RickB

Check alignment as other said. I've had mine off and didn't have to bleed it. It seems that the rod will come out slowly on its own if there nothing to stop it. If your fluid level was low you could have sucked in some air when it extended out. You can try holding the clutch in overnight with tape or something to the grip and see if it helps... This trick works well on spongy brakes - I take it that it allows the air bubbles to rise up and self bleed.

Alpar

I'm having the same problem... i think i'm gonna try bleeding it like that. also how do i check the alignment / whats that all about??? i'm looking through old posts, but haven't found it yet.

superhawk22

To avoid this problem in the future just pinch the hose with vise grips and something to protect the the hose.

Hawkrider

I wouldn't squeeze the hose. The recommended way is to put a tie wrap around the clutch lever and grip. That will keep the slave from working its way out.

skokievtr

+1, should not have to bleed or anything, just bolt it on properly. Besides the zip tie I use a VG Quick-Grip to hold the slave cylinder in. I also use kerosene and a brush over a pan to clean the crud off. Using a chain wax makes a sticky goo, which is another reason I like my Scott Oiler.

superhawk22

As long as you don't mash the thing the only way something would happen is if there was already something wrong with the line in the 1st place. I've done it for years and they even make tools to do it but do as you wish.

captainchaos

LOL!!

E.Marquez

And once upon a time an ice pick was the preferred tool for frontal lobotomy, don’t make it the best tool for the job.

You can remove the clutch slave cylinder and replace it without re bleeding as long as you do not touch the lever.
Although it’s never a bad idea to flush fluid and re-bleed the system. All but silicone fluid is hydroscopic so, once the container is open, it’s absorbing water. Change often and your better off.

nuhawk

The point is that once it's flat most newbies are in an uphill fight to get it reinflated. I know I was when I did mine the first time - what a pain in the ***!

A Mighty-Vac or similar contraption available at most parts stores is a valuable tool. Usually about $50 for a decent setup.

There are two players with these hydraulic systems. One is the size of the uptake of the master cylinder and the other is the viscosity of the fluid.

Because the uptake of the master cylinder is microscopic and the fluid doesn't readily run down hill, pumping the lever is like - well, you know.

The fluid is best drawn through the system via a vac that encourages the fluid to move. Under negative pressure the master allows much more fluid to enter the system than under normal lever conditions.

My first attempt was a four hour mess that ended up all over the shop floor due to a bad kit. When TxSuperChicken and I overhauled the MC this winter we had pressure up in ten minutes and had the fluid changed out to dot 5.1 in about another three.

Lesson learned here. He pumped up the system with dot3 because of the viscosity issues with the other fluids. Once it pressurized - we pumped that all out and used the old fluid to draw the new fluid in. Worked great!

thetophatflash

FYI, the term for absorbing water is hygroscopic.

fishface

taking the cover off and putting back on you should not have to bleed the system is the pushrod in the the right place