[TheMidnightNarwhal]

I'm doing brake fluid flush tomorrow and want to include clutch bleed because why not.

Readong DIYs some people say it's straight forward some say it is such a pain to get a wrench to the bleeder.

Anyone who can attest that done it? Any tips?

[Efthreeoh]

The clutch does not bleed without a pressure bleeder. I tried with an assistant to pump-bleed it, no go. I pulled vacuum to vacuum bleed it, no go. With a dead clutch, it forced me to get a Motive power bleeder. I will NEVER go back to pump-bleeding brakes.

So if you are not pressure bleeding the brakes, do not try to bleed the clutch.

If you are bleeding the brakes with a pressure bleeder, then a Craftsman 6MM (it might be 7MM can't remember) box wrench works fine. I'll be pressure bleeding mine on Sunday - I'm a few months past due on brake fluid.

My 2 cents.

[TheMidnightNarwhal]

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

The clutch does not bleed without a pressure bleeder. I tried with an assistant to pump-bleed it, no go. I pulled vacuum to vacuum bleed it, no go. With a dead clutch, it forced me to get a Motive power bleeder. I will NEVER go back to pump-bleeding brakes.

So if you are not pressure bleeding the brakes, do not try to bleed the clutch.

If you are bleeding the brakes with a pressure bleeder, then a Craftsman 6MM (it might be 7MM can't remember) box wrench works fine. I'll be pressure bleeding mine on Sunday - I'm a few months past due on brake fluid.

My 2 cents.

Oh yeah I said F it and got a motive bleeder. I figured it will last for a while and lets me do bleeding jobs alone.

Ok ok, I'll give it a look tomorrow. On a sidenote I hope my brake bleeders open easy. I'll def spray them with some penetrating oil.

Same here, I'm about 2 months past the 2 year mark, was waiting to do it same time as front brake change.

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by TheMidnightNarwhal

Oh yeah I said F it and got a motive bleeder. I figured it will last for a while and lets me do bleeding jobs alone.

Ok ok, I'll give it a look tomorrow. On a sidenote I hope my brake bleeders open easy. I'll def spray them with some penetrating oil.

Same here, I'm about 2 months past the 2 year mark, was waiting to do it same time as front brake change.

Here's a trick I learned after many years of experience... Soak the bleeders in penetrating oil, then use a 1/4-drive deep-well socket and a ratchet to crack the bleeders open, then use a flare or box end wrench. Even better is if you have a T-handle for the socket.

The best penetrating oil I've ever used is something called Kroil. Not sure if they will ship it to Canada. It's industrial strength. No really, they sell it to industrial manufacturing companies.

[TheMidnightNarwhal]

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

Here's a trick I learned after many years of experience... Soak the bleeders in penetrating oil, then use a 1/4-drive deep-well socket and a ratchet to crack the bleeders open, then use a flare or box end wrench. Even better is if you have a T-handle for the socket.

The best penetrating oil I've ever used is something called Kroil. Not sure if they will ship it to Canada. It's industrial strength. No really, they sell it to industrial manufacturing companies.

Oh okok, so use a 6 point socket because that way it would put the torque down better? I'll def give that a try. Don't have the T handle. I'll def try the sock and ratchet though.

What about using an impact? Would that even be better or not really recommended?

Because I gotta say, find it a bit sketch to put a 12 point on something that might strip or might be frozen.

Yeah looks like Kroil is pretty hard to find here.. I'm using Liquid Wrench pen oil.

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by TheMidnightNarwhal

Oh okok, so use a 6 point socket because that way it would put the torque down better? I'll def give that a try. Don't have the T handle. I'll def try the sock and ratchet though.

What about using an impact? Would that even be better or not really recommended?

Because I gotta say, find it a bit sketch to put a 12 point on something that might strip or might be frozen.

Yeah looks like Kroil is pretty hard to find here.. I'm using Liquid Wrench pen oil.

The idea is to get torque right down the center of the bleeder valve. People wrung them off because a wrench puts a lot of side force on the bleeder. A 6-point deepwell socket, with a T-handle is best. The T-handle forces you to put even torque on the bleeder. If you use a ratchet to drive the socket, keep it straight up 90 deg. to the bleeder so all the torque is even on the bleeder threads.

[TheMidnightNarwhal]

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

The idea is to get torque right down the center of the bleeder valve. People wrung them off because a wrench puts a lot of side force on the bleeder. A 6-point deepwell socket, with a T-handle is best. The T-handle forces you to put even torque on the bleeder. If you use a ratchet to drive the socket, keep it straight up 90 deg. to the bleeder so all the torque is even on the bleeder threads.

Ok sounds good. I do have a screwdriver I can attach a socket to, altough I don't think I will get much grip.

But the socket is with ratchet is already better than box wrench.

[TheMidnightNarwhal]

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

The idea is to get torque right down the center of the bleeder valve. People wrung them off because a wrench puts a lot of side force on the bleeder. A 6-point deepwell socket, with a T-handle is best. The T-handle forces you to put even torque on the bleeder. If you use a ratchet to drive the socket, keep it straight up 90 deg. to the bleeder so all the torque is even on the bleeder threads.

When you used the Motive, do you prefer to put fluid in it or just use pressure and top off the reservoir?

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by TheMidnightNarwhal

When you used the Motive, do you prefer to put fluid in it or just use pressure and top off the reservoir?

