How do youknow if your clutch is bled good enough?

[Willie]

Did my clutch bleed today. Ended up taking off the BMW adapter thingy and screwing my Speedbleeder right into the clutch line. Anyway, I don't think the SB was woking right. I would sqeeze the lever and push the fluid, but when I released the lever it looks like the fluid in the tube was moving backward. I didn't really see any bubbles except for those little ones that I was told to ignore. I ended up having my wife slowly work the lever and I used the SB like a regular bleeder. Just wanted to know what the signs would be on a bad clutch bleed. When I first took the bike out to test my brake/clutch bleed, I stalled it twice. The clutch felt like it engaged right off of the grip. Seems to be better know though. Does it need some use to get pumped up so it gets back to normal (seems like it may be there alreadt though) Thanks, Terry

[BMT]

If the clutch 'bite' point is close to the bar, I'd suggest you may not have all the air out. Air will reduce the throw of the clutch pushrod.

 

It takes a lightness of touch to feel the difference between bleeder open and closed. I bled mine after removing the fill adapter (as you have) and using a standard bleed nipple on the end of the flexible hose. It's not an easy juggling task! By keeping the end of the flexible hose high, at least the air doesn't go back towards the slave cylinder, so it is easier to purge.

 

I left the bleed nipple in place.

[Ken H.]

I would agree with Nick, except for the fact that with the bleed point being at the far end of a fairly long hose, it would be difficult for air to be sucked backward from the bleed point all the way to the slave cylinder. If the clutch master cylinder reservoir was allowed to go dry during the process and air was accidentally introduced there, that would do it.

 

Still, something isn't right. Releasing near the grip is definitely not normal.

[BMT]

Ken,

 

That's what I was thinking at first, but air in the remote bleed pipe is still in circuit when the lever is pulled, so it will still affect the slave action as the air compresses.

[Willie]

Maybe I jumped the gun a bit. My hand may just have been fulled intothinking it was engaging roght off the grip because it feels ALOT smoother now. I have been riding it around to check everything out and it engages farther out like it used to. Will the fluid change make it that much smoother and easier to work. It's an '02 that I've had for almost a 1 1/2 and I haven't changed it and I doubt if the guy that had it from new had it done. Terry

[Ken H.]

Ken,

 

That's what I was thinking at first, but air in the remote bleed pipe is still in circuit when the lever is pulled, so it will still affect the slave action as the air compresses.

Ah yes, you do have a point. An air bubble in the bleed line, even though past the slave cylinder would still have some compression ability/effect.

[JB80120]

FWIW - I use Speed Bleeders on my brake units and I ALWAYS see the exit fluid back up slightly as I release the brake. I think this is normal operation. The downstroke always exceeds the recovery stroke by a long shot and the old fluid is expelled as we indend it to be. I have never had any air get in the line from doing this.

[Willie]

So, since my last post, does that mean I sound like I'm good to go? It doesn't feel like I am having any problems. I guess my SB is working OK then. It just seemed like I was getting nowhere with pumpimg the lever. The fluid was hardling making it into my bleed bag. Do you REALLY have to pump the lever ALOT in order to use them. It went much faster just using it like an original bleeder. Terry

[BMT]

I have never used Speedbleeders, so this is just conjecture.

 

With the clutch circuit, there isn't as much resistance to the hydraulic pressure as in the brake circuits. It may be more difficult to overcome the resistance of the spring-loaded part of the Speedbleeder. Possibly by careful adjustment of the Speedbleeder position (in/out) better results could be obtained? If the Speedbleeder is a bit too far in, the pressure will move the slave piston, rather than expelling fluid.