How do I bleed a clutch?

O.A.P

The clutch fluid is leaking from my landrover defender and I'm not sure where the problem is can anyone tell me how to bleed the clutch on one. (Its a td5 1999 thanks )

101sean

Where's it leaking? From the bellhousing, it's the slave cylinder gone, dripping down the pedal, it's the master cylinder. Whichever, replace both and the flexi hose to the slave cylinder, if one goes, the other sometimes follows. Don't bother with seal kits and try and get original Girling cylinders, pattern ones don't last.

Bleeding is easy, there's a bleed nipple on the slave cylinder. Have someone in the cab, get underneath and push a clear plastic pipe on the nipple, other end in a jar. Undo the nipple (7/16 spanner probably) and yell "down" for assistant to push pedal. Close nipple and yell "up" for them to let pedal rise, repeat and when fluid without bubbles comes down tube you're done. You'll have to keep reservoir topped up every couple of pushes. I rarely get a good pedal straight off, just bleed enough to get clutch to work and the rest of the air works it way out with use (DO NOT do this with brakes!)

O.A.P

101sean wrote: »

Where's it leaking? From the bellhousing, it's the slave cylinder gone, dripping down the pedal, it's the master cylinder. Whichever, replace both and the flexi hose to the slave cylinder, if one goes, the other sometimes follows. Don't bother with seal kits and try and get original Girling cylinders, pattern ones don't last.

Bleeding is easy, there's a bleed nipple on the slave cylinder. Have someone in the cab, get underneath and push a clear plastic pipe on the nipple, other end in a jar. Undo the nipple (7/16 spanner probably) and yell "down" for assistant to push pedal. Close nipple and yell "up" for them to let pedal rise, repeat and when fluid without bubbles comes down tube you're done. You'll have to keep reservoir topped up every couple of pushes. I rarely get a good pedal straight off, just bleed enough to get clutch to work and the rest of the air works it way out with use (DO NOT do this with brakes!)[/


Thanks Sean I do'nt know yet where its leaking. This morning was the first time it gave any trouble and I had to return home after a mile or so. I stole the wifes car before she got up so I could get to work. When I got home I relised that the clutch fluid was low so I filled it (about half a cup full) and pumped the pedal about 20 times and now its fine again but I need to bleed it and find where the problem is before she starts hidding the car:D

101sean

Sounds like it's only just started to leak but it should become obvious soon :rolleyes:

O.A.P

101sean wrote: »

Sounds like it's only just started to leak but it should become obvious soon :rolleyes:

I had a go at it today and its leaking from the bellhousing so I bought a new slave cylinder from the main steelers 80 euro :eek:. There was hardly any clutch fluid when I drained it no wonder it was hard to get a gear. Anyway I got the flexy hose off but there are two bolts holding the cylinder to the block that I cannot shift. A 10mm socket slips , a 9mm is to small and 3/8 is also to small. I tried a vicegrips on the bottom bolt but it slips too and the top bolt will only come out with a socket so there is no point in rounding off the other one. Has anyone got any tips apart from a consaw(which wont fit) on how to remove them?

Slidey

Are you using a 6 sided socket? If not, get one. put the socket on and give it a few good wallops of a hammer to shock it a little, let it know who is boss.

Plan B
Can you weld?

If you can weld another bolt on to the one that is siezed. the heat will travel through the original bolt and help shift it.

O.A.P

Slidey wrote: »

Are you using a 6 sided socket? If not, get one. put the socket on and give it a few good wallops of a hammer to shock it a little, let it know who is boss.

Plan B
Can you weld?

If you can weld another bolt on to the one that is siezed. the heat will travel through the original bolt and help shift it.

Thanks Slidey, yes I tried every socket I have 5 sided, multi sided and ring spanners but still no good. I'm afraid I can't weld but even if I could there is no way in to the top bolt with a welder. I'll put up some pics in the morning, I would like to show it whos boss but no room to do so. My knuckles want to go to bed now:)

Slidey

Well if it is cross threaded you will have to drill it out and re-tap it which can probably only be done with the box out.

Another explanation for it being so tight is that it has siezed in the slave cylinder housing. Seeing as it is FUBAR'd anyway a little bit of heat could help your situation

101sean

€80!!!!!!!!!!!!! A Girling one from an independant is about €25.

The bolts are M8 but with a 10mm head, easier to put in on the production line :rolleyes:

You should use decent quality 6 sided sockets but if you've rounded them off try hammering on a smaller 9mm or 3/8. The top ones are always a bugger to get at, a couple of extentions are needed. They shouldn't be that tight though.

When you get them out replace them with a couple of standard M8 bolts with the normal 13mm head. On series Land Rovers, the top one has a slot cut in it to help you start it in the thread with a screwdriver.

O.A.P

I hope its not a gear box out job I can't afford that just after Christmass.:( I'm going to town to buy a better socket set and hopfully that works otherwise I'll bolt everything back up and keep topping her up as needed.

O.A.P

Thanks for all the help lads I got it sorted at last by forcing a 3/8 socket over the bolt and it came off no bother then. The top one which is was even harder to get at came out with a 10mm socket and extension bar. So I'm back on the road for 80euro and the price of two new bolts with 13mm heads oh and 3 or 4 bashed knuckels.:o Thanks again.

101sean

Well done, glad it worked out

Deer Hunter DL

had some bother bleeding the clutch on my defender yesterday i bought one of these best 25euro i ever spent

http://www.halfords.ie/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_11101_catalogId_15551_productId_204645_langId_-1_categoryId_212616

Slidey

Simple solution is a lenght of the rubber windscreen washer hose, better still get some that has a one way valve in it.

One end on the nipple, the other in a bottle with a small drop of brake fluid in the bottom. Open nipple and pump til the bubbles stop. The close the nipple. Job done

101sean

Couldn't get the link to work, assume it was a vizibleed thingy.

You want to try bleeding 101 brakes, only real guaranteed way to do it is with a vacuum pump:eek:

Slidey

HA!

Try bleeding brakes on a Hino with air over fluid system

Deer Hunter DL

101sean wrote: »

Couldn't get the link to work, assume it was a vizibleed thingy.

You want to try bleeding 101 brakes, only real guaranteed way to do it is with a vacuum pump:eek:

its a air opperated system very good and only takes one person to use it ,bleed brakes or clutch in seconds

O.A.P

I saw that in Halfords allright but on the same shelf there was a kit for 5.99. Its a piece of clear pipe with a valve on one end and a plastic bit on the other end to lock it on to the bleed nipple. Its says its a one man bleed kit but unless somebody is outside watching the pipe you will not know if there is any air left in the system. Luckly the schools around here were still closed last week so my 9 year old daughter was pressing the clutch.
I was not sure about forcing air into clutch or break system anyway thats why I left it after me, afraid it could do more harm than good I do'nt know.

Slidey

Thats a slippery slope O.A.P

It was that kinda messing with me old man that made me want to become a mechanic! I remember sitting on the floor of an anniversary Nissan Bluebird pumping the pedal because I couldn't reach it from the seat!

O.A.P

Slidey wrote: »

Thats a slippery slope O.A.P

It was that kinda messing with me old man that made me want to become a mechanic! I remember sitting on the floor of an anniversary Nissan Bluebird pumping the pedal because I couldn't reach it from the seat!

I'm a chippy myself and I wont teach them any thing about that just in case:D:D