09 Versa Base 5sp, Clutch not working

[matthewst]

It will shift fine if I'm in the city constantly shifting (clutch in, out, in , out). If I don't shift for a while (hwy driving) the clutch has no pressure. I can push it all the way to the floor and the car behaves as if I haven't touched the clutch at all. I have to pump the hell out of it to get any pressure back. Then it will shift normal as long as I'm constantly using the clutch. If not, it goes back to not having any pressure.

At least that was the case...

I went to Nissan and purchased a new clutch master cylinder, put it on and attempted to bleed the system. It was at this point I realized there is no bleed valve. There is a nipple...thing on the hydraulic line near the transmission just before the slave cylinder but that's it. It's not a schrader valve....

Anyone bleed this system before? Is that valve/nipple thing supposed to be hooked to a vacuum pump or something? Rubber hose from the valve/nipple into a bottle of brake fluid then work the clutch peddle to suck fluid into the system?
I'm completely stuck until I can get this to work. Thank you for any help you can provide.

[matthewst]

Got it....I think. I filled a shot glass with brake fluid, disconnected the line that goes from the master cylinder to the dampener (on the cylinder end), then submerged the "down spout" portion of the master cylinder in the break fluid. Had my daughter push in the clutch, the fluid bubbled when air was forced out of the cylinder. When she pulled the clutch back up the cylinder sucked fluid into itself. We repeated these steps a couple of times. Then reconnected everything. The clutch feels like it functions as it should. I will test drive asap.

[matthewst]

No good. Same problem as before. Anyone got any ideas?

[pimpernell]

No good. Same problem as before. Anyone got any ideas?

When I bled the slave cylinder on the cars I have owned in the past using the pedal, it is a two person operation. You open the nipple on or near the slave cylinder, the other person pushes down on the clutch pedal, and holds it down until until the nipple is closed. Once the nipple is closed,the person can let up on the pedal. You repeat that process until the hose you have connected to the nipple only shows brake fluid coming out with no air bubbles. During this process, make sure you check the master cylinder and keep the fluid level up, otherwise it will suck in more air. Good luck

[matthewst]

That's just the thing...the "nipple" is plastic and is molded onto the line. I doesn't turn. It looks like something you would hook a vacuum line up to.