TheSamba.com :: View topic - bleeding brakes and clutch at the same time??

Wed Nov 19, 2008 10:22 am

Hey folks, haven't been around here much recently, lots going on. But with the long weekend (and my 3 days vacation) I'll have almost a full 10 days to attack Molly's issues. The main one I have been putting off is captainpartytime's brake service. With that I also plan to bleed the brake lines, replace the front lines (probably the rears too), as well as the rear shoes. But I have a couple of questions:

1. When bleeding the brake lines, do I understand that I should be bleeding the clutch as well? Are they all part of the same system?

2. When changing the rear brake shoes, do I need to replace the cylinders back there at the same time, or is that optional?

3. I guess as a third question is what should I be replacing on the front calipers and rear brake set up so I won't be revisiting the brakes any time soon?

If I'm doing this, I want to do it once and get to every thing since the van is my daily driver and I probably won't get this kind of time again soon.

Thanks in advance.
Scott

Wed Nov 19, 2008 10:35 am

floggingmolly wrote:

1. When bleeding the brake lines, do I understand that I should be bleeding the clutch as well? Are they all part of the same system?

2. When changing the rear brake shoes, do I need to replace the cylinders back there at the same time, or is that optional?

3. I guess as a third question is what should I be replacing on the front calipers and rear brake set up so I won't be revisiting the brakes any time soon?

If I'm doing this, I want to do it once and get to every thing since the van is my daily driver and I probably won't get this kind of time again soon.
Scott

Hi Scott,

1. No unless the reservoir get emptied

2. The rear cylinder are classic as to leaking, i would replace them and have some piece of mind for a wile. I just did 2 vans last week with leaky rear cylinder

3. Front caliper NO, replace everything in the back. Even the park cable should be carefully check wile you there.

Well. like i said, do everything in the back. As to the front, well, it's more easy. If you have to replace the disk, change wheel bearing at the same time. They are cheap enough and you save labor.

Good luck
Ben

Wed Nov 19, 2008 10:39 am

Dude,

The brake and clutch hydraulic lines share the same fill-reservoir but are separate systems from that point onward. Two separate jobs.

Have fun,

Chester

Wed Nov 19, 2008 10:44 am

I'd bleed the clutch, because of my experience. When I replaced the clutch slave cylinder and then bled it, the fluid bled out of it was black and filthy.

In fact, I wish I had quickly bled the system first to swap out all the old fluid, even though this meant that I would have to bleed the system twice. That way when I installed the new slave, I wouldn't have pushed all the filthy fluid through my nice new component when I bled it after the install.

Swapping out all brake fluid is recommended by most owners manuals every 2 years - including my Hondas as new as 2004.

Wed Nov 19, 2008 10:59 am

Brake fluid is hygroscopic and should be fully replaced every 2 years. Since the clutch uses the same fluid, it has probably absorbed lots of water as well. Even though with the clutch you don't have the heat issue that you get with brakes, the fluid is probably full of water. I say flush it.

Wed Nov 19, 2008 4:38 pm

Thanks for the reports guys. I do plan on flusing both as Perales and transporterjr say, since I have had the van close to 2 years now and doubt it was flushed right before I got it.

As for the rears, thanks Ben, my fear is that the cylinders will leak at some short time in the future and I will be kicking myself. Thus I suppose I'll go all in.

Wed Nov 19, 2008 8:58 pm

tEH rear cylinders are easy to change, and cheap. You can pull the dust boot back on them and check their condition, if there is any dampness (brake fluid) under the dust boot, change them, if they are dry you could put it off for some time probably.

I would most definitely bleed the clutch slave, they always get "passed over", next thing you know the fluid has been in there for 8 years and the bleeder is clogged with rust from the inside of the slave cylinder.

Fri Nov 21, 2008 4:38 pm

I'm in agreement with perales and transporterjr and jackbombay as well. Though the clutch and brake systems are technically separate systems they both draw from the same reservoir and you want to change your fluid every 2 years as it draws in moisture which can cause corrosion in your system, plus I think you'll be amazed at how dirty the fluid from the clutch actually is. It only adds an extra 5 minutes or so and you might as well do it while you have everything out, just for peace of mind.

The rear cylinders are cheap, if I remember correctly only about $15, but you should only really need to change them if the rubber is looking worn or like it's leaking. Check your shoes and hardware while you're in there.

Sun Nov 23, 2008 6:00 pm

Kind of new to these late models. I am putting an 89 on the road that has been sitting for three years. I have a couple of ques.

If I am understanding this correctly the clutch and the brakes can be bled indepentantly from one another.

My other Q is I got it started and went to move it there was no clutch, completely dead pedal. I had my brother push the pedal and I was feeling around the slave and there was nothing.

my last what is the cylinder under the dash behind the steering colum?

Sun Nov 23, 2008 6:18 pm

Since it has been sitting for 3 years bleed both systems.

The master brake cylinder is what the reservoir is mounted onto behind your gauges. The hose that comes off the top right side of it is what feeds the master clutch cylinder which is mounted underneath the master brake cylinder. If you replace the master clutch cylinder replace the slave at the same time as they tend to have a similar lifespan.