What a major PITA!!!

I decided I needed to reverse pressure bleed the hydraulics, but didn't have the funds to buy the proper tool, so I made my own. I took a quart sized oil squirt can, thoroughly cleaned it out, filled it with brake fluid, and attached a long piece of vacuum hose to the spout. I then attached the other end of the hose to the bleeder valve on the tranny, and cracked the valve slightly. I went up top, pulled the cap and bellows from the clutch master, used an eye-dropper and removed half of the fluid from the master, and started pumping the squirt can. Within 2 pumps, I saw air bubbles come up into the master. Unreal. I would keep pumping until it was full, and then suck out some fluid with the eye-dropper. I kept doing this until the fluid was clear. I then tightened the bleeder, removed the "pump", installed the cap on the master, and "jack-rabbited" the clutch pedal. Within 15 minutes of starting, I had a full clutch pedal. I measured the movement of the throw-out bearing, and it was right at 1/2" (specs call for .460" or more). I cleaned everything up, started it, and had more clutch pedal than I ever had before! I test drove it, and everything was great. Until I was almost home. I then started smelling clutch.

The way it is now is this: It works great, but after 10-15 minutes of operation, I can smell burning clutch. I don't know if this is just a break-in smell that will go away, or if I have a problem.

Any thoughts?

 

Did you clean off the pressure plate before you put it in? I know that some pressure plates have an anti-rust coating on them so they dont start rusting while they are sitting on the shelf. I usually clean it off with carb or brake cleaner. Most new drums and rotors have the same coating on them. I dont know if that is your problem or not, but its just something that came to mind.

 

I don't recall any smell after having my clutch replaced.
Hope everything works out.

 

I put a clutch in my dakota sport about a month ago and it did smell for a few days, as long as it doesn't slip i wouldn't worry.

-Jon

 

The 2 I've done have not smelled.

 

The smell could have something to do with fluids such as brake fluid, on the clutch disk or if you didn't clean the flywheel before installation. The good thing is this should wear off fairly quick though. Mine did smell for a couple miles however nothing at present. Now, I can't get it bled all the way!! Could you explain a little better how you connected the vac line to the bleeder valve? Did you put it over top the bleader valve and then open it?

 

Yes, but I just barely cracked it open, and then pumped fresh brake fluid in through the bleeder, and eventually up to the master. Worked great. After there are no more bubbles, close the bleeder, cap the master, and pump the pedal like Fred Flintstone powers his car. Do that a bunch of times. After 10 or 15 minutes, push the clutch pedal to the floor and hold it there (I used a 2x4 wedged between the pedal and the seat), and go down and just barely crack the bleeder open for a fraction of a split second, then close it. Actually, just crack it and immediately close it. Go back and remove the 2x4, and then top off the master. Then go jack-rabbit the pedal again, in 5 sets of 15 pumps. That should do it.

everyone else-
I had the flywheel turned, and installed a new pressure plate, disk, pilot and throw-out bearing. I cleaned the pressure plate with Brakleen, but I didn't roughen it's surface, like I probably should have. I figure I either just need to break in the surface of the disk, or else my throw-out bearing is hanging up somehow, slightly, and keeping minor pressure on the fingers of the pressure plate. I plan to drive it on Monday until it starts to smell again, and then pull it into my garage and pull the inspection plug, and observe what's happening.

This is so much more work than it should be.