Bleeding clutch...need help
 

Read the FSM and archived article on bleeding the clutch and I'm still having a problem.
Replaced Master Cylinder, Slave, and added a SS flex tube.
Snugged everything up, added brake fluid, had my assistant (12yo son) pump the clutch pedal and hold while I opened the bleed valve....nothing! Must have tried 6 -8 times and nothing. No brake fluid at the valve....no pressure on the pedal....What am I doing wrong?:scratch:

Did you bench bleed the new master first? Its much more important for the brake master, but it always makes bleeding it faster. Just put some fluid in it and slowly depress and release the cylinder, I use a big screwdriver and a vice.

Also, never pump the pedal while bleeding. You're trying to get air pockets out of a hydraulic system, pumping just breaks up the air pockets. Slowly depress the pedal, open bleeder, close bleeder, slowly release the pedal, repeat.... For the first few times I open the bleeder when you're about 1/2 way down on the pedal, pushes more fluid/air out this way until pressure starts building.

maybe try gravity bleeding first?
fill the resevor and open the bleeder with a cup uner and fluid should flow out. close the bleeder then have somone pump and hold to make sure the air is out once or twice

I did not bench bleed. Basically took old part off replaced with new parts, snugged everything up, filled the master, and began trying to bleed.

What can I do now as I'm getting nothing at the bleed screw? No fluid, and no pressure build.

pat,
bleed the master first, this can be done on the car by removing he line, place lots of rags under it, put on rubber gloves. now hold your finger over the hole there the lines goes, have assistant SLOWLY push the pedal down as you let the air escape from the line connection hole. Now plug the hole with your finger as the pedal is released. This should only take 2 or 3 cycles to get fluid.
now reinstall the line going to the slave and tighten. now this is where the bleeding secret comes into play. You will need a clear bottle, small hose that fits the bleeder TIGHTLY long enough to reach the ground. Hook the hose to the bleeder, place the hose in the jar, put enough brake fluid in the jar to cover the end of the hose(an inch or two). now open the bleeder, make sure master is full.
slowly start pumping the pedal, DO NOT close the bleeder on the up stroke of the pedal, the fluid in the jar will create vacuum to pull the fluid from the master to the slave. continue cycling the pedal until no more air bubbles come out of the hose. Keep adding fluid to the master during cycling of the pedal as it will be moving to the bottle.
After no more bubbles are coming from the hose in the bottle, close the bleeder with the hose still attached. remove hose going to the bottle and hold for a second, all fluid will run to the bottle. the clutch system is now free of all air and should work properly. dispose of fluid in bottle as it should not be reused at all even though it looks clean.
This procedure can also be used to bleed the brake system, and is refered to as the one man brake bleeding system, I have done it many times and it works great.

hope this helps
Joe

I had to do this recently. I did everything you did except ...... I did do the bench bleed. In fact, I spent more time on that process than after the installs's bleed. I "sometimes" get a "very" slight grind when shifting to reverse, other than that it went very well. I would assume that not doing the bench bleed is the source of your problem.

Reverse isn't synchronized. If you dont go into another gear first, before going into reverse it can grind.

Bench bleed the master and you'll be okay. Right now it's just pushing air down and when you release the pedal, it sucks air back up because the master is dry.

You can try leaving the bleeder open, and the cap off the master for a few hours and see if fluid starts to flow. Try that first, if that doesn't work bench bleed or pressurize it from the master with a mityvac if you have access to one.

Thanks Twilight.....
I DO have access to a Mityvac (autozone rental), but how do I use it? The one I rent from autozone has no attachments?
We've had some nasty snow here in WI since I changed everything out (was 60 and sunny the day I did the swap!).....so my car is under about a foot of snow right now

The mityvac kit should have some flat plastic with a fitting to attach it to, to pressurize from the top with a rubber seal on the plastic. Or I've seen some screw on caps that work the same.

I've also used an old cap, and drill/tapped it for a hose nipple and done it that way. Haven't had to do that with the mazda though. Usually ford truck stuff. Some that have bleeders in weird spots.

Did you try gravity bleeding for a while?

This is how I do my clutch and brakes. It works wonders. My grandpa taught it to me. Old man knows his shit.

No access to a vacuum pump? Advance rents them out pretty reasonable and it makes it a one man job. Just open the bleed valve, keep the resevoir full and pump the air out of the bleeder until no more air bubbles come out (make sure the resevoir doesn't go dry). Close the bleeder gently and you're done. Any reason this wont work? It's the standard procedure for both brake and clutch systems per the fsm.

No reason at all. That's why FSM tells you do to do it that way.

For your home hobbiest, a bench bleed and a friend is always the prefered method as special tools are at a premium.