Clutch Fluid and Bleeding??

[e21rana]

Iv got a 4speed e21 gearbox which clutch fluid do i use? And how do i bleed it? Iv got DOT4 synthetic fluid is that the right one? Or do i need a DOT3? Also can i use the same fluid for the brakes?

[murran]

its just normal dot 4 brake fluid.
what have you done to it? why does it need bleeding? have you replaced a cyl?

if youve just replaced the slave then undo the nipple and gravity bleed it till it drips out in a steady fasion.
then tighten the nipple up and get your mate to pump the pedal 5/6 times and hold the pedal down. then you undo the nipple and the spring in the clutch will force the fluid out. tighten the nipple up again, then pump the pedal 5/6 times again and undo it again...... repeat til no air is being forced out.... that should be it.
same applies if youve replaced the master just that youll need to gravity bleed it alot longer. and maybe press the pedal up and down SLOWLY (or you'll airiate the fluid and take you three times as long to bleed it) with the nipple undone to get it to gravity bleed.... once you have a steady dripping of fluid out of the open nipple. then do the latter stage of what i wrote above.

keep the reservoir topped up if it goes dry youve undone what your trying to do and will have to start again gravity bleeding it!

[e21rana]

Basically when i did the engine swap i took the gearbox out with the engine which in the end i realised was no point doing. But anyways so i took the gearbox out disconnected the clutch. So now the clutch bottle is totally empty. Is the process the same?

[murran]

yeah process is the same.

but next time you remove an engine just unbolt the cylinder off the gearbox and cable tie it out of the way.