Fiesta hydraulic clutch bleeding problems

[Floydr92]

Hi, I bought a 53 fiesta zetec a few weeks ago because it was cheeeeep, but had a lot if problems, all of which I've now fixed except the clutch.
I fitted a new clutch disk and pressure plate, ten put the gearbox back on and had problems bleeding it...tried loads of different methods so assumed the slave cylinder was bust. Took the gearbox back off, dry inside and no sign of leaks. So I removed the slave cylinder, connected to master and pumped the clutch...it went pop and fluid sprayed everywhere out the side of the release bearing. So I fitted a new slave cylinder (I don't think the old one was broken till I broke it), fitted the ear box back in and still no improvement. Pedal is still soft and I can't get the air out (the slave had no fluid in it from new, and the hoses were disconnected and leaking yet when I connected a pipe to the bleed nipple and put my finger over the end a a valve, nothing came out for a while, and then clear fluid with no bubbles was coming nicely). But anyway, tightened it up and no pressure, can't select gears when running (but can select fine with engine off).

I started the car in second lastnight and drove it home as I was fixing it on a friends driveway, and while driving I put my foot on the clutch and nothing...didn't even slip.

Any help is much appreciated as I'm to be picking up a friend from the airport tomorrow :/

[Bennachie]

Master cylinder?

What happens if you pump it?

[andyiley]

How are you trying to bleed it?

The reason I ask, is I have come across clutches where the hose/pipe does not run correctly.

If it goes down and then up it CAN POSSIBLY get an air lock that fluid won't get past without being under pressure, so just bleeding with gravity does not work.

Have a good look at the pipe/tube run & if possible use a suction or pressure bleeder.

[DrDeAtH]

You might have to reverse bleed the clutch by pumping fluid in via the bleed nipple. I know you have to do it that way on the transit. Slave cylinder may be of similar type.

[imagineifyeswill]

Generally if your getting clear fluid at the nipple then your clutch is bled, but with concentric slave cylinders even although youve got the clear fluid you still dont get a pedal until you sit and pump the pedal repeatedly for about 5 mins.

[james-nl6yl]

hi, can you please let me know how you fixed it as im having the same problems after replacing the clutch, kind regards

[northwestrecovery]

Hi , I do lots of these . All you need to do is connect an easibleed or pressure bleeder and undo bleed nipple till it runs clear , disconnect it pump pedal a few times and re bleed it till clear and hey presto ! you will struggle without pressure bleeder .

[Ian Geary]

I struggled to reverse bleed my mk1 focus clutch master cylinder with my old gunsen eazi bleed. Traditional bleeding could not yield a firm pedal.

so I used a length of pvc tube and largish syringe filled with dot 4 and forced it slowly up the bleed nipple, and it got to a firm pedal quite quickly.

Hth

Ian

[Sardonicus]

Gravity bleed (no pumping the pedal) is all you need with these concentric slave systems unless you run the MC dry and gulped in lots of air I speak from experience as most clutches I do nowadays use the CS system nowadays