Bleeding 86 900T clutch?

Don't bother.

Yup. The reason it doesn't work is that long vertical section in the hard line, up against the fender well. Gravity is working against you, if you do it the hard way. However:

Dave's foolproof method of bleeding a c900 clutch:

Obtain the following:

Turkey baster from the kitchen

4 feet or so of 5/16ths clear tubing Roll of masking tape Pint of Dot4 brake/clutch fluid

Remove the bulb from the turkey baster and discard. You'll be using the other part as a tip-proof funnel. Attach the tubing to the end of the baster, and the other end of the tubing onto the bleeder nipple at the clutch slave cylinder. Secure the turkey baster in a vertical position, hanging with the tape onto the (now top) edge of the opened hood.

Open the bleeder nipple at the clutch end, and take the cover off of the clutch/brake fluid reservoir. Pour brake fluid into the top of the turkey baster, and this will force the bubbles up into the reservoir. Don't let the baster get empty, because once a bubble gets into that tubing (this is why it's clear) you're in the same mess as before. Keep going until you stop getting bubbles up through the tubing into the reservoir, and then keep going a little longer. Make sure the stuff doesn't spill, because it's not good for paint.

Close the bleeder nipple and the reservoir, detatch the hose, and throw the now very unusuable for food turkey baster away. Then, in November when you find you need one and it has vanished, go out and buy a nicer one.

Hope this helps, Dave Hinz

Where were you and your foolproof method a few months ago when I NEEDED you?

After about and hour of traditional 2-person pump & bleed, my legs were VERY VERY sore the next day. (took me a few minutes to remember why they were sore)

But your idea of letting gravity to the work is AWESOME! Just wish I had heard it beforehand!

\ Mike Teeples / '85 900T 4Door - 275k (RIP) '87 900T 3Door Auto (185k) '90 900 SPG - 125k

p.s. Thanks to all the regulars here that are so quick to post and help. Shame on those seem to wanna just lurk & complain.

Pretty sure I was around, I don't remember seeing another query or I would have tried to help...promise!

I think it comes from me misunderstanding the term "gravity bleeding", or rather, hearing it and not anything else. "Well, bubbles go up, so..." Turns out it's _supposed_ to mean "open the bleeder end & wait for the bubbles to float down", which obviously doesn't work in this particular line.

I don't mind lurkers at all, and encourage anyone reading here to pop in with questions, comments, or whatever the heck they have to say if they feel like it! And really, this group has a very amount of whining, I think.

Dave Hinz

Dave, this was awsome! It really works. I did make a few modifications and have a suggestion or two. Also I would like to propose the name "IV clutch/brake bleeding" as it looks like an IV in the hospital.

I got my baster from Wal-Mart ($1.50 w/tax), used duct tape as my masking tape is all ried out. I am using DOT-3 brake fluid (what is the difference?).

I kept the bulb as it was useful to remove the dirty fluid from the reservoir (I had just done some brake work and as a part of it I bled the brakes and basically changed the brake fluid). I will keep the baster for such projects, knowing that, if I use it for anything else, I can never use it for brake fluid again.

Also, as my hood was removed, I stuck a stick in a convenient place and duct-taped the unit to the stick. Hence the "IV bleeding" naming suggestion.

It took longer than I thought it would. I knew I was finally done when the baster and tube were draining rapidly and the reservoir was filling up and overflowing!

This helped a lot. I am keeping the baster for future brake/clutch jobs, and left the existing baster in the kitchen (it was messed up on the end and would not have fitted into the tubing), so we are OK for November.

Thanks again,

Charles.

Yay!

Interesting...I'm also an EMT, so maybe that's where I got the idea from after all.

(snip)

The difference is rather a lot, actually. I don't think DOT-3 is rated for our cars, check the owners manual. I think it's about boiling point and corrosion resistance, both of which are kind of important. (By the way, don't think that if Dot-4 is better, Dot-5 is even better, it's an entirely different beast and can't be mixed.)

Duct tape and sticks. Remember, wrinkle-free duct tape is a sign of good craftsmanship.

Right, once the bubbles are all gone everything flowed well for me also. Good feedback, thanks.

I'm not sure how it would work for brakes, but I can't see why it wouldn't, at least for pre-ABS. Haven't done anything of that nature on an ABS car yet.

Dave Hinz

but DOT5.1 or Super DOT4 can be. DOT5 is silicon based and could be used if all seals in the system were replaced and no normal fluid had been in there. DOT5.1 is just higher boiling point normal fluid, with no Silicon.