AE Clutch Bleed Problems

[New guy]

I bought a 2006 AE last summer, and enjoyed it immensely until the snow started to fly. As part of the spring prep I decided to bleed the clutch, as I was getting a little shudder starting out. On my first attempt last weekend I could not get fluid to draw out of the bleed screw. Figuring it may have been my POS vacuum pump/fittings, I purchased a mity vac and gave it another shot. Still can't get fluid moving, and on top of that I am getting a Shift 26 error code. I have not pulled the slave cylinder to pump manually but will try that next. Any other thoughts? I pulled the bleed screw and it is not clogged. Is it possible there is a blockage inside the cylinder? Anything I should look out for when removing the clutch slave cylinder?

Thanks in advance for the advice.

 

[mcatrophy]

SH__26 : "Abnormal clutch movement is detected during check when main switch is turned to ON" - "Detected clutch motor current when main switch is turned ON is too high."

Sounds like either you've introduced some air so no movement of the clutch, or there's some sort of blockage so the clutch can't move. I'd vote that you've introduced air, but I've no first-hand experience of clutch bleeding.

 

[yamafitter]

.... I have not pulled the slave cylinder to pump manually but will try that next. Any other thoughts? I pulled the bleed screw and it is not clogged. Is it possible there is a blockage inside the cylinder? Anything I should look out for when removing the clutch slave cylinder?Thanks in advance for the advice.

I pulled the slave cylinder and made up a small jig that allowed me to stroke the slave cylinder. My jig also guarantees that the slave cylinder puck will not over travel and fall out. Using the jig I apply a small bit of stroke to the puck and then open the bleeder. I then continue to stroke the puck until the puck bottoms out in the cylinder and then close the bleeder. Using this method I have no fears about drawing air back into the cylinder.

If you use this method and still can't get any bleeding action there is something seriously wrong.

I used a small length of angle iron and drilled three holes. Two of the holes are used to hold the jig to the slave cylinder and the third is threaded and I use a small bolt to stroke the cylinder puck.

 

[mcatrophy]

Not sure if it will achieve the same as yamafitter's procedure, but cycling the ignition on and off does exercise the clutch actuator, each time the ignition is turned on the system attempts to disengage and re-engage the clutch to test its operation.

Certainly a substitute for the swing-arm removal and manual operation that the workshop manual calls for.

 

[New guy]

Should the transmission be in neutral or 1st gear when cycling on and off? I suspect I have air, but that doesn't explain why nothing flows with the bleed screw opened. I have good suction pressure before opening the bleed screw. Yamafitter - not having had the cylinder off myself yet, how does your third bolt move the cylinder?

 

[mcatrophy]

Should the transmission be in neutral or 1st gear when cycling on and off? I suspect I have air, but that doesn't explain why nothing flows with the bleed screw opened. I have good suction pressure before opening the bleed screw. Yamafitter - not having had the cylinder off myself yet, how does your third bolt move the cylinder?

I don't think the gear selection matters, but I've only actually observed it when in neutral. If you are in gear, your rider's handbook tells you how to change into neutral manually. Having said that, you can probably get it to electrically select neutral if you push the foot gear switch down immediately after turning on the ignition before the computer has worked out it has the SH__26 error.

Can't comment on why you can't get fluid to flow, sorry.

 

[DailyCommuter]

The master cylinder for the clutch fluid is very small, and unbolts wilth one bolt- why not take it off and try "forcing" fluid through the system from the normal starting point with a large syringe or something. Yes I realize you may wind up with some air in there, but once you get it moving properly re-install the master cylinder an just bleed the system with the mighty vac. I did mine this weekend and it was pretty quick to flush the whole system with new fluid.

 

[New guy]

Thanks for all the replies. On Saturday I removed the line from the slave cylinder with the system still closed (cap on the reservoir), then opened the cap and fluid flowed freely. I then removed the cylinder, and cleaned it up. Nothing appeared to be blocking the line outlet, and the cylinder moved easily. I cleaned everything up, lubricated, and reassembled. Was able to pull fluid through this time, and emptied the reservoir 4 or 5 times. All seems normal now.

One thing I did learn was cycling the key on and off rapidly 3 or 4 times would clear the SH_26 code. This allowed me to change gears. And in case anyone wants to learn from my stupidity, I was pretty sure I had air in the system after the first attempted bleed with the Mityvac was because I didn't pay attention to the "Pump/Vacuum" setting and inadvertently pushed air into the system. Reading instructions has never been my strong suit

 

[yamafitter]

Yamafitter - not having had the cylinder off myself yet, how does your third bolt move the cylinder?

The hole is drilled so that the bolt is centered on the piston. I then threaded the hole on the angle iron so that as I thread the bolt it pushes on the piston. Here is a quick drawing of the jig I built....

Threading the bolt down on the piston will obviously push the piston in. Once you close the bleeder and back off the bolt there is normally enough residual pressure to return the piston back against the backside of the jig. If you have a Mityvac you don't need to bother with any of this.