Hey guys, I have read some articles on how to bench bleed the master. They all said to attache a hose to the exit hole of the cylinder and run it back into the resevoir, but how can you do this when the exit is just a hole (i.e. it is female, as opposed to a male fitting that I could slide the hose over...)

Any details on bench bleeding the Master would be great. I am replacing the master and slave at the same time, so if there are any other words of caution, let me know.

Cheers!

 

When you but a MC you usually get 2 sml pcs of hose and cheapo plastic fittings to bench bleed with.
If you're doing an old MC you'll have to rig something yourself.
I use 2 old pcs of brakeline w/fittings to attach the hose to.

 

I use several sets of steel brake line with different size fittings. The lines are bent so that when the fitting is locked into the MC ports, the end of the line is inside the fluid chambers. With the chambers full of fluid, the end of each line is below the level of the fluid. I usually mount the MC in a bench vise, so I can work the piston easily. Just pump the piston (slowly) and it will bleed the air from the MC. Some MC manufacturers will supply plastic fittings with rubber hoses to do this. They will work, but you usually have to make up a wire type device to keep the ends of the hoses in the fluid while working.

 

You can install it on the truck, fill the res up with fluid and have someone in the truck push the brake pedal to the floor (slowly). Once the pedal is all the way down, plug the two holes on the MC with your thumbs and have them let the pedal back up. Have them push the pedal down again, let the air escape past your thumbs and plug it back up when the pedal is released. Be sure not to let any air into the mc when the pedal is on it's way up. You will need to do this several times until fluid sprays outta the holes. IMO this way is easier and and just as effective as bench bleeding.

 

ChickenLover - I'm doing the master for the Clutch not the brakes, will it still work, assuming I don't get the fittings with the master when it arrives...

TechWrench - If I end up needing them, are brake lines cheap, as I don't have any kicking around?

Thanks for the replies guys...

 

From the 2001 Tacoma Factory Service Manual;

BLEED MASTER CYLINDER
HINT:
If the master cylinder was disassembled or if the reservoir becomes empty, bleed the air from the master cylinder.
(a) Disconnect the brake lines from the master cylinder. SST 09023–00100
(b) Slowly depress the brake pedal and hold it.
(c) Block off the outlet plug with your finger, and release the brake pedal.
(d) Repeat (b) and (c) 3 or 4 times.

 

You can usually get pre-assembled brake lines at any good auto parts outlet.
They come in various sizes and fitting arrangements. A pair of 12" lines with the correct size fittings should work just fine, and I would expect they would cost less that $10.00.

The method above from the manual to use your fingers to block and unblock the ports on the MC while bleeding will work, but it can get messy. That is why I like using the return line method.

After re-reading your earlier reply, I now realize you are working on the clutch MC, and not the brakes. The principal is still the same, but you will only have one line to bleed instead of the two a brake MC has. Once you have finished bleeding the MC and reconnected the line to the slave, you will still have to bleed the slave cylinder to eliminate any air that might be in the line to it.

 

Great, thanks Tech, Chicken, Watrd and four...

 

The FSM is significantly less help with bleeding the clutch master cylinder;

INSTALLATION
Installation is in the reverse order of removal.
HINT:
After installation, bleed the system and adjust the clutch pedal.

But as Tech said, the principle is the same.