I use it as Motive instructs, with brake fluid in the pressure vessel. I just don't understand why people use it differently than the manufacturer provides instructions for. Some cool-dude racer dry-bleeds his brakes at the track one day with a pressure bleeder and it becomes Internet myth that the is the correct way to bleed brakes with the Motive pressure bleeder. LOL

So this is what I do. I use the bleeder with brake fluid. The unused brake fluid I pour back into the brake fluid container. I clean the bleeder after use with denatured alcohol (easily available at any hardware store). It only takes a few ounces of denatured alcohol to clean the bleeder. The waste fluid (the denatured alcohol and small amount of brake fluid) I dump into a metal trashcan that has Oil-Dri (or cat litter) in it to absorb the waste fluid. I keep the metal trashcan with Oil-Dri in it for such purposes of spent cleaning fluids, like Brake Kleen. Once such fluids are trapped in the Oil-Dri, I throw it away.

[TheMidnightNarwhal]

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

I use it as Motive instructs, with brake fluid in the pressure vessel. I just don't understand why people use it differently than the manufacturer provides instructions for. Some cool-dude racer dry-bleeds his brakes at the track one day with a pressure bleeder and it becomes Internet myth that the is the correct way to bleed brakes with the Motive pressure bleeder. LOL

So this is what I do. I use the bleeder with brake fluid. The unused brake fluid I pour back into the brake fluid container. I clean the bleeder after use with denatured alcohol (easily available at any hardware store). It only takes a few ounces of denatured alcohol to clean the bleeder. The waste fluid (the denatured alcohol and small amount of brake fluid) I dump into a metal trashcan that has Oil-Dri (or cat litter) in it to absorb the waste fluid. I keep the metal trashcan with Oil-Dri in it for such purposes of spent cleaning fluids, like Brake Kleen. Once such fluids are trapped in the Oil-Dri, I throw it away.

Just an update, I did the work today. I actually ended up not bleeding clutch... I couldn't get the car high enough I had issues with my jack to fit me and my creeper under.

Did do front brakes and all four bleed. Gotta agree putting fluid in the Motive as instructed goes pretty well, don't need to worry running out. And your trick of using a socket worked fantastically well, only the front brakes bleeder gave me issues and that helped a lot. I'll get a T handle like you said for next time.

One thing that was weird though, my front left brake didn't seem to bleed into the tube through the nipple, a small ammount came out then stop, but there was on the floor so it as if it bleeded through the threads, or maybe leaking from my tube.

But pedal feels great so I don't think I Fed anything up. Thanks again for that socket trick, haha, couldn't get the front to budge with my small wrench!

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by TheMidnightNarwhal

Just an update, I did the work today. I actually ended up not bleeding clutch... I couldn't get the car high enough I had issues with my jack to fit me and my creeper under.

Did do front brakes and all four bleed. Gotta agree putting fluid in the Motive as instructed goes pretty well, don't need to worry running out. And your trick of using a socket worked fantastically well, only the front brakes bleeder gave me issues and that helped a lot. I'll get a T handle like you said for next time.

One thing that was weird though, my front left brake didn't seem to bleed into the tube through the nipple, a small ammount came out then stop, but there was on the floor so it as if it bleeded through the threads, or maybe leaking from my tube.

But pedal feels great so I don't think I Fed anything up. Thanks again for that socket trick, haha, couldn't get the front to budge with my small wrench!

Hummm... sounds like the bleeder screw has some blockage in it. Next time you bleed pull it all the way out and check it.

[TheMidnightNarwhal]

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

Hummm... sounds like the bleeder screw has some blockage in it. Next time you bleed pull it all the way out and check it.

I wasn't to sure if I could. So unscrew it completely next time I encounter something like this?

[Efthreeoh]

Originally Posted by TheMidnightNarwhal

I wasn't to sure if I could. So unscrew it completely next time I encounter something like this?

Yeah, that's what I'd do. Or if you have a really small metal pick, just poke it in the hole. It should flow easily through the orifice in the bleed valve. There's no magic to the bleed screw, it threads in just like a bolt. The other things people do is way over tighten the bleed screw, it only needs a few inch-pounds of torque. It just has to seat in the caliper. Turning it harder doesn't make it seal any better; when it seats (stops turning) it seals.

Another trick I figured out a few years ago is for doing a brake job, when pushing the piston back into the caliper, open the bleed screw with a hose into some brake fluid. It lets the piston easily slide back in and doesn't put pressure on the master cylinder.

[TheMidnightNarwhal]

Originally Posted by Efthreeoh

Yeah, that's what I'd do. Or if you have a really small metal pick, just poke it in the hole. It should flow easily through the orifice in the bleed valve. There's no magic to the bleed screw, it threads in just like a bolt. The other things people do is way over tighten the bleed screw, it only needs a few inch-pounds of torque. It just has to seat in the caliper. Turning it harder doesn't make it seal any better; when it seats (stops turning) it seals.

Another trick I figured out a few years ago is for doing a brake job, when pushing the piston back into the caliper, open the bleed screw with a hose into some brake fluid. It lets the piston easily slide back in and doesn't put pressure on the master cylinder.

Hey I did the brake bleed again since I wasn't to satisfied last time (fluid wasn't that clear) and you were right, front left caliper bleeder was crusted up. Took it all out poked both holes with a pick tool and it did the trick Thanks so much!