Date:         Mon, 8 Dec 1997 01:08:37 -0700
Reply-To:     Jerry Hart <harte@BVSD.K12.CO.US>
Sender:       Vanagon mailing list <Vanagon@Gerry.SDSC.EDU>
From:         Jerry Hart <harte@BVSD.K12.CO.US>
Subject:      Re: clutch master cylinder(bleeding tip)
Comments: To: Sean Bartnik <sbart7kb@WWW.MWC.EDU>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

Sean Bartnik wrote:
>
> Hey all,
> Well, looks like my clutch master cylinder is on the way out.
>
(snip)

> Does anyone have any tips?  Is it possible to bleed this thing just like
> bleeding the brakes or will I need some kind of pressure or vacuum
> bleeder?
>
> TIA,
> Sean
> --
My dad was an aircraft and auto mechanic. A tip he taught me for
servicing and bleeding brakes at the same time on both cars and
airplanes is to thoroughly clean out a plastic bottle with a plunger
pump(I use Soft Soap dispensers), fill it with brake fluid and attach
the proper size clear vinyl hose with a tiny clamp or plastic wire tie
to the pump outlet.

You can make brake and clutch bleeding a one person operation by using a
hose long enough to fit over the furtherest brake bleeding nipple while
you stand and pump the fluid from a position where you can watch the
bubbles and fluid level rise in the master cylinder reservoir. Sometimes
a mirror placed on the dash can help you see the Vanagon's reservoir
through the sliding door.

By injecting brake fluid in the reverse direction from the lowest
point(the brake or clutch slave cylinder) to the highest point(the
reservoir) you force the air bubbles to travel up the system and vent
out through the fluid in the reservoir.

When I observe the air bubbles stop and the fluid level rise I close the
bleed valve. When doing the brakes I start with the wheel furtherest
from the reservoir and work toward the reservoir(RR, LR, RF, LF.)

I usually check for complete bleeding by doing it the conventional
way(I'm a safety nut) but I have done this for years on all kinds of
machines and don't recall ever finding any air in the system.