help! Need help on bleeding clutch line

My 2001 venture,89,000 miles.It had the problem of old fluid, got hot,got bubbles, made it hard to shift.Help here said change fluid, should be fine.I sopped out the blackish looking fluid, now get just clear fluid when I open bleeder screw.But about 4 times it got air in it again.I got master cylinder filled up,it was not very low, I opened the screw, couple burps of air, then it was fine.each time lasted about 2 weeks.I figured I must have not got all the old fluid out.Today the clutch lever was very limp.I once again added fluid, burped air out, was better but not right.I repeated the procedure, got nothing but fluid, no air.Clutch lever still too soft, no resistance at all.

Now once you go out of neutral it lurches forward.It can be ridden, shifts good till fifth gear, then its a little hard to get into.Downshifting is a real problem,barely made it home.This time I put it on my lift with handlebars and bike level.Repeated fill and bleed.No good.I need to buy a vacuum device? What should I do? Please help.Thanks for any input.

Find something and tie the clutch handle down over night. It probably has air trapped and its a bear to get out. Tien the handle down overnight should allow it to find its way out the return hole in reservoir. If I remember how the story goes correctly. When I change mine I make sure I still have fluid in the holes and get the crud out of the crevices. But that way fluid stays in the pick ports.

Find something and tie the clutch handle down over night. It probably has air trapped and its a bear to get out. Tien the handle down overnight should allow it to find its way out the return hole in reservoir. If I remember how the story goes correctly. When I change mine I make sure I still have fluid in the holes and get the crud out of the crevices. But that way fluid stays in the pick ports.

:sign yeah that: Master Full, Tie the handle in against the handlebar and leave sit overnight. Lid must be loose or better off if you can cover so nothing gets in it. You will have clutch next morning.

Here's what I do when bleeding a clutch. Once you have the do-dads on hand it's a 15-20 minute job. And works every time.

When trying to bleed a clutch that is completely empty of fluid on a Venture, it’s very difficult…maybe impossible… to get all the air purged out of the lines normally because of the location of the reserve to the slave. Unlike bleeding the brakes where the pressure is built up by rapid pumping the pedal or lever, the clutch does not build pressure. Squeezing the clutch lever has to be done slowly and constantly. Using this method causes the air bubbles in the lines to move down toward the slave with each stroke. During the release of the lever the air bubble rises upward in the line. Air rises. So in effect you end up with these bubbles rising and falling and going nowhere. I seen threads over the years where the owner has struggled for days to get the clutch properly bled.

Reverse bleeding is done by forcing fresh DOT fluid into the bleeder valve, and forcing the air and fluid up the line and into the reserve. This can be done several ways. If you have a Speed-Bleeder installed it will have to be removed. If you have a regular bleeder, the reverse bleed can be done with the valve in and open, or you can remove the valve like a speed-bleeder. I find the removal of the valve the easiest.

Take a rubber ear wax remover blub that you can find in your local drug store and snip the tip off a little bit at a time until it fits into the threads of the removed valve of the slave. It should fit snuggly and the tip end should be a bit off the bottom of the bleeder hole.

Remove all the old fluid from the reserve, if any. Suck up enough fresh fluid to fill the bulb, squeeze any air out of the bulb, and insert it in the threads of the slave and force the fluid into the slave. Keep an eye on the reserve to make sure it doesn’t overflow. Not good. Sometimes you can hear bubbles as they make their way out of the line and into the reserve. If the bulb runs out of fluid it can be reloaded. The hole can be blocked off with your finger while refilling. When no more bubbles appear stick the bleeder valve back into the slave, adjust the level of the fluid in the reserve to about half full, replace the reserve top and you’re good to go.

This whole process can be done in about 15 minutes. When done go for a ride.

PS: After first opening up the reserve, lightly squeeze the clutch lever a tad. The surface of the fluid in the reserve should deform slightly. Squeeze hard and you’ll end up with fluid on you and the bike. Not good. What this shows you is that the expansion orifice is clear and functioning. If it’s plugged the hot expanded fluid will have no place to go, and start to push on the slave as if you were actually pulling the lever. The clutch will start to slip. This is also why the reserve should be only filled half way. I have seen owners spend a lot of money rebuilding their clutches, and all the reserve had was a plugged expansion hole caused by old dirty crystallized fluid.

Hope this helps

The problem would be air stuck at the joint between the master cylinder and the clutch line. Get the scoot to sit up as straight as you can without it falling over to the right, swing the handle bars fully to the right to get the master to be totally at the top of the system. Remove the reservoir cover, make sure you have it at least half full, put a large rag under the master. Now you gently rap the joint of the master and the line while at the same time slightly squeezing the handle to activate the master. You will see bubbles coming up in the reservoir. Don't squeeze too much, it only takes a little bit, you really don't want to be sending any fluid down the line. Should take about 5 min to do the procedure.

