Bleeding your Clutch

Written by BillWilliams

Sunday, 08 March 2009

Mike taught me a way to bleed the clutch system on a five speed that makes things pretty simple.  Get a pump type oil can from your local hardware,dedicate it to brake fluid. Put a section of tubing on it that fits the spout on the oil can and the bleeder screw. Fill the can with your favorite brake fluid, connect the tubing to the bleeder screw, crack the bleeder screw open and start pumping. Have an assistant watch your reservoir to let you know when the reservoir is full and no bubbles. Close the bleeder screw. Bob's your uncle.  Source: http://www.bmw2002faq.com/content/view/93/32/

disassemble, order parts, read installtion manual, reassemble...and then.

the once shiny surface of the newly machined and lightened flywheel had some surface rust on it when i finally got to put the clutch and pressure plate in place today....

this is the newly machined, resurfaced, and lightened m10 flywheel i sent to mule engineering to be reworked...

this is the flywheel view of the engine as it was about to be lowered into the engine bay...as you can see the finely re-surfaced flywheel had been lightened to a 13 lb. flywheel...

...the engine side of someone else's flywheel and a slightly closer view shows the effects of removing the 'excess' flywheel materials...revealing imperfections in the steel...this would NOT be the best flywheel to use under racing conditions...

this is an example of an even lighter flywheel...used for racing applications...it features an alumimun flywheel with a steel starter ring...the problem with these flywheels are with 'lumpy' cams these flywheels do not have the additional weight required to smooth out the idle and therefore these cars lump...lol...

normally, this is a good sight...after months of anticipation today i installed the throwout bearing, the new sachs clutch, and pressure plate...well not today...throwout bearing went easily into its place...a little extra grease for good measure..and the clutch and pressure plate...check...the problem...the flywheel bolts are only a little more than hand tight...think that might be a problem...ugh...i'll disassemble and reassemble later next week...