Bleeding the Clutch

[koozy]

Anyone done it?

Did you use power, vacuum or gravity bleed?

 

[speed_easy]

Not me. Well... not full cycle. But I've disconnected one one the FiST. It for sure smelled like brake fluid.

 

[Ford ST]

Not on this car no. In the past I have done both power and vacuum.

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[koozy]

Hmmm... it’s so easy no one talks about it, don’t know or pay to get it done. Must be nice.

I guess it not true, Fiesta peeps aren’t cheap

 

[Sekred]

Hmmm... it’s so easy no one talks about it, don’t know or pay to get it done. Must be nice.

I guess it not true, Fiesta peeps aren’t cheap

Well I have to confess I've done it then. A few times cause I have had the trans out a few times.

 

[koozy]

it's probably neglected by most due to ignorance. it's only when the need or symptoms show up they start caring

 

[Ford ST]

Why would I need to bleed a system I have not opened up? I have done it on other vehicles it was easy and straightforward.

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[koozy]

The hydraulic clutch slave shares the same brake fluid reservoir and should ideally be bled along with the brake fluid system, when its' bled. It's sorta like changing oil, but not changing the filter if the brake system is bled, but not the hydraulic clutch system. Fluid naturally gets old and ages even if the car sits and is never used. Symptoms of spongy clutch pedal, not being able to shift into gear are some indicators. Sometimes the focus is on cables and linkages when the culprit may be old accumulated air/water in the clutch line.

 

[Ford ST]

Not a bad point. I would do a vacuum bleed. If I did not like the feel I would finish with the 2 person system.

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[Sekred]

Do it when you do the brakes, it can't hurt to keep the system nice and clean. Changing out the Slave cylinder requires removal of the transmission, not much fun on the garage floor.

 

[Perfblue15]

I've done both a gravity bleed and a power bleed. I personally prefer the power bleed if you can get a mechanic grade bleeder that pressurizes the master cylinder and pushes the fluid through. The ones that pull from the slave cylinder tend to leave bubbles in the system. The good old gravity method works fairly well but takes a while and I recommend ending it with having someone in the car pumping and holding the clutch to the floor like bleeding brakes.

I've done the clutch one my car about 4 times now, I would power bleed it and be done myself.

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[Sekred]

I use my trusty vacuum bleeder. The reason some people may think they tend to leave some air in the system is because when the hose is connect to the bleed screw, air gets suck down past the threads and then combines with the brake oil entering the bleed hole and cause bubbles in the hose.
When you first use a vacuum bleeder you tend to wonder why you have lots of air in the hose but you can actually hear it sucking air down past the bleed nipple threads.

 

[M-Sport fan]

The hydraulic clutch slave shares the same brake fluid reservoir and should ideally be bled along with the brake fluid system, when its' bled. It's sorta like changing oil, but not changing the filter if the brake system is bled, but not the hydraulic clutch system. Fluid naturally gets old and ages even if the car sits and is never used. Symptoms of spongy clutch pedal, not being able to shift into gear are some indicators. Sometimes the focus is on cables and linkages when the culprit may be old accumulated air/water in the clutch line.

PRECISELY!

WHY in the spring I will either flush the whole brake/clutch system myself, or if I do not have the garage to work in (HOA rules), I will pay someone else to do this, even if I do not need pads/rotors by then since over two years is too long for the very hygroscopic factory fluid to be in the system, as far as I'm concerned.

 

[lordsnipe]

Hi all,
Got a Mityvac ready to go to flush my brake fluid and am also thinking of doing the clutch line too. Does the airbox and battery need to come out to access the clutch bleeder?

Usually the factory service manuals will detail everything that has to be removed, and it doesn't mention this.

 

[FiestaSTdude]

Hi all,
Got a Mityvac ready to go to flush my brake fluid and am also thinking of doing the clutch line too. Does the airbox and battery need to come out to access the clutch bleeder?

Usually the factory service manuals will detail everything that has to be removed, and it doesn't mention this.

I know this is old, but you just need to remove the airbox.