Here's what I do when bleeding a clutch. Once you have the do-dads on hand it's a 15-20 minute job. And works every time.

 

When trying to bleed a clutch that is completely empty of fluid on a Venture, it’s very difficult…maybe impossible… to get all the air purged out of the lines normally because of the location of the reserve to the slave. Unlike bleeding the brakes where the pressure is built up by rapid pumping the pedal or lever, the clutch does not build pressure. Squeezing the clutch lever has to be done slowly and constantly. Using this method causes the air bubbles in the lines to move down toward the slave with each stroke. During the release of the lever the air bubble rises upward in the line. Air rises. So in effect you end up with these bubbles rising and falling and going nowhere. I seen threads over the years where the owner has struggled for days to get the clutch properly bled.

 

Reverse bleeding is done by forcing fresh DOT fluid into the bleeder valve, and forcing the air and fluid up the line and into the reserve. This can be done several ways. If you have a Speed-Bleeder installed it will have to be removed. If you have a regular bleeder, the reverse bleed can be done with the valve in and open, or you can remove the valve like a speed-bleeder. I find the removal of the valve the easiest.

 

Take a rubber ear wax remover blub that you can find in your local drug store and snip the tip off a little bit at a time until it fits into the threads of the removed valve of the slave. It should fit snuggly and the tip end should be a bit off the bottom of the bleeder hole.

 

Remove all the old fluid from the reserve, if any. Suck up enough fresh fluid to fill the bulb, squeeze any air out of the bulb, and insert it in the threads of the slave and force the fluid into the slave. Keep an eye on the reserve to make sure it doesn’t overflow. Not good. Sometimes you can hear bubbles as they make their way out of the line and into the reserve. If the bulb runs out of fluid it can be reloaded. The hole can be blocked off with your finger while refilling. When no more bubbles appear stick the bleeder valve back into the slave, adjust the level of the fluid in the reserve to about half full, replace the reserve top and you’re good to go.

 

This whole process can be done in about 15 minutes. When done go for a ride.

 

PS: After first opening up the reserve, lightly squeeze the clutch lever a tad. The surface of the fluid in the reserve should deform slightly. Squeeze hard and you’ll end up with fluid on you and the bike. Not good. What this shows you is that the expansion orifice is clear and functioning. If it’s plugged the hot expanded fluid will have no place to go, and start to push on the slave as if you were actually pulling the lever. The clutch will start to slip. This is also why the reserve should be only filled half way. I have seen owners spend a lot of money rebuilding their clutches, and all the reserve had was a plugged expansion hole caused by old dirty crystallized fluid.

 

Hope this helps

Condor's method is basically same way I did Big Red but with a bit of a twist...

1. I used a length of clear tubing and a 60 cc syringe and that I got from a feed and seed store. Sold for injecting livestock. You can also purchase a 200 cc extraction/fill device from Auto Zone for about 30 bucks but the livestock syringe is a lot cheaper. Maybe $2.00

2. Remove the bleed screw and very carefully apply Teflon tape to the threads of the bleed screw ONLY. This prevents sucking air through the threads. Do this carefully and methodically so that you don't get loose Teflon tape in the system. Reinstall the bleed screw.

3. Remove the line/banjo bolt at the clutch master cylinder and hang it into a plastic drink bottle. Coke is fine.

4. Next attach the hose/syringe to the bleed screw and force brake fluid through the hose and into the plastic drink bottle. It is very easy and there is little resistance going through the open line. Now it's bled and flushed all the way to the banjo bolt.

5. Once all of the air is out all of the way to the banjo bolt close the bleed screw and reattach the banjo bolt.

6. Now re-open the Bleed screw and force the fluid the rest of the way into the clutch master reservoir. Close the bleed screw.

Voila!

I can appreciate your frustration. A year or so ago I missed a ride to AR because I had no clutch. I replaced the clutch (and brake) lines with stainless lines and added speed-bleeders. Every thing went great except the clutch. Even used the hand-vac pump. Just couldn't get the clutch to bleed. Did what this forum suggested (not the first tme this forum helped me). Used velcro wire ties to hold the clutch lever pulled over night. Next morning worked great.

I did a combo of many things said here.I got the bike shifting great now.I bought a mightyvac.waste of money this time.I can not get a clear tubing nor for sure any of the supplied right angle fittings on over the bleeder screw.Its too close to the cylinder head, so went old route.I had bike on lift, level, bars to right making reservoir level.filled close to top,had wife pump lever 5 times and hold down after5.I opened the screw, fluid came out.Air would burp up into the reservoir each time.Finally that quit, the lever got firm.I put cover back on, let bike down, went for a ride.It shifts perfect now.I will use the tied down lever next time.Good idea.Thanks for everyone's help.

So you discovered the answer,,,, in: air would burp up into reservoir each time...... best of the world to ya.