Master not bleeding

[Irish92]

Hi forum,

Having an odd issue. I’ve recently replaced my
Clutch, DMF, master and slave cylinder. I’ve now gone to pressure bleed the system but getting nothing but air through it.

I’ve traced back from the slave until I find a point where the fluid is, however confusingly the fluid has turned out to not be leaving the reservoir. When I cover the hole and let the pressure build, on releasing the cover on the whole to pressure released and it spits fluid, but then stops.

What could be causing the fluid from not leaving the reservoir to feed the master and so on? Checked the brake and the fluid flows fine through those.

Any help would be appreciated!

Also the reservoir is above max with fresh fluid


Thank you.

Reservoir

[PaulC5]

I have found it best to bleed the clutch by sucking the fluid through from the slave cylinder bleed screw. Some bleed screws are a half turn to open, some need to be opened a few turns and some have a pipe and clip system. It might also be needed to pump the pedal quickly a lot of times to get the fluid going or if the pedal is loose at the top after bleeding and the screw is tightened back up.

[Irish92]

Hi Paul,

Thanks for the reply. The system on my car seems to be clip and pipe. I have tried the suck method and still only getting air, also tried the furiously pumping the pedal method and again just air.

Just very confusing as the first step of the fluid coming out of the reservoirs without anything else attaching to it doesn’t seem to happen. I’ve just never seen a situation where I cannot get the fluid from the reservoir to go into the master!

Overall very confusing!

Thank you

[PaulC5]

If you shine a torch in the side of the reservoir can you see the fluid level above the clutch outlet ? With the clutch pipe disconnected at the reservoir does fluid run out under gravity - if not then try poking the hole to see if it is blocked. Beware that it does not take much loss of fluid in the reservoir to drop the level below the clutch outlet and the reservoir will have 2 sides to it so a brake leak does not stop all 4 brakes losing fluid, only 2 - I found this on our Cactus when bleeding the clutch and had to start again as air was sucked through.

We had a 2010 C3 with the clip and pipe system, on it the clip furthest from the slave bleed hole is pushed in, the one next to the slave bleed hole is pulled out, the pipe is pulled out a bit to clear the bleed orifice and then fluid runs out under gravity but not from the bleed orifice but sucking reduces the amount so it comes out of the hole and hopefully bleeds the slave. Putting a bowl under the slave catches the drips. Once happy, push in the clip nearest the bleed hole, push the pipe back in, pull out the clip furthest from the bleed hole. Since I had not got any air in the clutch this is all I ever did.

In Citroen's procedures for the C3, after doing this 2 people are needed. Push in the clip furthest from the bleed hole, pull out the clip nearest the bleed hole, pull out the pipe a bit, press the clutch pedal slowly to the floor, push in the clip nearest the bleed hole, push in the pipe, pull out the clip furthest from the bleed hole. Manually lift the clutch pedal to its high position. Repeat this until the fluid running out is clean and free of air bubbles, 20 times minimum. Make sure the reservoir level is kept high. After this check the clutch slave moves between 18 and 22 mm when the pedal is pressed down and if not then it needs bleeding again.

[Irish92]

Hi Paul,

Thanks for the reply. Based on that I thought I’d better get a vacuum pump as my bleed kit doesn’t seem to be doing the job.

Started from the reservoir and after getting some air out I managed to get the reservoir to flow out under gravity (all be it for a few seconds as the level dropped).

Moved to the bleed hole and followed the process, and notice my vacuum pressure was only lasting a few seconds once I stopped pumping, getting spitting of very little brake fluid coming out.

Stripped out the bleed hole connector, and the connector connecting to that and inspected them. I have a feeling that the red circled area is missing an ‘o’ ring. So I will get a pack tomorrow and try again. I cannot see anything else that would cause vacuum pressure to be lost.

Thank you.

[GiveMeABreak]

It depends on which system you have as there can be several ways to bleed these (Single or Double clip bleed system or screw bleed systems).