) into the reservoir while using the nail to pull upward depressing the plunger in the QD.
5. Have another person pump the clutch pedal slowly. You will see air rush into the reservoir. It may splatter, so make sure you have alot of rags surrounding the reservoir.
6. Once you quit getting air bubbles you are done. Release the check valve and pull it out. To test it, lightly try to depress the clutch pedal. It should not move at all. ***Do not force it because the fluid has no where to go with the check valve closed and you may damage an o-ring in the master cylinder***
Now you have to do the lower half of the system. You will need an old braided line from a junk setup with the QD still on it. Get a long section of 3/8" I.D. hose (4-5 feet). Slide it over the end of the braided line that has the o-ring on it. You will need to zip tie it on tight. I used two zip ties to make sure I had Zero leaks. Then get a small tipped funnel and insert it into the opposite end of the rubber hose and your setup is complete.
7. Have someone lower the QD down past the motor to you under the car.
8. Insert the QD into the slave cylinder. Make sure it clicks and locks.
9. Open the bleed port to allow the air to escape.
10. Have the person up top hold the hose as high as he can and start to pour brake fluid into the funnel. By having the hose so much higher in the air than the slave cylinder, gravity gives the fluid enough force to push the air right out. At first you will notice that the fluid will start to run out with alot of air bubbles, but will soon turn into a steady stream. When that happens, close the valve. Your lower half of the system is now done.
***At this point, you will have about 99% of the air out of your system and it will only have taken you 20 minutes to do it***
11. Remove your mock up line from the slave cylinder. Use a rag to wipe off any remaining brake fluid so it does not drip on your motor or paint as your helper pulls it back up and out from under the hood.
12. Now have him lower your real QD down to you.
13. Connect the QD and make sure it clicks.
14. Have your helper start to pump the pedal slowly (10-15 times) and then hold it to the floor.
15. Open your bleeder valve and some air will come out. Close it and repeat this 3 more times or until you stop getting air. It shouldnt take more than twice actually since almost all the air is already out, but I did it 3 times for good measure.
***Be sure to have your helper check the fluid level in your reservoir and refill it if necessary to avoid sucking air back into the system (I almost did this)
Wipe up your mess and you are DONE!!! Your pedal should feel perfect.
You might want to keep an eye on your reservoir level over the next day or so to make sure it hasn't pulled more fluid after you have driven the car and worked the clutch through a bunch of cycles.
I didnt get any pics during this ordeal, but I can take some this weekend so we can do a write up on this. I could not believe how EASY THIS WAS.
On a side note, Red said that he was contemplating making an actual bleed kit and selling them with his clutch setups. I told him this would be fantastic and he should follow through with it. He wasnt sure if it warranted a need. I told him if he had any doubts about a NEED, he should come to this board and check out the manual transmission section on this board and on LS1.com. He could verify THE NEED real fast.
I may have something to add to this tomorrow after I have had some sleep. I have to be up in 3 hours to go to work.
Jeff
He told me a different way of trying to bleed the system. You have to bleed it in two separate halves, Upper & Lower. Keep in mind that I have tried every suggestion that I could find on the net and none of them worked after I had installed everything in the car. Bench bleeding is another option BEFORE you install it, if you have a mityvac.
I just finished the car and its 2:30 in the morning so I'll make this brief.
1. Disconnect the quick disconnect line and bring it back up to the RESERVOIR.
2. Remove Reservoir cap.
3. Make a hook with a 180* bend ( I used a decent sized nail)
4. Submerge the quick disconnect(QD) into the reservoir while using the nail to pull upward depressing the plunger in the QD.
5. Have another person pump the clutch pedal slowly. You will see air rush into the reservoir. It may splatter, so make sure you have alot of rags surrounding the reservoir.
6. Once you quit getting air bubbles you are done. Release the check valve and pull it out. To test it, lightly try to depress the clutch pedal. It should not move at all. ***Do not force it because the fluid has no where to go with the check valve closed and you may damage an o-ring in the master cylinder***
Now you have to do the lower half of the system. You will need an old braided line from a junk setup with the QD still on it. Get a long section of 3/8" I.D. hose (4-5 feet). Slide it over the end of the braided line that has the o-ring on it. You will need to zip tie it on tight. I used two zip ties to make sure I had Zero leaks. Then get a small tipped funnel and insert it into the opposite end of the rubber hose and your setup is complete.
7. Have someone lower the QD down past the motor to you under the car.
8. Insert the QD into the slave cylinder. Make sure it clicks and locks.
9. Open the bleed port to allow the air to escape.
10. Have the person up top hold the hose as high as he can and start to pour brake fluid into the funnel. By having the hose so much higher in the air than the slave cylinder, gravity gives the fluid enough force to push the air right out. At first you will notice that the fluid will start to run out with alot of air bubbles, but will soon turn into a steady stream. When that happens, close the valve. Your lower half of the system is now done.
***At this point, you will have about 99% of the air out of your system and it will only have taken you 20 minutes to do it***
11. Remove your mock up line from the slave cylinder. Use a rag to wipe off any remaining brake fluid so it does not drip on your motor or paint as your helper pulls it back up and out from under the hood.
12. Now have him lower your real QD down to you.
13. Connect the QD and make sure it clicks.
14. Have your helper start to pump the pedal slowly (10-15 times) and then hold it to the floor.
15. Open your bleeder valve and some air will come out. Close it and repeat this 3 more times or until you stop getting air. It shouldnt take more than twice actually since almost all the air is already out, but I did it 3 times for good measure.
***Be sure to have your helper check the fluid level in your reservoir and refill it if necessary to avoid sucking air back into the system (I almost did this)
Wipe up your mess and you are DONE!!! Your pedal should feel perfect.
