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MG MGA - MGA clutch

After giving the master cylinder a good cleanout, and refilled it with fresh silicone fluid, I am having difficulty bleeding the clutch. Would anyone here be good enough to explain to me the best and easiest way to bleed the clutch.

Thanks in advance.

Frank
F. Camilleri

Frank, have a look at my last posting under the heading "Clutch Slave Piston Replacement".
Lindsay Sampford

I took a bleeder pipe from front brake and connected it to clutch slave cylinder and bled it backwards with the brake pedal.... that way you are less likely to get a little air trapped by the slave cylinder

There are numerous other ways

Aleks
Aleks Stojanovic

Lindsay, I have read your post of the 23 March, re bleeding the clutch slave. A slave cylinder kit which I ordered from ANG in UK, arrived today. It is a delphi kit with the steel piston included. I was very pleased with this kit.

I am still unable to walk, and so I have to wait until my leg gets better. When it does, I shall remove the slave and replace the old kit with this new one. Is it a strenuous job to remove the clutch slave? May I also ask if I can come back to you to get the info for bleeding the slave right and proper first time.

Many thanks

Frank
F. Camilleri

I had the same problem. I used the E-Z Bleed system. Let the car sit a few days and try again. I think microscopic bubbles form during installation. After a few days the air came out without a problem.
L. Mazoway

Frank.
sometimes with silicon fluid it retains small bubbles that take some time to dissolve. With an MGA I have removed the slave cylinder and let it hang down for a day or so. This gives the little bubbles time to migrate along with any air that was trapped.
Have you put the flex hose on slave cylinder on the bottom hole with the bleeder on top?
S Sanders

Good morning S. Sanders,

I haven't yet replaced the old kit with a new one inside the slave cylinder which I just bought. In fact I have never disturbed the slave ever since I had the car. Looking at the slave when in situ I could see that the flex hose is attached at the top of the unit, and the bleeder is at the bottom. I believe that is the correct way. One question if I may, when you say that you removed the slave cylinder and let it hang down, does that mean that you unbolted the unit but did not touch the flex pipe and/or opened the bleeder valve? You let the slave hang by the flex hose only? Where does the trapped air go?

Thanks Mr.Sanders and Happy Easter.

Frank
F. Camilleri

Early production slave cylinders had two ports on the side with a banjo fitting for the hose in bottom port, and bleeder in top port (pointing slightly downward).

Later slave cylinders, and likely all replacement parts, have one port low on the end for the hose, and the bleeder still goes high on the side (pointing slightly downward). Replacement cylinders are often shied with the bleeder in the end port as a matter of convenience for packaging. The bleeder has to be moved from the end port to the side port, and the hose will be connected to the end port. See picture here: http://mgaguru.com/mgtech/hydraulics/ht106.htm
barneymg

Frank.. That's correct. I remove the bolts holding the slave and just let it hang down
This creates a direct relatively straight line for the bubbles to flow up tond end in the master cylinder.
Silicone fluid is extremely prone to having small air bubbles from just pouring it too fast then they are slow to migrate upwards.
It's amazing how easy it is to bleed if you have the time to wat for rising bubbles.
Sandy
S Sanders

Hi Sandy,

thank you very much for answering my post. I shall follow your advice to the letter.

Frank
F. Camilleri

This thread was discussed between 29/03/2017 and 15/04/2017

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