Best way to bleed a clutch?

[Martin Jacques <martin.jacques@xxxxxxxxx>]

Can anyone offer me some pointers on the best way to bleed the clutch? This
is on a 3 litre 24V 166, but I know a lot of 164 owners are on here - I
imagine the clutch hydraulics are almost identical on the two cars. There is
an air leak somewhere in the system, and every 500 miles or so, it needs
bleeding. Last three times, the dealer has done this, but I would like to be
able to do it myself.

There is a 7mm hex bleed fitting on the slave cylinder, and I have been
doing the following to try and bleed the system:
1) My wife starts to push the clutch in pretty slowly.
2) Once I see the clutch arm move, I loosen the bleed about an 1/8th of a
turn.
3) Some fluid starts coming out - onto a rag, and I close the bleed before
the clutch pedal reaches floor.
4) Sometimes the pedal returns, sometimes we need to do it by hand.
5) Repeat the above 5 or 6 times.
6) Take the top off the reservoir, and top up with DOT4 if necessary - I can
not see the level drop as yet though.


The above method has helped, the system is better. But, there is still a
good inch and a half of pedal travel before the clutch starts to disengage.

Could someone offer any revisions on the steps listed above to get more
success?

Also, does anyone know of any common weaknesses or leak points in the clutch
hydraulics? The master cylinder failed and was replaced 3,000 miles ago. The
system has needed re-bleeding 4 times since then. The dealer has had the car
three times, and says they cannot find any leaks.

Many thanks for any help you could offer?

Martin.
1999 166 3.0 Super (UK)
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