Bleeding the Clutch on an S130

[sek8031]

I was going to have someone come and help me bleed my clutch over the long weekend, and just wanted to make sure I'm prepared so I don't have to make a dozen trips to the hardware store and lose all my daylight in doing so.

First, the FSM for my car ('80 S130) says to use a vinyl hose to attach to the bleeder screw. I can get a vinyl hose, but is this necessary if I already have a couple feet of latex tubing sitting around (you know, for my raging heroin habit), provided it's the right size?

Also, does anyone know offhand what size the nut on the bleeder screw is?

Finally, how do you convince a kid that's 18 to come help you work on a car? My usual powers of beer-bribery are useless against his kind!

[evildky]

lol, trying to get your son involved? have you tried admiistering a fatal beating?

the brake fluis will eat through your latex, but a pieve of rubber vac tubing or whatever works fine as well, I use a brake bleeder bottle with little adapters, makes it easier to keep an eye on air bubles

the bleeder swrews wil vary by manufacturer, the OE's use 10mm bleeders, the rebuilts usually have 8mm

the little cheap brake bleeding kit they sell at the parts sotre for a few bucks is worth the cost IMHO, and pick up an extra bottle of brake fluid while you are in there, I alwasy run out at the worst possible moment

[sek8031]

Actually he's a friend's little brother. He seems into cars, and somehow convinced his mom to buy him a '78 280Z that he found online. I'm hoping the experience alone will make it worth his while.

On the way out of work I swiped a piece of clear plastic tubing runs from the drain hole in a drying rack to the sink (not really necessary). I decided to cut a small piece of that and the latex tube off and test them in a little brake fluid (separately of course) and see if either or both degrade.

Also, I've noticed the new fluid is clear, while the old stuff is a dark reddish brown. Is this a clear indicator that something is wrong, or just a different kind of brake fluid?

[minnesotazcar]

nope the stuff in the car is just discolored from time and heat the new stuff is always clear not to worry they mix just fine if you wanted to take your time you could flush the system till you get clear fluid out of your bleeder but that is up to you...

[evildky]

the fluid should be clear, dirty fluid should be flushed out till you get clear out of the salve

[sek8031]

If anyone is curious, it's been a couple days now and both pieces of hose seem fine. The latex lost some of it's color, but didn't dissolve or turn brittle or anything.

Hooray [pseudo-]science!

[evildky]

when wearing latex gloved they sort of expand then become brittle and tear, I now wear nitrile gloves, the stand up to brake fluid much better