You guys are brilliant. That's one thing I didn't take into consideration - the fact that the valve on the one man kit might have seized!

Theoretically if the valve did seize, and I was trying to bleed with it, that would explain the build up of air pressure and pop when I removed the tube right. I mean if the valve was working the valve would pass the air and eventually i'd get fluid.

I think you guys have solved it . Much appreciated, sometime tommorow i'll get someone around to do the old 'up, up, down, down, up, up, down, down' and *hopefully* I'll get some freaking fluid!

Maybe a new slave like Mike says if all else fails

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I live with fear everyday. but sometimes she lets me race.

If it's an alloy cylinder, I've seen the bypass port block up with crud- they are only about 1.5mm diameter.
Can be cleaned out after removing the plastic reservoir, use a tiny drill.

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DrMini- 1970 wasaMatic 1360, Mk1S crank, 86.6HP (ATW) =~125 @ crank, 45 Dellorto (38 chokes), RE282 sprint cam, 1.5 rockers, 11.0:1 C/R.

It's a plastic / metal type one doc, not sure if it's alloy.

I got my brother over and we tried to bleed it with a tube and fluid ina bottle, it kept pushing a small amount of air, but no fluid - probably gave it 15-20 up/downs and it looked to be about the same amount of fluid coming out each time.

I'm off to grab a slave cyl, I still kind of think it's the master intake, which if blocked is the reason the cylinder piston is just pumping air, how it got blocked I have no idea and not sure how to unblock (when I was rekitting it a few days ago I couldn't see anything visible to unblock in the piston column.

Still hesitant to go and buy new parts bit by bit but not sure what else it could be, i'm not leaking fluid anywhere in the system which again points to m/cyl fluid intake being blocked.

Shard

That little slave breather can get junk caught in the very small hole at the base. Sometimes you need to get it out completely and clean it out with a pin, or no fluid will pass through. Blow through it to make sure it is clear as well. While it is out, some fluid should be convinced to make the journey from the MC to the Slave cylinder to get the ball rolling.

Just my 2 cents I thought I might add having had this problem a couple of weeks ago..

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SooperDooperMiniCooperExpertEngineering

All garage work involves equal measures of enthusiasm, ingenuity and a fair degree of irresponsibility.

Ok fitted new slave, went to bleed system and still only air.

Pressure is building in the system so I'm assuming it's not leaking anywhere, all signs point to something blocked in master cyl where the fluid is let into the system. I did notice when bleeding with the new slave a tiny amount of fluid went through (and I got the slightest clutch arm movement) so I assume the new slave had enough pressure to suck some fluid out of the master.

I've pulled the master and plan to soak it in meth spirits overnight and let it dry off tommorow. 2 questions:

1. is the master supposed to leak any fluid when removed through the top hole? Mine's not leaking anything (unless I shake it I get a few drops out).

2. How do you get the plastic reservoir off? I can't see anything it's just stuck on there. Brand is delphi if that helps.

Shard

I can't seem to see it anywhere here in the thread, but did you replace the clutch hose??

I mean, it may be the item throttling the flow of air (and hence fluid) into the slave cylinder..

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SooperDooperMiniCooperExpertEngineering

All garage work involves equal measures of enthusiasm, ingenuity and a fair degree of irresponsibility.

yes clutch hose was replaced. So far this i swhat i've done.

Rekitted master cyl
Replaced slave cyl
replaced hose
cleaned metal tube to hose-->mastercyl.

Cleaned bleed nipple on the clutch slave cylinder?

It's just not that hard, something simple is being passed over...

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SooperDooperMiniCooperExpertEngineering

All garage work involves equal measures of enthusiasm, ingenuity and a fair degree of irresponsibility.

Yes nipple was cleaned and blown through, system now has a new nipple (which I checked anyway) when I fitted the new slave cyl today.

I agree it's not that hard which is why it's so frustrating. If soaking the master in meth overnight and letting it dry tommorow doesn't fix the problem, I can't afford a master cyl for a month at least.

...so annoying given the circumstances in which it just stopped working while I was bleeding it last weekend.

Shard

I wonder if the rubber is stuck at the end of the cylinder?
Is the cylinder on the car?

On the master?

Master is sitting in a bottle of meth at the moment. When you say stuck on the end of the cylinder do you mean the rubber circle thing that goes on the end with the washer being stuck in the corridor?

Anyway to check this (just pull it apart like I was fitting new parts?) and/or test this is happening?

(and why?)

The 'old' rubber was on the piston correctly when I removed it to fit the new kit earlier this week.

Shard

YAY!

Let the master dry up this morning/arvo and bolted it in along with the pipe and decided to use the gunsuns bleeder I had in storage this time.

Not sure if the soak overnight cleared the master or the 20psi was needed to get it going but either way I had fluid after 10-15 secs and all is well again. Thanks for the help guys - I hate weird problems.

(I have a car over summer woohoo!)

What I'd like to know is ... whats the easiest way to change over the clutch hose ... its leaking fluid under pressure at the SC end.

I think I must have damage the hose some how when I was clamping it ... oh well, we live and learn.

So ... do you try and access the nut attaching the hose to the SC from above or below?

Or ... do I flat bed it over to the mechanic ... with a heavy heart?

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-- Simon // VMCI Member 2674 --

1. Remove the metal line from MC to SC hose.

2. Use the right socket to undo the nut holding the hose in situ.

3. Undo the 2 X 9/16" bolts holding the SC on.

4. Remove SC complete with hose.

5. Change hose then re-instal SC and hose.

6. Bolt up hose.

7. Replace metal line.

8. Bleed the system.

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1964 998 Cooper , 1968 Morris 1100