Why won't my clutch bleed?

[buck87xj]

well i tried everything from the way chilton's said to gravity bleed and a hand pump. What else cold be wrong. Its a new Master and bearing assy. [img]images/graemlins/cussing.gif[/img]

[athlonaj]

I don't have any idea of the hydraulics on the XJ's with clutches so I can't help ya. But hopefully someone will so I'll bump this back up!

[WilliamA]

I have an 85 so I'm not sure exactly how your clutch system is layed out. I have a bleeder on my slave cylinder. That's it. I think I'd read somewhere in these pages that the newer XJs have 2 bleeders; one up top near the master cylinder and one below (like mine).

When I've bled mine, all I had to do was crack that bleeder open (with the master cylinder cover off) and the juice started dripping.

If you do have a bleeder up top, make sure it is closed. If it's not, close it and then try bleeding again.

If it's not dripping and you can't drawl fluid with a vaccum pump; I would think there is dirt(clog)in the line.

Are you sure you didn't kink the steel line when you replaced the master cylinder?

Assuming the clutch was working ok prior to your having to change it. The only other thought I have would be to disconnect the line at the master cylinder and try drawling threw that to make sure the line is clear. If this works, I would deem the new master cylinder at fault.
[I just thought of this: So you don't get air into the line; you might want to try placing a bottle of brake fluid under the XJ and run a hose from that and up to the bleeder (OPEN) at the slave cylinder. Attach your pump to the master cylinder side of the line and try sucking. Kinda like a back flush!]
[img]images/graemlins/blush.gif[/img]
EDIT: I thought about it and what I had mentioned in the
[ ]s above WOULD introduce air into the system
because of the air that would be in the hose between
the fluid in the bottle and the bleeder. You could
continue to drawl fluid upward until all the air is
out of the system. Just wanted to point this out!

If you don't want to go through that, I would just return the new master cylinder for another and see if that works.

[dohertyr]

billy's last idea worked with mine,I had the same problem
on my 89 and its been fine ever since.richie

[buck87xj]

It was the master cylinder. I replaced it with the old one i kept and everything works great. I am going to get the rebuild kit for it and rebuild it. I took the bad one apart and found the seal on the end of the plunger bad. I didn' t think that was the problem becuse the master cylinder is only a few months old. With the cluth assy thats in this jeep has only the cylinder and bearing assy. the bleeder is sticking out of the bell housing. ]
I installed a LUK clutch and it feels a bit tighter at the pedel that the one that was in it.
Best thing about the this was when i remvoed the CPS from the bell housing and cleaned it off i was worried about it not working when i put it back on, and it worked great. i am thiniking that it was replaced at one time becuse the wire wasn't in the clamp on the tranny bolt. [img]images/graemlins/40BEER.gif[/img] [img]images/graemlins/givemebeer.gif[/img]