Clutch bleeding tips?

Does anyone have any tips for bleeding the clutch? I have bleed it about five times now with no real luck. I have a bleeder at the master cylinder as well as on the new evo slave I installed. I can bleed it to the point where it will disengage but it is still mushy the first 20% of the pull. Is there any magic serect to get it back to the firm pull?

Thanks.

mbdemers -

There are several threads around here discussing bleeding brakes/clutches.
Here's one: http://speedzilla.zeroforum.co...29971

If you don't already have one, a Mityvac would be a good investment, IMHO.

Hope this helps.....

Cheers

from ducati.ms site:

The following method has worked for me in flushing the clutch fluid/lline and in replacing the OEM clutch slave cylinder. Remember, you need to get the air out of 3 places - the clutch line, the slave clyinder, and the master clyinder. Also remember to use gravity as your friend - air is lighter than the DOT4 fluid so air bubbles will always travel up the system.

For best results, you should have a bleeder valve on the slave cylinder as well as a bleeder valve at the master cylinder opposite the clutch lever (evoluzione and others sell the latter):

1. Remove SLAVE cylinder from bike and let it hang (be careful not to let piston come out of slave cylinder and introduce air into the system). Also, move steering all the way to the right to put the MASTER cylinder as high as possible.

2. Remove the cap to the clutch fluid reservoir atop the clipon and remove the fluid to 2/3 - 1/2 of full (cover nearby areas in case of spilling/squirting of the fluid later on).

3. With fingers or with plastic handle from a screwdriver, carefully push the piston in the slave cylinder all the way in. This will force the clutch fluid back up the line, and you may/should see some air trapped in the line bubble out of the reservoir.

4. Gently actuate the clutch lever a couple of times to push the piston inside the slave clyinder back out BUT NOT COMPLETELY OUT! While doing this, you MUST be sure that the fluid in the reservoir does not reach the "min" level and introduce more air in the system. Have a bottle of DOT4 ready to top off the reservoir to 2/3 - 1/2 of full as needed.

5. Repeat steps 3 and 4 until no air bubbles escape out of the reservoir. Then repeat some more!

6. Fill the reservoir with DOT4 fluid to full. Then, gently release the bleeder valve on the SLAVE clyinder so some clutch fluid continuously seeps out little by little into a container. While doing this, you MUST be sure that the fluid in the reservoir does not
reach the "min" level and introduce more air in the system. Have a bottle of DOT4 ready to top off the reservoir to full as needed. Do this until all the old fluid is flushed with the new. You may/should notice some air bubbles escaping from the bleeder valve (a mity vac or girot's will help to get rid of the tiny ones).

7. Let all these air bubbles escape. Then, while the clutch fluid is still seeping out of the bleeder valve, tap the bleeder valve several times to get the last air bubbles out and quickly tighten the bleeder valve shut.

8. Repeat steps 6 and 7 until no air bubbles escape from the bleeder valve. Then repeat some more!

9. Bolt the slave cylinder back onto the bike.

10. With the plastic handle from a screwdriver, tap the clutch system repeatedly to dislodge any microscopic air bubbles. Start from the slave cylinder, then go up the clutch line itself, and all the way up to the master cylinder. Now, any possible air bubbles should be at the master cylinder end only.

11. Fill the reservoir to full. Then, gently release the bleeder valve on the MASTER clyinder so some clutch fluid continuously seeps out little by little into a container. While doing this, you MUST be sure that the fluid in the reservoir does not reach the "min" level and introduce more air in the system. Have a bottle of DOT4 ready to top off the reservoir to full as needed. You may/should notice some air bubbles escaping from the bleeder valve (a mity vac or girot's will help to get rid of the tiny ones).

12. Let all these air bubbles escape. Then, while the clutch fluid is still seeping out of the bleeder valve, gently tap the master cylinder and actuate the clutch lever BUT NOT ALL THE WAY IN to get the last air bubbles. Quickly tighten the bleeder valve
shut WHILE HOLDING THE CLUTCH LEVER STILL (No I don't have five hands!). NOTE - If you try to tighten the bleeder valve while letting go of the clutch lever, air will be sucked back into the master cylinder and all your hard work will be lost.

13. Repeat steps 11 and 12 until no air bubbles exit from the bleeder valve. Then repeat some more!

14. When finished, your clutch lever should not have much play in it. If you do, you still have air in the system somewhere.

I'm sure there are other and perhaps even better bleed methods but this has worked for me consistently.

And remember - when in doubt, bleed, bleed, and bleed some more!

mbdemers, I had the same problem once. Just do this, after you bleed the slave cyl. and the master cyl. and the lines, just loosen the hydraulic line banjo-bolt that joints the line to the master cyl. and bleed there a couple of times. This will do it. I guess because thats the highest point, some air gets trapped there. Remember to wrap some paper towel there to keep the hyd oil away from the handlebar parts when bleeding it.
JT

Mightyvac while the caliper nipple is placed higher than anything else in the system. Even if you take it off its mounting position. It'll take you two minutes. Tap it with a rubber mallet before you squeeze that vac.

Some reason the clutch gives me trouble every time, what I've found that works every-time for me is to fill the reservoir, put a hose onto the end of the bleed screw, stick it in a bottle then open the bleeder and let it sit. won't take long at least on my bike for fluid to start running out and it will draw it right out of the reservoir, just make sure you keep it filled. after a few refills it should bleed normally. Not sure why it works this way for me but after spending half a day trying to bleed it the normal way I found this simple solution when in frustration I walked away from the bike and didn't tighten the bleeder.