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How to bleed the clutch?

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Old Jun 1, 2008 | 08:22 AM
  #1  
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Default How to bleed the clutch?

Searched, found plenty of posts with the answer "Bleed the clutch" but no one says how this is done.

Anyone?
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Old Jun 1, 2008 | 09:19 AM
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Default Best way is to use a pressure bleeder or some other means to pressurize the reservior slightly.

1. Fill brake fluid reservior with clean fluid.
2. Pressurize reservior (not much - 5 psi is enough)
3. Open bleeder at slave and allow about half a cup of fluid to run out. Watch the reservior and add fluid if necessary to avoid running it dry.
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Old Jun 1, 2008 | 01:44 PM
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Default I did this yesterday...

I searched as you did and found no exact instructions. But this is exactly what I did and I worked fine.

I bought the pressure bleeder from ECS tuning just in case (I DID NOT USE IT).

Go to you neighbourhood pet/fish store or Walmart and pick up aquarium hose for $2.44.

Crawl under the driver's side (left side facing front) of the car and, with the axle and sheild removed, place a short 9mm wrench on the bleeder.

Flare one end of the hose. (I use a phillips screwdriver and a heat gun.)

Drop the flared end of the hose down the back of the engine, and from under the car, connect it to the bleeder on the clutch slave cylinder. Try not to let it sag down.

Cut the other end of the hose to the appropriate length such that you can submerge it in a container that you have placed higher than the resevoir and that has brake fluid.

This end of the hose should ALWAYS be submerged in the brake fluid.

Make sure the main resevoir is full!!!

Open the bleeder on the slave from below the car and have someone pump the clutch from inside the car.

You should see air/fluid coming up the hose.

When there is ONLY fluid in the length of the hose, have the person inside the car raise the clutch pedal to it's highest point and lock off the bleeder.

That's it!

Hope this helps.
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Old Jun 1, 2008 | 05:07 PM
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Default I did this last year.

Used the pressure bleeder. I was able to reach the slave cylinder reaching down behind the engine from above. You need small hands to do this. I just opened the bleeder and ran a tank of clean fluid through it. No need to disconnect anything. I did my brakes at the same time, since they share the fluid.
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Old Apr 14, 2014 | 04:10 PM
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Default

Originally Posted by 4Driver4
1. Fill brake fluid reservoir with clean fluid.
2. Pressurize reservoir (not much - 5 psi is enough)
3. Open bleeder at slave and allow about half a cup of fluid to run out. Watch the reservoir and add fluid if necessary to avoid running it dry.
Clutch master (pedal) have to be moved? Or is there an 'open passage' from the reservoir to the slave drain plug?

Does the same principle work for the brakes as well?
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Old Apr 14, 2014 | 04:15 PM
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No.
Yes.
Yes.
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Old Apr 14, 2014 | 04:37 PM
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same principle for brakes but about 29 psi pressure. I like to use a piece of tubing into a catch can for brake fluid to avoid mess as much as possible. bavauto.com sells a great pressure bleeder kit including a catch can. the quick disconnect avoids having to wind up the tube before putting on the brake fluid reservoir...
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Old Apr 14, 2014 | 05:02 PM
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Originally Posted by SloopJohnB@mac.com
same principle for brakes but about 29 psi pressure.
29 psi is quite a bit. Does the reservoir hold that much pressure?
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Old Apr 15, 2014 | 03:02 AM
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I use no more than 10 psi on brakes.
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Old Apr 15, 2014 | 07:34 AM
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Default

Bentley says no more than 2bars; 1 bar is about 15psi. I always used about 15 to 20psi max. Also I used 3 half liter bottles of oem brake fluid. They say 2 is enough, but I just want to make sure it flushes out nicely
Procedure is as follows:
-siphone off as much fluid as possible from reservoir with a turkey baster, then fill up with new fluid;
-prop the brake pedal with a piece of wood;
-fill up the bleeder with the rest of new fluid you have; connect power bleeder to reservoir, then loosen clutch screw(1/16th of a turn) pressurize the power bleeder to about 15psi
-with the 9mm wrench on clutch bleeder screw connect the catch hose to bleeder screw.
-bleed clutch(100ml, per Bentley, I did about a cup or two) by loosening it another 1/4 to 1/2 turn.
-bleed brakes with corresponding wrench(10mm or 11mm? I don't remember) and catch hose attached : rear right, rear left, front right, front left(100 ml each, I did about 1 cup each).

If you still have a lot of fluid left in the power bleeder, bleed the brakes again in order above until you get to the line between max and min on the brake fluid reservoir. Then you can depressurize the bleeder by unscrewing the handle pump cap. Disconnect the bleeder from car and put the cap back on reservoir. Make sure all the bleeder screws are nice and snug(don't over tighten !!) Put the rubber caps back on all the bleeder screws. Spray all the bleeder screws with plenty soapy water to wash off any brake fluid spills. Take the brake prop off. And check pedals: 1/3 max free play of pedal travel. Put the wheels back and take it for a spin.

One more thing: if you have trouble finding the clutch bleeder screw, here is some pics on the 2.7L engine(allroad):
https://www.audiworld.com/forums/sho...ocation+indoor
To reach it from under the car, remove axle heat shield on driver's side(3 Allen bolts reached with ratchet and lots of extensions or one really long extension) and put the shifter in reverse.

Last edited by indoor; Apr 15, 2014 at 11:11 AM.
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