Can the clutch hydraulic system on a FB be bled or do you have to buy a whole new clutch slave cylinder and then bleed the system? The last 2 that I changed on a Mitsubishi and an Isuzu truck I had to buy new ones because the system would not bleed. Positive feedback is much appreciated.

 

You can bleed it bit its a bitch. Best way is to bleed it holding it up in the air above transmission (while its not bolted to anything, air rises makes it easier). Do that for awhile, kinda a bitch but it works. Not many people are successful (or takes retarded long) to do it while bolted to the tranny.

Also ive never heard or un-bleedable cylinders...If you had to change them cuz they wouldn't bleed how would they have been bled in the first place?

 

It seem as if it was like a one time bleed method or one time use. I had replaced a clutch line on my Mitsubishi and tried to re bleed the cylinder and it did not work for me so I went out and got a new one. Installed the new clutch slave cylinder, new brake fluid, and bled the system and it worked like new. A conspiracy or job security plot to keep you buying the part I guess.

 

weird.

 

If it had a bleed screw but would not bleed, possibly the ball valve was mucked up or rusted. Seen that happen on various parts over time. Brake fluid attacts water, which when exposed to air will rust the valves shut. Bleed screws without rubber caps on them can also become plugged & fail to bleed.

Clutches do take some time to bleed, though. Seems like they trap a lot more air than do brakes. Much longer throw than a brake cylinder.

I usually need to bleed them a second time, couple days after the first, to bleed out microbubbles that take time to slowly rise out of the fluid.

 

On new or rebuilt cylinder pairs that are empty, fill the reserviour to max, attatch a small rubber hose to slave bleeder screw leading to a collection cup, install master lid, open bleeder screw with an 8mm wrench, slowly inject compressed air through the tiny hole in the lid while observing your fluid level. As fluid exits rubber hose, stop blowing in air, tighten bleeder screw, add enough fluid to bring it back to max and check pedal effort. It will be ready for action within a pump or two of the pedal. That has been my observation on two 1st gens so far. Quick and easy, and you're done.

It takes one person and an air compressor. No need for a pedal pusher. No need to pump the pedal religiously etc.

I had help the second time (the first time was with a full rebuild, the second was all new parts) and I had my helper do the 'pedal push procedure' after the fact just to double check and sure enough it was not necessary. There were no tiny bubbles (the pedal pumping action actually foams up the fluid if there is air in the system so it's not really a good idea despite common practice) and the pedal effort did not change after the 2nd pumping. I felt vindicated.

So if you have an air compressor and one of those early caps with the tiny hole in the top, try my proceedure and see if it's better than the commonly practiced two steps forward, one step back method.

Note the later horizontal hole type cap might be comptable, if that is all you have available. Try it and see. Maybe swap your brake master cap if the size is is the same (I think it is).

 

When I had my '94 civic I bled it by just pushing in the clutch over and over for a few minutes...will that work on an rx7 too?

 

My brother's GSL-SE hae a leaking cylinder (I forgot which) and after I poured some fluid into the reserviour, I pumped it like 40 times and it gained enough pressure so I could drive it home. It was promptly rebuilt and bled the common way. It worked but always had a funny squeak.

 

Maybe thats why it worked for me. My car had a really slow leak.