Clutch Bleeding on ford cargo

[xanti]

I have just replaced the slave cylinder on my truck and have tried to bleed the system with an assistent in the cab pressing the peddle with me opening and releasing the bleed bolt. However the pedal is completely soft and after pressing about 30 times with no sign of fluid or air expelling i need advise. What am i doing wrong.

[KebabMeister]

Can you explain the method you're using?  Have you tried depressing the clutch and then locking the bleed nut whilst he raises it and then when he depresses again open the nut again?

[v64paul]

beat me to it! another method we have tried is clamping the flexy hose between the slave and the master. you then pump the pedal til you build up a head of pressure, realease the pipe and open the bleed nipple. but... it sounds to me as though the system needs to be pressure bled, applying a small amount of air pressure to the clutch fluid inside the resevoir so as to push it through the system hopefully taking the airlock with it. it's taking me ages to type this, still waiting for the top of my finger to grow back.... everyone say ahhh.

[KebabMeister]

Top of your finger?  Ahhhh... :)  How I miss being a mechanic... NOT! :)

We always had trouble bleeding the brakes on Cargo's, damn things! :)

[v64paul]

yep, a rather large exhaust silencer got me left middle finger. we're still attached thanks to plastic surgeons at the countess of chester! back on topic, i think pressure bleeding is the way to go. the brakes were always tricky being air over hydraulic, '86 on they were full air and discs all round.

[KebabMeister]

Ouch, I still have scares from engines... typical bleeder was doing tappets!

I remember one guy pressure bleeding a cargo and the bleed pipe came off and he got covered in brake fluid!  Lovely! :D