You might want to keep an eye on your reservoir level over the next day or so to make sure it hasn't pulled more fluid after you have driven the car and worked the clutch through a bunch of cycles.
I didnt get any pics during this ordeal, but I can take some this weekend so we can do a write up on this. I could not believe how EASY THIS WAS.
On a side note, Red said that he was contemplating making an actual bleed kit and selling them with his clutch setups. I told him this would be fantastic and he should follow through with it. He wasnt sure if it warranted a need. I told him if he had any doubts about a NEED, he should come to this board and check out the manual transmission section on this board and on LS1.com. He could verify THE NEED real fast.
I may have something to add to this tomorrow after I have had some sleep. I have to be up in 3 hours to go to work.
Jeff
04-07-2005, 10:58 AM
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this is definitely the right way to do it, though bench bleeding the master with a MityVac and then bleeding the whole system with the MityVac is a piece of cake.
Anyone have an idea of where to pick up the quick disconnect fittings with line?
Thanks
Ben
Anyone have an idea of where to pick up the quick disconnect fittings with line?
Thanks
Ben
04-07-2005, 12:05 PM
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Originally Posted by RX-Ben
this is definitely the right way to do it, though bench bleeding the master with a MityVac and then bleeding the whole system with the MityVac is a piece of cake.
Anyone have an idea of where to pick up the quick disconnect fittings with line?
Thanks
Ben
Anyone have an idea of where to pick up the quick disconnect fittings with line?
Thanks
Ben
I got one from a friend that had a junk setup. But maybe at a GM dealership. See if any of the mechanics have a junk setup laying around, or a salvage yard. The great thing is, once you have it, its yours. You dont have to ever buy another one. I'm sure I'll be loaning mine out to people in the club, routinely.
Jeff
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04-08-2005, 11:48 AM
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Originally Posted by hourang
good writeup, seems like the normal method to me. how were you doing it before? mityvac is much easier.
I've yet to find a tech write up where you stick the QD inside of the reservoir to make a closed loop bleed setup or manually fill the slave cylinder with a mock up QD
With the system in the car it took me 30 minutes to do it with the help of one other person.
A mityvac is only good if the system is really out of the car. This is great if the system is installed. The good thing is that now people have Two good ways to bleed a system that has been opened.
04-08-2005, 01:52 PM
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Been doing it like that for 3-4 years. 
I usually install new slave cyl's at the same time so don't really need the 2nd half if your replacing it also. Instead of using a hook to hold open the quick release fitting, I just use the fitting off the old slave cyl where the line connects, you can cut it off - or remove the roll pin to remove it.
I usually install new slave cyl's at the same time so don't really need the 2nd half if your replacing it also. Instead of using a hook to hold open the quick release fitting, I just use the fitting off the old slave cyl where the line connects, you can cut it off - or remove the roll pin to remove it. 
04-08-2005, 03:18 PM
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Originally Posted by FRDnemesis
I've yet to find a tech write up where you stick the QD inside of the reservoir to make a closed loop bleed setup or manually fill the slave cylinder with a mock up QD
With the system in the car it took me 30 minutes to do it with the help of one other person.
A mityvac is only good if the system is really out of the car. This is great if the system is installed. The good thing is that now people have Two good ways to bleed a system that has been opened.
With the system in the car it took me 30 minutes to do it with the help of one other person.
A mityvac is only good if the system is really out of the car. This is great if the system is installed. The good thing is that now people have Two good ways to bleed a system that has been opened.
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/buschm...utchbleed.html
cept you dont use a mityvac.
wrong, i did the drill mod on my master, put a new slave in, installed the whole system, then i put the mityvac tube in the reservoir, and pumped all the air out. very easy, no mocking to do, just keep pumping and releaseing till theres no more air. my clutch pedal pressure is 10x better than it was before. i barely even bench bled the master too. oh well anyway nice writeup for people who dont go with a $30 mityvac.
04-08-2005, 06:24 PM
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Originally Posted by 1madss
Is this with the slave installed in the tranny and the tranny bolted to the motor/bellhousing?
04-10-2005, 01:55 PM
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The whole procedure with gravity bleeding the slave is unique to an LS1 (or any car with a hydraulic throw out bearing setup). Bench bleeding the MC by sticking the line back inside the reservoir is a good idea with any car, the clutch master and the brake master.
I still say finish things off with a Mityvac- who wants to crawl under the car to mess with the slave bleeder valve whose positioning makes it impossible to truly tell if there are any air bubbles coming out?
Ben
I still say finish things off with a Mityvac- who wants to crawl under the car to mess with the slave bleeder valve whose positioning makes it impossible to truly tell if there are any air bubbles coming out?
Ben
Last edited by RX-Ben; 04-10-2005 at 02:05 PM.
04-17-2005, 05:11 PM
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In order to avoid the extra braided line can't you just bleed the lower half first, using your good braided hose??
Than insert the braided line you just used into the master, reinsert the roll pin (or suitable substitute; having lost my roll pin long ago I use a 120 thousands nail bent a bit to hold it in) and do the top half next. Than simply put it in the quick disconnect.
Perry
Than insert the braided line you just used into the master, reinsert the roll pin (or suitable substitute; having lost my roll pin long ago I use a 120 thousands nail bent a bit to hold it in) and do the top half next. Than simply put it in the quick disconnect.
Perry
04-26-2005, 08:34 PM
#20
jmd method for bleeding the clutch.
There is nothing about Reds method that will produce results any better than mine. Mine is quicker. Mine is cleaner. Mine is cheaper.
There is nothing about Reds method that will produce results any better than mine. Mine is quicker. Mine is cleaner. Mine is cheaper.