Clutch fluid flush question

[drypowder]

I'm trying to flush the clutch fluid on an '01 Accord manual trans - clutch has been operating just fine, but the fluid is dirty and I don't think it's ever been changed for the life of the car, so figured I'd remedy this.

The bleeder bolt on the clutch slave cylinder is very difficult to access because it's right up against the front motor mount arm (the arm that connects the motor mount to the engine block). So thinking that it's a closed system, I removed the slave cylinder mounting bolts and moved the cylinder out of position to make access to the bleeder easier - the clutch line is still attached to the cyclinder so I can only move it a little bit, but enough to make access to the bleeder easier. This means the slave cylinder's push rod is no longer mated to the transmission.

Push rod is out of the transmission:

Here's the unbolted slave cylinder with clutch line attached and hose attached to bleeder.

So I put an 8mm wrench on the bleeder bolt and slipped a hose on the bleeder nipple (the design is such that the nipple is part of the bolt, so it's real pain because you have to put the wrench on first, then slide the hose on, and this means the hose turns as you turn the bolt). Then I connected the hose to my HF Mityvac knock-off hand operated vacuum pump. Filled the clutch reservoir to the top, then opened bleeder bolt and applied vacuum (can get max 15 in-Hg temporarily - it's a HF setup, so not great). But no fluid gets sucked out. The bleeder bolt is definitely opened - I loosened it so much that the bolt wobbles a bit. I figure even 10 in-Hg would be sufficient to draw out the fluid; heck, shouldn't fluid come out just from loosening the bleeder bolt and letting gravity pull fluid from the higher placed reservoir down the clutch line and into the slave cylinder?

Does disengaging the push rod from the transmission play a role in why I'm not getting any fluid out of the bleeder?

I tried pressing the clutch pedal in to see if that would force fluid out, but no go. It just pushed the push rod out, but no fluid comes out from the bleeder. This is confusing - if the bleeder is open, wouldn't the fluid just escape from the bleeder when the clutch pedal is depressed rather than apply pressure to the push rod?

Is there a better wrench for this job? Here's a pic of the tiny 8mm wrench I could fit on the bleeder bolt - the clutch line attachment is so close to it that a ratcheting wrench wouldn't fit (at least not any ratcheting wrench I've ever seen). A non-ratcheting wrench sucks here because the throw room is so short, so I have to use the open end of the wrench and take it on/off/on to open/close the bleeder bolt.

 

[Grits]

At a certain point in life it is easier to reach for a checkbook and push the aggervation onto those who do such as this for living.

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[DirtySCREW]

Tagged, as I'm curious

@Mike Overlay

DS

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[Button Pusher]

Without a rubber cover on it, the bleeder can get rusty inside plugging it up.
Try removing the bleeder to allow the fluid to drain.

 

[Mike Overlay]

Tagged, as I'm curious

@Mike Overlay

DS

Sent from my XT1575 using Tapatalk

If it aint broke, dont fix it.

 

[Mike Overlay]

Sounds like the bleeder screw hole is clogged.

I would put it back together and not screw with it.

 

[drypowder]

Without a rubber cover on it, the bleeder can get rusty inside plugging it up.
Try removing the bleeder to allow the fluid to drain.

It had the rubber cover on it. I pulled the bleeder screw out, and still no fluid coming out.

Sounds like the bleeder screw hole is clogged.

I would put it back together and not screw with it.

Bleeder screw looks good - the two holes at the bottom of the screw are open. And if I shine a light through the bottom holes, I can see the light when looking down through the top of the screw.

With the bleeder screw out, I pushed the push rod back toward the cylinder. There's definitely fluid in there, as I can feel the resistance when pushing the push rod back in, and fluid also leaks from around the rubber sleeve surrounding the push rod. But no fluid comes out of the bleeder hole. Seems like there is some blockage in the slave cylinder that prevents fluid from getting to the area of the cylinder where the bleeder screw sits. Either that or I'm not understanding how the cylinder operates and maybe the pushrod has to be installed into the transmission for fluid to be forced out of the bleeder hole?

Sounds like I should replace the slave cylinder. Auto parts store has one for $46 (1/3 the price of OEM); not sure if junk or not.

 

[Ikarus1]

Turkey baster is what I use to change fluids with a low capacity reservoir

 

[Mike Overlay]

It had the rubber cover on it. I pulled the bleeder screw out, and still no fluid coming out.

Bleeder screw looks good - the two holes at the bottom of the screw are open. And if I shine a light through the bottom holes, I can see the light when looking down through the top of the screw.

With the bleeder screw out, I pushed the push rod back toward the cylinder. There's definitely fluid in there, as I can feel the resistance when pushing the push rod back in, and fluid also leaks from around the rubber sleeve surrounding the push rod. But no fluid comes out of the bleeder hole. Seems like there is some blockage in the slave cylinder that prevents fluid from getting to the area of the cylinder where the bleeder screw sits. Either that or I'm not understanding how the cylinder operates and maybe the pushrod has to be installed into the transmission for fluid to be forced out of the bleeder hole?

Sounds like I should replace the slave cylinder. Auto parts store has one for $46 (1/3 the price of OEM); not sure if junk or not.

Do you have the cap off of the master cylinder?

 

[drypowder]

Do you have the cap off of the master cylinder?

Yep, cap off the master cylinder reservoir. Something is wrong inside the slave cylinder. Even with the bleeder screw out, not a drop of fluid was coming out of that hole. I decided I didn't want to make a project of this, and took your advice and reinstalled the slave cylinder - hoping no air got in. Once I pushed the push rod into the trans fork, the clutch pedal popped back up; and I have good clutch pedal pressure. So even with the bleeder screw out, it didn't let any air into the system, so it seems like there is a blockage in the slave cylinder (not one that impedes operation, just bleeding) - or I'm misinterpreting what's happening. Anyway, clutch seems to operates normally and I took it for a quick spin around the block.

Turkey baster is what I use to change fluids with a low capacity reservoir

Yeah, since I couldn't drain the system and I didn't want to deal with replacing the slave cylinder, I went ahead and used a turkey baster to empty the reservoir and replace with fresh brake fluid.

 

[Mike Overlay]

Your first paragraph states that the clutch works perfect just fine.

I seriously doubt that there is anything wrong with the slave cylinder.

 

[drypowder]

Your first paragraph states that the clutch works perfect just fine.

I seriously doubt that there is anything wrong with the slave cylinder.

Shouldn't fluid leak out when the reservoir is full and the bleeder screw is completely out of the slave cylinder? We know there is fluid and not air in the system because the pedal pressure is normal (once I reinstalled the push rod).

 

[Short Fuse]

Yes fluid should run out. If it's not do what mike said and just leave it alone unless you want to replace it because that is probably what will end up happening if you keep screwing with it. You could always go to a shop with a pressure bleeder and have them try it by pushing new fluid through the system. I would wait till it gives trouble or you need a new clutch.