mortymower

Okay I have been bleeding my clutch for a few hours with the two person method and with a mityvac vacuum pump and my clutch now when you push in it goes about 1 inch by itself almost (like it is sucked down) but then it stops and the rest of the travel has definate resistance like it is supposed to. The car is in the air and I cranked it and was able to depress the clutch and shift into first and go through all the gears (wheels just spinning).

Also when you let up it comes up normaly up until that last inch and then springs all the way up very quickly with a click. Whats going on here. I have heard you sometimes have to adjust the pedal after a new clucth (which I did) and Im just wondering...

mortymower

bump

Tom M'Guinn

Most likely you still have a little bleeding to do -- I know exactly that first little bit you are referring to -- for me, it has always been the last bit of bleeding that pumps up that last bit of travel. There is a jamb nut adjuster behind the pedal, but it has never caused that loose first inch in my car.

mortymower

I bled it alot and still no change

Droops83

I have posted this before I will post it again, there are several sharp bends in the hard line between the clutch master and slave cylinders on 944s. When I bleed any 944, I first pressure bleed it to get most of the air out. Then, trace the hard line in the engine compartment which runs up from the master cylinder along the firewall behind the brake booster and down again to the rubber line that goes down to the slave cylinder. I bleed the line where the two connect, you will need both a 14 MM and a 19MM line wrench. The connection is behind the oil filler cap, right along the firewall, I'll post a pic of mine tomorrow if you want when it's light outside. It is very tight back there, but possible to get the wrenches in. It can get messy, stuff the area w/ rags or paper towels. Have a helper work the clutch pedal. When the pedal is down to the floor, crack the line open, and you'll most likely see a couple air bubbles and the brake fluid leak out. Close the line before the helper lifts up the pedal. It is important in this method that you do not crack open the line until the pedal is on the floor, and of course close it before you lift back up. Repeat this several times, and you should have a pedal when you are done.

BTW I work at a Porsche shop for a living, this method works every time.

billthe3

So you are able to access the clutch hard line with all the other hoses and crap in place in the engine bay droops? My pedal is doing the first inch free play thing so I assume there is still air in the system, but it seems like there is no way in hell that I'd be able to get to the clutch hard line without pulling the intake or something.

FRporscheman

I have been wrestling with this problem on the blue 968 for days. So you're saying you bleed the hard line? How do you bleed a line?

mortymower

+1

Droops83

Like I said it's a bitch to get wrenches back there but it is possible. You have to move the hoses out of the way, and possibly the bracket/connectors for the speed/ref/O2 sensors. You'll need 14 and 19 mm flare nut wrenches, short ones if possible that can fit in there. Here in CA I can sometimes get away w/ regular open end wrenches, but I'd spray the connection w/ penetrating oil to help. I should add that this should be your last-ditch effort in bleeding the clutch; you should pressure bleed it as much as possible first to get most of the air out. This method is for that last little pocket of air that pressure bleeding doesn't always get out.

I am posting a couple pics of the line, sorry they are kindof crappy but I just took them now where my car is parked in the pitch black. The first one shows the general area to look, notice the yellow oil cap on the right. The hard line is in the top center and disappears down the firewall. The second pic is a bit blurry but shows the connection that you will crack loose to bleed that line.

And by "bleed" it I mean just open the hard line flare connection up when your helper is holding the pedal down, enough so fluid comes out. You should see some air bubbles come out too. Like I said it is messy, just stuff some rags or paper towels down there to try and catch most of the escaping fluid and have a pan underneath, and rinse the area out w/ water afterwards. It is a pain in the *** but try it if nothing else works, it's worked for me every time. Remember, don't crack the line loose till the pedal is down, and close it before the pedal is back up.

Another method that sometimes works is reverse bleeding. You can use one of those little oil squirt cans that you use for engine building, of course filled w/ brake fluid and a rubber hose on the end. Make sure you pump it till fluid comes out and no air is left inside it, remove the brake fluid reservoir cap, and have someone watch for bubbles. Get underneath the car, attach the hose to the slave bleeder screw, crack it loose, and slowly and smoothly inject the fluid. You helper will probably see air bubbles in the reservoir, this is good. Just stroke it till there are no more bubbles, and of course make sure you don't run out of fluid in the injector and that of course the reservoir doesn't overflow.

PorscheMD

I bleed the clutch at the clutch mastercylinder where the line screws into it. I use the same method as Chris. This has worked for me everytime. I bleed it until I get "some" pedal. Then I pump the pedal literally about a hundred times until I get some more pressure built up. At this point I bleed it again until I see the remaining bit of air bubble come out. Good luck

Droops83

Cool that's a good idea too. The reason I use that particular connection in the pics above, between the hard line and the hose is it is right past the high point in the system where most of the air gets trapped in 944s. PorscheMD's method is perfect for 968s, since they have rerouted clutch lines that go around and under the master cylinder instead of around and above it. So 968s usually don't get as much air trapped as 944s and can be a bit easier to bleed, but that is relatively! 968s can still be a bitch. FRporscheman should try it right at the master cylinder.

PorscheMD you must work on these cars for a living or did in the past, I've seen you post lots of good stuff here and on the 911 board.

87924GT

Great info!!
Steve Ed

PorscheMD

Droops83, I do work on these for a living. You have had some great posts as well. You seem on track with your knowledge of these great cars. Thanks for the kind words...

special tool

Yeah - he is the general mechanical 944 chief of this board.