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MG Midget and Sprite Technical - Bl**ding bleeding clutch


OK, now starting to go bald where I'm pulling my hair out!

Read up on clutch bleeding in the archives and so have tried the normal way (wife in car pushing on pedal), a speed bleeder type gadget with a one way valve and reverse bleeding via the front brake, then tried again with all three ways against a compressed slave cylinder.

Nothing! Still got a floppy pedal. Slave and push rod are the new parts, rest looks to be in good condition and have pumped lots of fluid. Some air at first, but all good fluid now. Can squeeze the slave push rod and get a good flow of fluid.

Is the master cylinder dead? How much pressure should it make when it's operated? I can hold my little finger over the hole with ease against the pressure! (7 stone weakling!)

Any ideas, anyone?

Thanks David for your kind offer of a Easibleed, have got one, but can't find a suitable cap for the master cylinder, will drill the cap on the car to suit, but only when I'm really desperate.

Andy
a borris

Regarding cap try a Coke bottle top!!
K Harris


Oh yes! How did you find that out?!

Beginning to think that the M/C is dead, absolutely no residual pressure in the cylinder or line when I disconnected the pipe.

Andy
a borris

There wont be residual pressure in the line when you disconnect a clutch coupling, but if you can hold the fluid back in the MC when your wife pushes the pedal then the MC is dead. There should be serious pressure under those circumstances.
Nick


Thanks Nick, think I killed it. Did get enough pressure to release the clutch, but the pedal was only just off the floor. So we gave it another go, with some very vigorous pumping.
Have now just read (in the archives) that this pumping against a open bleed valve can damage the rubbers inside the master cylinder by letting the piston hit parts it shouldn't.

Andy
a borris

Hi
I had the pleasure of bleeding the clutch on my 1500 recently,after several attempts the clutch would not release, after reading the archives I discovered that with the front of the car jacked up the slave cylinder was raised up at the opposite end to the bleed nipple causing air to be trapped,solution I removed the cylinder from the housing inserted a short length of 22mm copper pipe drilled at the end to allow strong wire to be threaded through and wrapped tightly round the end of the cylinder to stop the piston coming out,this was bled as normal,the cylinder was then refitted to the housing,clutch now working fine.
Andy Douglas
AS Douglas

Andy,

To the best of my knowledge, ruining the master by shoving the pedal too far during bleeding only applies to the brakes, not the clutch. When bleeding a used brake master, shoving it past its normal travel can push the rubber past a build up of dirt in the bore. But, the clutch normally travels the full distance anyway so it shouldn't hurt it.

Charley
C R Huff

I am not a real fan of the eezibleed system as I usually end up with air leaks or an overflowing master cylinder or fluid everywhere or all hree but it solved my clutch bleeding problem. I tried the usual one way valve and two person operation but none of these worked. I have heard that a vaccuum pump works really well but they are more expensive than a cheap eezibleed. If you know of anyone who has one then try borrowing one as its even cheaped then.

Dave
Dave


Well, have a clutch again. Changed the master cylinder, (not sure I had to, but you know!). New master had a plastic reservoir, for which I had a Eazibleed cap, also used a vizibleed? pipe on the nipple. Bled it with the slave piston closed in, then with the piston out in it's normal position.

Still a little worried that the pedal still seems very close to the floor before the clutch operates, but at least it works now! Missed driving and it's got sunny here now too!

Thanks for the advice chaps.

Andy
a borris

Drive it for a bit to shake any remaining air bubbles free, then easibleed it once more.

Guy
Guy Weller

This thread was discussed between 08/06/2008 and 09/06/2008

MG Midget and Sprite Technical index

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