Always place jack stands beneath a vehicle you work on. You can find the designated jack points for your vehicle in the owner’s manual.
Because you will be working under the vehicle, you may want to use goggle style eye protection instead of traditional safety glasses. Neoprene or latex gloves will prevent your hands from getting covered in brake fluid.
The hose will direct the path of the brake fluid you drain from the system. The bottle will catch the brake fluid as it drains.
You can ask the clerk at your local auto parts store to look up the correct type of brake fluid for your application. Using the wrong kind of brake fluid could damage the system or cause it to fail.
It’s okay if you overfill the reservoir, as you will be draining a good amount of fluid from the system in the bleeding process.
If you have difficulty locating the slave cylinder or bleed screw, refer to the service manual for your vehicle.
Ensure the hose is securely pressed onto the nozzle. Set the soda bottle down on a flat surface like the ground or a box to ensure it doesn’t tip over.
Be sure to leave the hose attached to the nozzle at all times to avoid spilling brake fluid. Leave the screw open for now.
As your friend presses the pedal downward, brake fluid will be drained into the bottle through the hose on the bleed screw. Make sure you are positioned so you can see the fluid draining through the hose.
If your friend releases the pedal before you close the bleed screw, air will be sucked into the system, making the bleeding process significantly longer. Don’t overtighten the bleed screw, as you will need to open and close it repeatedly.
Be sure the pedal has been released completely before you open the bleed valve again.
Bleeding the slave cylinder with an empty reservoir will suck air into the system again. Check the reservoir regularly to ensure it does not run out of fluid.
Air bubbles in the system can lead to your clutch system only delivering intermittent pressure. Intermittent pressure in the clutch system can cause the clutch to fail to disengage.
Once the bubbles stop coming you can seal the bleed screw and place the cap back on the reservoir. If there is a leak somewhere in the system, you will need to seek a professional to identify and repair it.
