Clutch: Bleed or adjust pedal???

[1ZZ-FE]

As the rebuild of my MR2 draws to an end (a thread will go up in due course with lots of pics!) I'm down to the bits that 'nag' me. The clutch bites near the bottom of pedal travel with the first third to half feeling 'loose' and ineffective. Changes aren't the easiest but nor was my Celica with the same engine/box. Releasing the pedal after a gear change makes the car 'jerk' or 'stutter' momentarily if you're anything other than granny-gentle. I'm awaiting shift bushes from Nathan to improve the shift feel.

I have a receipt for a new clutch being fitted just over a year ago, I have to assume they bled it to get it operating!? Having seen the Midship Runabout page regarding bleeding - I bet they didn't know about manually compressing the slave cylinder/fork in order to get full flow? I've also seen the method of adjusting the pedal too, but I'm not sure I want to adjust anything if I have air in the clutch.

The pedal feel does have resistance upon pressing the pedal, just nowhere near as much as I would expect it to and then suddenly, 'resistance', if that makes sense? Could any experienced folk point me in the right direction to start?

Regards
Jim

[Andys-N20]

Sounds like you need to bleed her.
If you are doing it on your own without a 'one man bleed tool' then air might find its way back into the slave cylinder in the time it takes you to get out the car and tighen up the nipple.

[1ZZ-FE]

Damn. Well, if thats what I need to remidy the problem then so be it. The Midship page is a little vague as to the slave cylinder position - i'd assume it to be on top of the 'box somewhere near/under the intake/MAF pipe and shifter linkages?

Regards,
Jim

[Andys-N20]

The cylinder that operates the fork is located on the side of the box closest the front of the car. The bleed nipple is on this cylinder. You have easy access to it from under the car.

Did this suddenly start?
If the car has been driving ok and it suddenly started I think it would be unlikely to have air in unless it ran out of fluid.

Has your box / Engine been out as you talk about a rebuild?
Basically if you have disconnected the clutch pipes at any point it will have air in. And it only takes a tiny amount to cause the trouble you talk about.

[1ZZ-FE]

That makes much more sense - thankyou for the thorough description!

No, no disconnections have been made at all - it's as the car was bought from the previous lady owner who just used it as her daily driver. If it needed work she took it to her local garage, who, judging by the standard of some of their other work, shouldn't be in business. I doubt they had the knowledge to compress the cylinder!?

It's one of those things I need to sort, the car is a chore to drive as it is.

Regards,
Jim

[purplepowermonster]

If you have compressed air available then a vacuum bleeder works well
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