The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Need some suggestions, re: clutch hyds

On my '61 Apache 10. Trying to figure out where I went wrong. Everything is NEW! The Brake/Clutch master combo, all of the lines, and the slave cylinder. The new Master was bench bled on both sides. No visible leaks, but cant get any fluid to the slave cylinder. What gives? TIA, Tony

Is it possible that the slave piston is in too far?
If not, try opening the bleeder on the slave with a drain pan under it. drink,, whatever while watching to see if fluid starts to come out the bleeder.

Clutch systems can be tough to get started because there is no residual valve to help the pumping action. Pressure bleeding or vacuum bleeding works best. Gravity will often do the job in a clutch system, as Luke suggests.

Luke is thinking that the rubber cup may be blocking the inlet port. If you could get any pressure at all, it would either move the cup or leak around it, but until there's enough fluid in the system to build up a little pressure you wouldn't get movement or a leak, so Luke could be right. Be sure that the linkage is adjusted properly and not holding the piston and cup tight against the bottom of the bore.

If you can get any fluid at all out of the bleeder, the inlet port is open at least a little. Try putting a plastic hose on the bleeder nipple and sucking on it, watching carefully to be sure you don't have sudden success and get a mouthful of brake fluid. (Ptui)

If that doesn't work, disconnect the line at the slave and see if you can get fluid to flow. If you can get the line bled, hook it up again and try the cylinder.

With this particular master cylinder, you could do a crude version of pressure bleeding with just shop air. Remove the holddown bolt from the lid and wrap a towel around the lid and cylinder leaving access to the bolt hole. Hold the lid down as hard as you can and, with the bleeder open, use a blow gun to put air into the bolt hole. You should be able to get maybe 10 lbs of pressure before it pushes the lid up harder than you can hold it down, and that should be enough to get the fluid moving.

Joe

Thanks for the replies, I left the bleeder open all night last night, nothing came out until I stepped on the pedal. I have fluid gushing out the bleeder, but not enuf to move the slave piston when I close the bleeder. It will be Sunday evening before I get a chance to try the Vacuum bleed method, and the shop air as a last resort. Thanks again for the hints. Tony

Does the clutch arm coming out of the bell-housing move at all(either by prying or....)

Yes, the clutch arm moves freely. Just had it all apart and cleaned/inspected everything as I swapped in the BW T85N overdrive gear box. I do have the linkage adjusted to where there is a slight amount of tension on the return spring, perhaps this is wrong? I did disconnect the spring to see if I could get any movement out of the slave, but no go. Left the bleeder open over night again, and had a small amount of fluid, but barely enough to drip over the edge of the cylinder.