I've spent two hours trying to get my Hydraulic Clutch line bled and i'ts not working!! Master Cylinder is full, turn the bleeder while the clutch is depressed, close the bleeder, repeat... What am I doing wrong???

 

Reverse bleed that thing. Suck all the fluid out of the master cylinder. Get a hose long enough to run from your brake fluid bottle that's positioned *higher* than the master cylinder, siphon the fluid down and connect the hose to the bleeder screw. Now crack the bleeder and wait for the fluid siphon to force fill the system from the bottom to the top and force all the air bubbles out... when the master cylinder is full, close the bleeder and enjoy your clutch.

Hogdoctor

 

I'll give that a try...Thanks! (You mentioned brake fluid but I assume you meant clutch fluid)

 

clutch.... brake... it's all hydraulic fluid... I expect it's the same but use whatever the clutch system manufacturer recommends.

 

I give up......

Bought a brake bleeder vacum pump, try pushing, pulling, whatever. (DOT5) Can't get enough action on the handle!!! I have no friggen idea. It's gotta be something simple. Time for a drink.

 

are you getting -any- pressure plate movement at all?
Where is your pushrod clearance set at? If it's minimal, I would
try backing the pushrod adjustment screw out a few turns, Squeeze the lever,
pinch off the hose, release the lever, then try squeezing it again with the hose still
pinched... If you're master cylinder is ok, it should feel solid as a rock. If not, then
you have a bunch of air in your master, or the piston cup is blown/torn.
Once you get to where you have solid delivery pressure from the master cylinder, then with pressure held on the system at the lever, release the clamp to send the fluid down
to the slave, then clamp it off, release the lever and let the master get a fresh gulp of fluid, then push it down , slightly releasing the clamp. Keep doing this until you see pressure plate motion... now hold your hose clamped and crack the bleeder screw to vent off the slave, and turn the adjustment screw in to push more slave contents out the bleeder, then close it. Set the freeplay at a 3/4 turn and lock it back down.
At this point you should have clutch action. Repost here if you don't.

Good Luck
Hogdoctor

 

HOGDOC,

Thanks for the info. I assume I have no pressure plate movement. I managed to round off the bleeder so I bought a new bleeder and noticed that the hole on the first bleeder was almost closed compared to the new bleeder. I assume this was done by overtightening the bleeder screw. I think it was like this since the clutch was put in last week. Anyways I thought that was going to be the problem, but it wasn't. I have almost no pressure at the handle. Is there anything I can do to bleed the reservoir? I'm not sure I should clamp the hose-It's a rigid plastic that runs from the master cylinder all the way down to the clutch. I can pump the clutch handle 100 times and the fluid may go down a tad. When I take the hose off at the clutch housing, I can pump the handle and see fluid squirting out. (Not alot) The master has two holes, one small and the second even smaller. Every once in a while I can get a tiny air bubble to pop out of the small one when I am pumping the handle. I agree with you...If I could get the clutch to get some tension before messing with the bleeder.....

I also spoke with the HD Tech today and he says that I can bleed it with the cover off the master, just keep the fluid over the holes, which I have been doing. I am also trying to do this with the vacum pump and I get continuous air/fluid mixture coming out of the bleeder intothe clear hose before it goes into the vacum bleeder reservoir. Simple job kicking my ear end. Forunately it's DOT5 fluid!!!!.

 

and watch the pressure plate.

If you're new to this hydraulic clutch thing, it might suprise you just
*how light* these things can be. Maybe the clutch is been working fine
all along here and you're just not feeling it?

Hogdoctor

 

Good point...... Shouldn't I be able to put it in gear (without the engine running) engage the clutch and move the bike?

 

not necessarily.. the clutch needs to be spinning to properly un-stick itself and fling off the excess oil... Pull the derby off and look. If you call HD back ask them for a spec for pressure plate travel with this clutch, and measure the travel you're getting.

Hogdoc