Bleeding brakes and clutch :-(

[No Quarter]

It still surprises me how many things that I've done many times before without issues, that creates problems for me on this one. Of course, it being out of service for 20+ years is part of it.

Here's what I have:
Brakes: All pipes, hoses, both masters are new. Calipers look new, are a gift from a local guy who replaced them with bigger ones. He swore they worked when he took them off
Clutch: Everything is new including pipes, hose, pads, master and slave

Todays result:
1. Brakes, rear:
I put my quite expensive pressure bleeder on rear brake fluid reservoir. Opened a bleeder screw (have the extended system so I can do it from below), nothing came out. But a drip came, one of the pipes had not been tightened enough by my mechanic (me). Still nothing came out of the bleeder screw. Same thing on the other rear caliper. Removed pressure bleeder and got the wife to work the pedal, no fluid to bleeders, and it seemed like level in reservoir was constant.
Seems like fluid got to the leaking pipe but not around inside the calipers? Is that even possible?

2. Brakes, front:
Pressure bleeder, left caliper I got the expected fluid, first with bubbles, then pure fluid. Seems all fine with left front caliper. Right caliper, nothing comes out of bleeder screw. Wife replaced pressure bleeder, no change

3. Clutch:
Managed to bleed it I think, but I have to press the pedal quite a bit before action, and looking at the slave, it only moves a 1-2 cm. Is that enough, is there an adjustment I'm missing?

Both pedals are placed nicely I think, ½-1" closer to me than accelerator, and the "pistons" and rods in the masters seem to move as I'd expect.

?

[No Quarter]

Hhmm, maybe learned something new...

I wanted to trace exactly how far the fluid got on the right front caliper. And it got to the last (outer) pod, on the lower connection, releasing a bit, I got fluid, but nothing on the upper where the bleeder valve is. I took the pod off and found a tiny bit of rust inside (so not sure if these calipers will be used), cleaned it, and now fluid flowed all the way through to the bleeder valve, and so now both front calipers are bled.

But I also learned someting new. Every bleeder valve in my past has had konical end to seal. Here it was a ball, I almost lost. That made me think. On the rears, I removed the bleeder valves to install the extension making it easier to bleed with IRS installed. But I don't remember removing or seeing any steel balls, so if they're still in there, no wonder the fluid can only go to and through the caliper, but not out the bleeder extension.

If I'm right, then I "just" have to get the extension removed and the ball up And I installed the extension to make things easier!

[No Quarter]

Looked at rear brakes today and the extensions I bought, I cound see that they would not work with my calipers with the ball type bleeder. So removed it, reinstalled bleeder valves as OEM, and bled the brakes. People locally told me it was almost impossibe to do with IRS in place, but it wasn't IMO.

So brakes solved

[caveman]

I've just fitted Rob Beere remote bleeder kit to my Girling rear calipers. Plenty of room to work with forward facing shock absorbers removed. No balls on original bleed screws or new remote bleeders.
Easily bled fluid through with a good amount of gravity assist initially. Now considering the clutch remote bleeder.

[No Quarter]

So, brakes are fine, nice firm pedal

And the clutch, I think it'll work, now that I bought a correct rod for the slave, instead of the home welded one in the box, and adjusted both slave rod and at pedal. But it still feels I have to move pedal too far before resistance, and it still feels a bit mushy.
Challenge I guess is that the bleeder valve is not on top. So an air bubble will never escape? Is there a trick? Should I against advice put bleeder valve on top, not easy to get to?

I know 4 ways of bleeding, does any of them fix this issue, working against physics?
-Gravity
-Missus on pedal
-Pressure bleeder
-Vacuum bleeder

?

[mgcjag]

Hi Mikael....iv never had a problem bleeding brakes useing the standard old school method...open one bleed screw at a time starting with the one furthest from the reservoir.......press and hold down pedal....close bleed screw.. release pedal... repeat.. do not get into pumping the pedal up/down...the pedal should never be released up with a bleed screw open... it is possible to do this on your own useing a length of timber to hold the pedal down wedged against the seat whilst you close a bleed screw..Steve

[No Quarter]

Hi Steve, no, that method normally works, unless bubbles in master

I think here (clutch) the issue is that bleeder screw is at the bottom. Wonder what people's thoughts are on that

[Tommd]

Since you are having problems bleeding the clutch normally, you may wish to try bottom up. Get either a small pump style oil can or a syringe. Connect the pump to the bottom bleeder with a rubber hose and open the bleeder. Pump the brake fluid up to the reservoir. This will push all the air up and out the top. Close the bleeder, disconnect the pump and you should be good. Obviously, if you use an oil can that previously had oil in it, clean it thoroughly as you do not want any mixing.
Tom

[mgcjag]

Again...clutch..same bleeding technique as brakes...however you need to ensure that on release of the pedal the slave pushrod is fully being pulled back into the cylinder by the return spring..if it isn't then you will have trapped air...you can easily tell by pushing hard on the pushrod to see if it goes in more...Steve

[No Quarter]

Finally I got the clutch bled. Tried a few things of the advice here, but never got it fully as I expected. In the end I decide to bite the bullet and switch incoming and bleeding valve on the clutch slave.

It's against nature to have the bleeder valve on the bottom, air will not come out downwards. I understand why it's OEM, not much room to work on top of clutch slave when all is installed in car. I could do it though, with a bent 11mm (=7/16) spanner. So it can be done.

To make it easier for my self I made an extension anyway, so the bleeder on top extended down, just like the kit for rear calipers. Not necessary, but easier. I then lured the wife out in the workshop, and just 4 pushes on the pedal, and clutch is perfect

So my advice, with or without extension, bleeder valve on top, incoming on the bottom

So now all my pedals work, no excuse now to not start the engine for the first time, probably during weekend...