Hi I have changed the master and slave cylinders on the TD5 some time ago but still have a bit of air in it, think because it is LHD it is harder as there is a extra length of pipe taking the fluid to where the master cylinder would be on a RHD, running along the bulkhead,making another 1.5m of pipe work.
I used to have a gunson kit I always used for clutches and brakes, I can get a kit for €20 but does anyone know if it will fit? and has anyone used one for this?
thanks Ian

Ian M in France said:

Hi I have changed the master and slave cylinders on the TD5 some time ago but still have a bit of air in it, think because it is LHD it is harder as there is a extra length of pipe taking the fluid to where the master cylinder would be on a RHD, running along the bulkhead,making another 1.5m of pipe work.
I used to have a gunson kit I always used for clutches and brakes, I can get a kit for €20 but does anyone know if it will fit? and has anyone used one for this?
thanks Ian

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I have a Gunson kit and I persevered with it for ages but was never happy with it. Especially after it sprayed brake fluid all over the engine bay on one car.
Since then I have always done it the trad way with an old jam jar and a rubber tube with a nail in the end and a slit just above it to give a one way valve.
If you have an airline maybe you could fab a connector to the top of the fluid reservoir, using a second cap with a hole drilled into it, to apply a little air pressure to the top of the fluid to push everything through. I once witnessed a French mechanic having to do this with a Saab 99's clutch when nothing else worked. Thinking about it, you may not need an airline, but the air from a tyre may not do it. My Gunson NEVER worked at the pressure it said it would. I always had to blow the tyre up to a much higher pressure.
Maybe the airlock in the long pipe could be persuaded to move if you jack the Landy up high on the master cylinder side to allow the bubble to rise along the pipe. You could try tapping the pipe to persuade it to move. Or you could apply pressure to the slave cylinder end to push the fluid and bubble up to the reservoir.
I do feel your pain, having been there with various brake and clutch fluid systems.

I found that the best way for the Td5's clutch is to back bleed it, you need a piece of thin hose which fits tight to the bleed nipples long enough to go from the LH front wheel to to slave cylinder, attach the hose to the brake's bleed nipple, release it then push the pedal untill clear fluid comes out, attach it to the clutch slave, release that too, top up the fluid and push the brake pedal about 20 times or untill you dont see bubbles in the tank..., after that you can tighten the brake nipple, remove the pipe and push the clutch pedal to the ground then tighten that nipple too... job done

sierrafery said:

I found that the best way for the Td5's clutch is to back bleed it, you need a piece of silicone hose which fits tight to the bleed nipples long enough to go from the LH front wheel to to slave cylinder, attach the hose to the brake's bleed nipple, release it then push the pedal untill clear fluid comes out, attach it to the clutch slave, release that too, top up the fluid and push the brake pedal about 20 times or untill you dont see bubbles in the tank..., after that you can tighten the brake nipple, remove the pipe and push the clutch pedal to the ground then tighten that nipple too... job done

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clever will give it a go,
thanks

sierrafery said:

I found that the best way for the Td5's clutch is to back bleed it, you need a piece of thin hose which fits tight to the bleed nipples long enough to go from the LH front wheel to to slave cylinder, attach the hose to the brake's bleed nipple, release it then push the pedal untill clear fluid comes out, attach it to the clutch slave, release that too, top up the fluid and push the brake pedal about 20 times or untill you dont see bubbles in the tank..., after that you can tighten the brake nipple, remove the pipe and push the clutch pedal to the ground then tighten that nipple too... job done

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I like this.
Funnily the French mechanic called to the broken down Saab tried exactly this, first. It didn't work, he still had to tow us to a garage and do what I mentioned, airline to the master cylinder.
So glad you made it work.