A quick and dirty clutch pressure bleeder

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ShazWozza - 31 Dec 2005 13:36 GMT

9000 2.0T: I had the misfortune to have the hydraulic line from the master
cylinder to slave cylinder separate this week-end. Waited in the bush a
dehydrating 3 hours in 40C heat for the recovery truck to pick me up.

The Quasi motors site describes a pressure bleed procedure using a
sacrificial Saab reservoir cap.

I discovered that the lid from a standard metal 5 litre (1 gal?) fuel can
like the BP "Handycan" is a perfect fit for the thread of the master
cylinder reservoir cap. The lids on all of these fuel cans have a plastic
outer childproof shroud. This must be removed to leave just the metal lid
itself.

Next, get a bicycle tube and with some scissors cut out the valve leaving
enough of the tube around the valve so that it forms a circular collar
whose diameter is the inside diameter of the lid.

Next drill a hole in the centre of the lid so that the valve can be poked
through it. Screwing it down should will make an airtight seal as the lip
of reservoir compresses the rubber collar.

Connect a foot operated car pump, loosen the bleeder valve and bleed away.

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Norm Boyce - 31 Dec 2005 15:27 GMT

Just found a new tool for the toolbox. Thanks for the great tip

> 9000 2.0T: I had the misfortune to have the hydraulic line from the master
> cylinder to slave cylinder separate this week-end. Waited in the bush a
[quoted text clipped - 18 lines]
>
> Connect a foot operated car pump, loosen the bleeder valve and bleed away.

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Charles - 31 Dec 2005 18:23 GMT

> 9000 2.0T: I had the misfortune to have the hydraulic line from the master
> cylinder to slave cylinder separate this week-end. Waited in the bush a
> dehydrating 3 hours in 40C heat for the recovery truck to pick me up.

Why not just drive it home, or at least to a more civilized place?
That's what I do when the clutch line pops loose! Start it in first gear
and be careful shifting, be sure to follow through.

> The Quasi motors site describes a pressure bleed procedure using a
> sacrificial Saab reservoir cap.

Dave Hinz introduced me to the IV method of clutch bleeding which I have
used twice now on mid 80's 900 Turbos:

Connect the bottom half of a turkey baster to a piece of plastic hose
then to the bleed nipple. Keep the baster level about 2-3 feet (1 m)
above the slave cylinder. Fill the baster and hose with brake fluid and
keep it full. Open the bleed nipple. Gravity will push the fluid back
into the reservoir and get rid of the air.

Put the bulb back on the turkey baster to suck the excess fluid out of
the reservoir.

Works great!

Charles

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ShazWozza - 31 Dec 2005 21:32 GMT

>> 9000 2.0T: I had the misfortune to have the hydraulic line from the
>> master cylinder to slave cylinder separate this week-end. Waited in the
[quoted text clipped - 5 lines]
> and be careful shifting, be sure to follow through.
>

Nice idea, but the place where it broke down was on a winding mountain road
and there would have been 20km and dozens and dozens of gear changes to get
to a better location. In addition, once off the mountain the summer
holdiday traffic was stop start. Better to wait for the truck than risk
hurting the 'box in those conditions.

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Pidgeonpost - 31 Dec 2005 22:05 GMT

>>> 9000 2.0T: I had the misfortune to have the hydraulic line from the
>>> master cylinder to slave cylinder separate this week-end. Waited in the
[quoted text clipped - 12 lines]
> holdiday traffic was stop start. Better to wait for the truck than risk
> hurting the 'box in those conditions.

....there's nothing like desperation to make you come up with solutions -
well done! It's great to hear of situations where human ingenuity triumphs
without resorting to a technician with a black box...!
And in case you're wondering, I've got nothing against techies, but
generally you don't find them half-way up a mountain when your clutch is
lunched...

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Charles - 02 Jan 2006 17:54 GMT

> >> 9000 2.0T: I had the misfortune to have the hydraulic line from the
> >> master cylinder to slave cylinder separate this week-end. Waited in the
[quoted text clipped - 10 lines]
> holdiday traffic was stop start. Better to wait for the truck than risk
> hurting the 'box in those conditions.

OK, I understand it is not a lot of fun to drive without a clutch in
less than ideal conditions, which sounds like your case. Also the
situation you describe sounds like it would increase the damage beyond
just the clutch!

Charles

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Richard Sutherland-Smith - 31 Dec 2005 22:40 GMT

> Put the bulb back on the turkey baster to suck the excess fluid out of
> the reservoir.
>
> Works great!
>
> Charles

Next turkey must taste funny?

Signature

Richard Sutherland-Smith
19 Webb Road, Wanganui 5001, NZ

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