Ok, I'm still reading through all the responses on this one... but I just had to try a bit
more fluid, hoping it would at least give a sign that the cylinder was ok. No go. So are
you suggesting that my pedal which has a definite limp feel to it, might be revived
with some pressure bleeding? I hope so... I'll go re-read the Bentley now, along with
the other posts. Thanks.

On 23 Feb 2005 at 6:51, Jim Felder <felder@KNOLOGY.NET> wrote:

> Whoa--before you replace anything, read the Bentley and other sources
> that will tell you that you can't bleed the vanagon clutch using the
> two-person method, but rather you need a vacuum or pressure bleeder.
> John Rogers says he's done it with conventional up-down bleeding, but
> it took a long long time.
>
> If you let it get below minimum, you have to start over. Remember that
> you're pulling a loooong tube of fluid back to the back.
>
> Harbor Freight has real Mity Vacs on sale now for about $26.
>
> Try the recommended bleeding before you replace cylinders.
>
> Jim
>
> On Feb 22, 2005, at 11:41 PM, Shawn Wright wrote:
>
> > On 22 Feb 2005 at 21:14, Shawn Wright <swright@ZUIKO.SLS.BC.CA> wrote:
> >
> >> Tonight, I bled the clutch on my '82 Diesel Westy. Unlike the brakes,
> >> which
> >> weren't bad, the fluid which came out was pretty brown at first. Then
> >> it got
> >> *really* dark, followed by an audible squishing sound as my wife
> >> pumped
> >> the clutch slowly. Thinking that can't be good, I closed the bleeder
> >> and got
> >> her to try the clutch. No go, very little resistance. So it appears
> >> either the
> >> slave or master cylinder, or both, have failed. The noise seemed to be
> >> coming from the front, so I'm guessing master. Is there any other
> >> possible
> >> cause?
> >
> > After thinking about this, I decided to check the reservoir again. I
> > didn't realize the
> > clutch master is fed from a hose, which is slightly above the "MIN"
> > line, and the van
> > has the front end raised higher than rear, so... it appears I ran the
> > clutch low on fluid
> > while bleeding. I hope anyway. I dumped in the rest of the bottle, but
> > it still didn't quite
> > reach the MIN line or the hose. I'll get some more fluid and hope for
> > the best...
> >
> > Shawn Wright
> > http://zuiko.sls.bc.ca/~swright
> > '85 Jetta TD (retired)
> > '85 Jetta D
> > '88 Westy 2.1L
> > '82 Diesel Westy
> >
>

Shawn Wright
http://zuiko.sls.bc.ca/~swright
'85 Jetta TD (retired)
'85 Jetta D
'88 Westy 2.1L
'82 Diesel Westy