[sleejay]

Hi I'm new. I'll take the time to introduce myself and chat a little later. Right now I am REALLY stuck and I could use as much advice as possible.

My clutch pedal goes to the floor. No resistance whatsoever. Earlier today I had about 2" of resistance near the floor, not enough to put it into gear, but a little bit. I decided to bleed the slave.

I had a friend pump the clutch a few times, hold it in, and i cracked the bleeder; lots of air came out. I repeated this a few times, and one time i cracked it before he said it was at the floor, and i think air sucked in (possible?)

Now the pedal just snaps right to the floor, and if i lift it it snaps right up (with the pressure of the spring).

I let it sit for a while, thinking that the tiny air bubbles would re-form into one giant bubble (when i get frustrated i start thinking non-scientifically)

I then decided to try again. pump pump pump, hold at floor, crack bleeder, tighten bleeder, repeat.

The first couple of times i heard air escaping and some fluid would spurt out, but now, 3 pumps, hold at floor, i crack the bleeder, and NOTHING. no fluid, no air, nothing.

The brake fluid container is full. I have 2 bottles at the ready.

right now im trying to gravity bleed. I have a length of vacuum hose over the opened bleeder, going directly into a full container of brake fluid, and i have the reservoir opened.

questions:
1) WTF why is nothing coming out of the bleeder when i pump the pedal?
2) is this a proper gravity bleed? should i have the reservoir opened or closed
3) [idiocy probably] can i cap the reservoir, leave the vacuum tubing in the container of brake fluid, and pump the pedal like crazy?

i do NOT have access to a vacuum bleeder or a pressure bleeder. just my hands. also, i cannot remove the slave cylinder because in my current situation, its all i can do just to get to the nipple. (car was lowered by previous owner, i am in my (painful) gravel driveway and can barely jet my jack/jack stand under there)

please, any help would be VERY much appreciated. I need to drive to work tomorrow

thanks in advance everyone.

[1995 325is in case that helps]

 

[johnnyBgood]

You probably have a bad slave cylinder.......when the seals inside the cylinder go bad the fluid bypasses the cylinder piston thus no pumping action......to build up pressure!

The same holds true for a brake master cylinder, pedal goes to the floor, no external leaks......means internal leak, brake fluid bypassing the worn or broken seals......


jb

 

[sleejay]

i have a brand new slave sitting next to me. Its just that the height i can get the car right now isnt condusive to removing the old one. anyone know the exact bolt size of the slave bolts?

 

[johnnyBgood]

i have a brand new slave sitting next to me. Its just that the height i can get the car right now isnt condusive to removing the old one. anyone know the exact bolt size of the slave bolts?

Can you jack the car up using your stock screw jack & then slide a floor jack under the engine cross member & then support the car with jack stands.....




Pelican Technical Article: BMW Clutch Slave Cylinder Replacement


jb

 

[sleejay]

i'd love too! haha im working in horrific conditions right now.

i have 1 floor jack, and 1 jack stand. im going to go back out and try to remove the slave, but oh yes its pitch black out! ill be right back

 

[johnnyBgood]

i'd love too! haha im working in horrific conditions right now.

i have 1 floor jack, and 1 jack stand. im going to go back out and try to remove the slave, but oh yes its pitch black out! ill be right back

The nuts on the slave, look to be 12 or 13mm......

Drop light.....flashlight.........house lamp with extension cord, remove the shade....



jb

 

[sleejay]

yea they are 13mm.
its way way way too unsafe to try to loosen those bolts in this setup though. im afraid to shake the car at all, and when im scared its really bad.

ill just have it towed somewhere tomorrow