bg2128506

TL, 2006, MT.

First of all, I studied https://acurazine.com/forums/3g-tl-p...cement-894268/.
As I went in, it turned out that Acura Shop Manual instructions are easier to follow, specifically:

1. No need to disconnect the tube from the reservoir.
2. It's impossible to disconnect the clutch brake line from the cylinder. Simple because you cannot see it. Instead, disconnect the other end of the line from the bracket, per shop manual. You will wiggle cylinder with the lines and reservoir out.

Installing back is a bitch. If I had 1/4'' universal joint, I wouldn't have spent 3 or 4 or 5 hours to install and tighten the nut on the left of the pedal and the bolt down the reservoir back.

The biggest hang up was that bleeding just does not work (used a wooden block to limit the travel of slave cyl fork . The pedal was dead on the floor. Nothing came out of bleeding screw. Zero. Brake fluid stayed in reservoir not going anywhere. I read all over about this problem; suggestion were to use some expensive kit to suck out from the bleeding screw, or sure thing is using compressor to push the brake fluid from the reservoir down. Technically, the best thing I could do was to bench-bleed the new cylinder before installing. But I did not want to take it off again.

Desperate, I went to autozone and accidentally discovered suction pump (pictured). I checked it out - the vacuum it created was awesome. It's hard plastic, not really wide diameter (so it creates more vacuum / pressure), metal rod. Quite expensive - $35.

So, the next couple hours I did the following procedure (during the procedure, the pedal stays up (so the brake fluid can fill it in); cap on the reservoir off). With the plastic tube on the bleeding valve, connect via included adapter to the pump, then:

• top off the reservoir;
• open the valve;
• suck in (pull out the handle);
• close the valve;
• disconnect the pump and empty it into a jar;
• connect it back;
• repeat.

With every stroke, the pump sucks up almost the whole reservoir. Make sure you don't suck the air (so you may want not to pull the whole length). I spent like two hours.
First, only air was coming out.
Half-time through, mostly air mixed with some fluid. About same time, I checked the pedal: some resistance built up closer to the floor. Good. I pulled the pedal back and resumed.
Later in the process, I started to see more fluid than air. At that time, I did two-people method with the pedal. Now pedal would suck up the fluid from reservoir (it stays open all the time). Two-person method is definitely faster.

Then I returned to the vacuum single-person method (the pedal kept up) and did another 20 minutes. The fluid was coming with the air (may be 50-50, or 60-50) - unimpressive. I wanted to check the pedal, tighten everything up - the pedal travel had the same resistance I had with the old cylinder (when it was good). Test-drove - perfect.

So, if you start bleeding and it does not work - that is normal. An air-filled master cylinder can hardly create enough vacuum to start filling in.

WDPanda

It's tricky but possible. Use a rubber hose on bleeder to prevent air from entering and you could even make it a one man bleed. 2 man just speeds it up. I start with my mity vac and recycle the clean fluid then move to: open valve, push pedal (with hose), close valve, pull pedal, repeat. You'll be done in no time. Removing battery really helps. And getting the left nut off the clutch is tricky but very doable if you remove that grey relay that's in the way. I saw no way around it.

bg2128506

You are right about gray relay - I took it out also. But anyway, the straight extension with the socket did not work - the angle of the left bolt was different. I probably shouldn't have tightened the right nut at all and wiggle the MCC. And for the human hand the angle is not workable - I ended up on my head, using right hand to put the nut on.

Regarding the clutch cyl - it's possible to do one man bleeding through the pedal when the cylinder produces suction / vacuum. But in my case it wouldn't suck the fluid from reservoir even a drop. I tried for 20 minutes before realizing it was no-go.

johnboy1313

I'm building a 2004 Odyssey with the 3.2S and 6mt from a 2003 CL-S. I got as far as trying to bleed the system and had to stop there. When the standard two person method wasn't doing anything at all, I bought a Mity-Vac to attempt to vacuum bleed. The Mity-Vac didn't work either. It wouldn't pull through the master cylinder. I cracked the fitting to the hydraulic line at the master cylinder and could hear the vacuum leak at the fitting so I know vacuum was being pulled through the slave and the line. I completely disconnected the clutch line and tried to pull a vacuum through just the master cylinder with no luck either. I'm now at the point that I bought a new master cylinder and am going to try it again.

If everything is functioning properly, I should be able to vacuum bleed the entire system, right?

bg2128506

I was first going to disconnect the clutch line from the bracket and try to bleed through there to rule out the leak anywhere between there and the slave. But with the pump it just did work from the nipple.

And yes - when everything is tight, you will visually see the the fluid going down in the reservoir with every upstroke on the pump.

Now, the way master cylinder works (in general) - when the piston starts travelling (when you press the pedal), it should close the hole to the reservoir. So if the piston is stuck, the bleeding will not work.

I suggest before you instal the new cylinder, bench bleed it - there are plenty of youtube videos.

johnboy1313

Right on. Thanks man.

bg2128506

And don't forget to grease up the clutch line before connecting to the master cyl.

johnboy1313

Im not sure what you mean? What's the purpose of the grease?

bg2128506

See the picture before step 8. https://acurazine.com/forums/3g-tl-p...cement-894268/
Also, see the attachment.
Unless the clutch line on Odyssey connects differently to MCYL, it's not screwed or anything; it's kept in place by the clip. Greasing the seating on the MCYL before connecting the line is important for proper sealing. I would assume if you don't and try to bleed, air will be sucked through that connection, while grease will prevent it.