Successfully Bleeding Hyd T/O BRG
 

Got a tip if anyone (other than me has had trouble bleeding a hydraulic throw out bearing). After I replaced my engine I decided to go ahead and replace some of the parts that I thought might be vuleranable in time. Yep the Hyd T/O brg was the last one I wanted to tackle but I did.

Bench bled the new master cylinder first then measured and installed the new bearing (I highly recommend a transmission jack). So now after getting all my lines connected I began the bleeding process for three hours still no pedal- really starting to get pi$$ed. So here is what worked for me in about 15 minutes.

First I made sure the bleeder line for the T/O brg was at the top of the bearing. Next I loosened the bleeder screw in my top throw out bearing (bleeder) line and submirsed it in a pint jar of brake fluid setting under the Cobra. Next I loosened my bleeder valve at the top of my master cylinder and hooked up my mini-vac and began pulling a vacuum. I could see the pint of brake fluid I had sat under the Cobra and my fill reservior mounted on my firewall begin to fluctuate. After two or three vacuum pulls I closed the bleeder line on my master cylinder. I left the throw out bearing bleeder line submirsed and open in the pint of brake fluid still sitting under my car. Next I went to my clutch pedal and began pumping and within five or six strokes on the clutch pedal by had I had a clutch. I got my wife to help me for the next step which required her to hold the clutch pedal on the floor while I crawled under the car and closed the bleeder line to the throw out bearing. I then had her pump the clutch several times and hold it to the floor while I bled the T/O Brg line once again. I now have good clutch pedal and the whole process took about 15 minutes.

Those who have kept up with this site know that when I installed my FE engine last year I had plenty of problems bleeding my throw out bearing. This method worked for me and I belive it will work with other new installs as well. Untill someone finds a way to get a little more room under a Cobra with a FE and Toploader hyd throw out bearings are mandatory.

Clois Harlan

Clois: Good idea, thinking "outside the box!"
Question.......How did you keep your wife out in the garage for 15 minutes? I'd have to hand cuff her to the steering wheel.

Rick

Rick,

We just built a new house and we moved in Easter weekend. So I told her as soon as I got this T/O Brg bleed out I could help with moving and unpacking some of the boxes in the main garage. So the last couple of days we have been unpacking boxes and hanging pictures before I can start on setting up my garage.

Trade-Offs!!!!

Ah.........a hostage negotiator from the oil industry.

good luck on the new diggs....

Rick