Clutch bleeding issues, Help!! - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

GMC406 · 09-20-2009, 08:29 PM

Just put new slave and clutch in my 96 F-150 I-6 4x4. Started bleeding with half pedal, enough to start in gear but not shift at all. Bled and bld and bled followed by a lil more bleeding. Read somewhere the master will trap air and you have to remove it from the firewall and tip the resevior end up higher. Did this put the master back on the firewall and tried bleeding again. Shortly therafter it got worse!. Now I push the clutch pedal and it sucks itself right down to the floor! You have to pull it back and now I am getting next to nothing out of the bleeder valve since the pedal just sucks itself right down. I am out of fluid for the night, the resevoir is full and the bleeder is cracked, let it set like that overnight. What else can I do? Opinions please.

jeffspower · 09-20-2009, 09:31 PM

Those Fords can be a pain. The best way I have found is:

bleed all the air you can get out with the bleeder. Then, pump it full stroke as fast as you can, then walk away for 1/2 hour. When you come back to it, only "twitch" the pedal repeatedly, just barely moving the master cylinders piston until you start to feel resistance. This will bring air out the top, instead of trying to push it downstream.

Pump/ walk/ twitch/ try repeatedly until you get a pedal. Sometimes the "last little bit" I will drive out- seems to help bouncing down the road.

68C15 · 09-24-2009, 06:41 AM

get a large syringe from a vet/farm supply and a 6" or so piece of vacuum hose. remove master cap, open bleeder (pedal up of course), and push fluid into slave. the fluid will push the air up into the master reservoir where it wants to go anyway. this works flawlessly for me. I just did a 95 Civic last week.

as a side note, when bleeding drum brakes after you install new wheel cylinders I adjust the shoes up TIGHT. this way the fluid meets a dead wall and the hydraulic system isn't trying to move the shoes. does that make sense?

09-20-2009, 08:29 PM	#1
GMC406 Professional Grade Join Date: May 2009 Location: Hill City KS Posts: 366	Clutch bleeding issues, Help!! Just put new slave and clutch in my 96 F-150 I-6 4x4. Started bleeding with half pedal, enough to start in gear but not shift at all. Bled and bld and bled followed by a lil more bleeding. Read somewhere the master will trap air and you have to remove it from the firewall and tip the resevior end up higher. Did this put the master back on the firewall and tried bleeding again. Shortly therafter it got worse!. Now I push the clutch pedal and it sucks itself right down to the floor! You have to pull it back and now I am getting next to nothing out of the bleeder valve since the pedal just sucks itself right down. I am out of fluid for the night, the resevoir is full and the bleeder is cracked, let it set like that overnight. What else can I do? Opinions please. __________________ 61 GMC 9' Step Someday it will be a build http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...=1#post3356828 67 C-30 Red Dale motorhome http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...31#post3845531 71 GMC Street performer in the works Waiting for warm weather http://67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/s...d.php?t=341946 1990 GMC Sierra GT-sold 1983 chevy 4x4-project on hold maybe sell 1969 Triuph GT 6- sold 1996 Ford I-6 5 Speed 4x4 2004 Dodge Intrepid- milage maker 1959 Ford Fairlaine, factory a/c 292Yblock- sold 1982 Honda XL500R Always lookin for other old trucks!

09-20-2009, 09:31 PM	#2
jeffspower Well, Whoop-dee-do! Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Easton, Mo. pop.- me & scarcely a few others Posts: 2,302	Re: Clutch bleeding issues, Help!! Those Fords can be a pain. The best way I have found is: bleed all the air you can get out with the bleeder. Then, pump it full stroke as fast as you can, then walk away for 1/2 hour. When you come back to it, only "twitch" the pedal repeatedly, just barely moving the master cylinders piston until you start to feel resistance. This will bring air out the top, instead of trying to push it downstream. Pump/ walk/ twitch/ try repeatedly until you get a pedal. Sometimes the "last little bit" I will drive out- seems to help bouncing down the road. __________________ '68 GMC shortbox 4x4 350/SM465/T221- bought it in '83 SOLD '72 K20 500 Cad/TH400/NP205 SOLD '92 Chevy 2500 6.5 mech TD 4L80E crusty daily driver '72 Monte Carlo... sweet low mile toy '11 Dodge Challenger IE 392 6spd... midlife car

09-24-2009, 06:41 AM	#3
68C15 blood type; Retumbo Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: next to my reloading bench Posts: 10,269	Re: Clutch bleeding issues, Help!! get a large syringe from a vet/farm supply and a 6" or so piece of vacuum hose. remove master cap, open bleeder (pedal up of course), and push fluid into slave. the fluid will push the air up into the master reservoir where it wants to go anyway. this works flawlessly for me. I just did a 95 Civic last week. as a side note, when bleeding drum brakes after you install new wheel cylinders I adjust the shoes up TIGHT. this way the fluid meets a dead wall and the hydraulic system isn't trying to move the shoes. does that make sense?



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