[CoffeeBean]

I just did the CDV delete, and that was easy as can be. For the past 4 hours I've been trying to bleed the clutch line, and nothing will come out and the reservoir is completely full. I'm doing the clutch pedal pump method correctly, but it does nothing. The pedal is very soft and comes back up to the top on its own. I need to have the car working today and I'm out of ideas. I even tried a vacuum on the clutch line and that did nothing. Please help! Thank you!

[Three_thirty_I]

And you clamped the hose line before removing the CDV? Bleeding is important, but I reckon the chance and for that matter the amount of air getting in the system when done like this is very little. But bleeding out some fluid so that any trapped air bubbles are purged is still necessary of course.

Hope there are more replies to assist!

[CoffeeBean]

Thanks for the reply. Yep I clamped the hose first. I actually just, finally, figured it out! Although the reservoir *looks* full, that's for only the brake part. The clutch part is part of it, which I knew, but I had a crazy idea to pour more fluid in to see what happens. Well, it starts flowing down into the clutch part (which I don't think you can see), and eventually flows down to the clutch slave cylinder. Bleeding it right now!

[Three_thirty_I]

Originally Posted by Ross328i

Thanks for the reply. I actually just, finally, figured it out! Although the reservoir *looks* full, that's for only the brake part. The clutch part is part of it, which I knew, but I had a crazy idea to pour more fluid in to see what happens. Well, it starts flowing down into the clutch part (which I don't think you can see), and eventually flows down to the clutch slave cylinder. Bleeding it right now!

Must actually take a closer look to see if I can see this, but I know that it is of course a shared reservoir. Glad you got it sorted out!!

[Casca]

Changed my clutch/flywheel and thought I'd have it done today, but got stuck scratching my head for an hour trying to bleed it the lines. Yes, now I know I didn't even have to open up the lines for the clutch/flywheel change.

Went through, pumping the clutch pedal and then wedging something onto the pedal to keep it down. Open the bleed screw, close it. Pump the clutch pedal, wedge it down, open bleed screw...close it. After a few times, the pedal felt pretty good and I thought I was set, but then for some reason it went back to dead pedal feel again. Big pocket of air??? I hope that was all it was. Burn some more time repeasting this and got it feeling OK, but still needs work. But I was out of time.

Found this video and it sounds very interesting. Basically, take some fluid out of the brake reservoir, leave cap open and then pump new fluid in through the bleed screw. Other way I was thinking of is taking the slave cylinder off and bleeding it that way, but pumping new fluid through the bleed screw sounds easier and safer.

[Three_thirty_I]

This is actually why I want to just invest in a power (pressure) bleeder - makes life so much easier!

[David0ff]

The part of the master cylinder reservoir dedicated to the clutch master is about 5% of the volume, it is a little compartment in the back of it, very hard to see.

What you want to do is pretty much top off the reservoir after 1 or 2 pedals and repeat until it is bled, keep it full ( full over full , full almost coming out full) and it will work

[Three_thirty_I]

Originally Posted by David0ff

The part of the master cylinder reservoir dedicated to the clutch master is about 5% of the volume, it is a little compartment in the back of it, very hard to see.

What you want to do is pretty much top off the reservoir after 1 or 2 pedals and repeat until it is bled, keep it full ( full over full , full almost coming out full) and it will work

Correct, usually works best to have a friend helping with this - pump the pedal while the level is topped up and so on...

[Casca]

I bought a 100cc syringe



The fluid in my lines/reservoir is good, not looking to replace it. I fill the syringe with the hydraulic fluid from the reservoir and leave the cap open. After expelling any air in the syringe/hose, I connect the syringe to the bleed screw with a hose long enough to allow me to watch the reservoir. Crack the bleed screw open, press down on syringe, stop pressing before all fluid is out of syringe, close bleed screw and repeat till I see no more air bubbles coming up the reservoir. Worked great! And was very easy and cheap to do on my own.

[David0ff]

you can also use it in reverse for brakes

[Three_thirty_I]

That's pretty ingenious!