Bleeding S1 Elise clutch

[Rollin]

My Elise has been stood in the garage for years. I fitted a new battery yesterday and it started up fine.
Problem is I'm finding it almost impossible to get in gear. Clutch to floor...lots of grinding.
I want to bleed system. I believe I need to do this at slave cylinder.

Do i need to remove the undertray from the very back of car to access this?
If I use an eezi bleed thing, do i have to raise any end of car to ensure all air is out of system?
Thanks

Edited by Rollin on Saturday 30th September 14:46

[Cold]

Unlikely you'll actually need to as your problems are most likely down to the clutch being seized, most notably the friction plate being stuck to the flywheel.
Now that you've managed to fire up the engine there are techniques open to you. One is to select a gear with a foot on the clutch and a foot hard onto the brake. Then start the engine but be aware the car may lurch forward/back (depending on which gear you've selected). This is normally enough to free the clutch off.

[tharriso]

^yes had same thing recently.

[Rollin]

Thanks.
Clutch did work briefly, but now goes to floor without much resistance. Does it still sound seized?

[tharriso]

On top of the gearbox is the trunnion thing. Get someone to work the pedal and watch that it moves fully.

[Rollin]

Clutch slave cylinder piston appears to be moving fine.

Tried the above, but not sure it did anything.
I can easily get car into any gear with engine off, whether clutch is in or out.

As soon as engine is running, Selecting gears is either very difficult or impossible.

Edited by Rollin on Sunday 1st October 15:27

[tharriso]

You have rust holding the clutch to the flywheel/pressure plate.

When you have the clutch depressed, only the rust is transmitting the power between engine and gearbox.

So you need to make it give by straining it, a few ways:

put in fifth, clutch depressed, rock car back and forth.

put in fifth, clutch depressed, brakes applied, turn starter motor for a second.

if you have an open area to drive along. push start it, then with clutch always depressed, alternate braking and accelerating.

jack rear wheels off the ground, fifth gear, clutch depressed, start engine, apply revs then brake. have nothing in front of the car in case it goes wrong!