Possible to bleed the clutch without removing the left fairing?

[Rattlehead]

So I got my new master cylinder installed yesterday and plan on bleeding it tomorrow. I hate fiddling with removing plastics if I can avoid it. It looks like reaching the nut is a tight squeeze but possible. Anyone else did this without removing the fairing? I'm thinking if I use a bleeder like the Mityvac, I can just reach in there and open it up, then let the bleeder do the rest. Basically, with the bleeder pump I'm thinking I won't have to keep opening and closing the valve. Just open in up one time, bleed it, then close it off again. Is that correct?

Also, I have no lever tension whatsoever. Probably because the new master cylinder was bone dry (no prime on the piston). Hopefully using a bleeder to vacuum it through will work better than the manual method.

 

[Berlin Germany]

@Rattlehead

two different situations (2 ways)

1st - 2-3 year intervall replacing the old fluid - yes this may work without removing left fairing - 4 that necessary 1 or 2 inch space you can bend the fairing outside (at summer temperatures)

2nd - refill after replacing the sleeve itself - this i guess is not usefull (up to impossible) caused by the lill bit weird form of the slave´s body
the best way to refill the empty system is the "buttom to top" - way like i described here at my page.
but thatfor the left side must get naked.

 

[sixpack577]

You will almost never get motorcycle brake or clutch pressure without a vacuum or a pump to push or pull fluid through the lines.
Those master cylinders do not have a bleeder, so often times you will have to loosen and tighten the line bolt at the MC and use it like a bleeder.
You also do not have to remove the fairing, just remove some fasteners on the left side and rear center, then you can pull the fairing back for more room to work.
Also, when you are finished and have good lever pressure again, pump the lever and zip-tie it to the handlebar overnight(wrap the grip in cardboard to prevent damage), that will make the last of the trapped air move to the end of the line at the MC.
Bleed it again and you're done.

 

[Berlin Germany]

@Rattlehead

damn the ol man´s eyes again

you changed the master - i overread it.

then i would highly recommend
- to strip the fairing and unscrew the sprocket cover (incl. slave)
- open the DOT bottle and leave it open very close to you
- press by 2 thumbs the piston in
and
- pump that way the ol DOT up into the hose and into the new mc´s reservoir , this should cause a lill fountain in the reservoir - watch out that the dot don´t splas outa reservoir and onto your plastics
- while holding the piston deep inside fill up the reservoir 3/4 high with new DOT and release the piston slowly - while slowly releasing the slave´s piston fill up the res. with new dot to keep the level at 3/4 hight.

worst case:
if there is not even a small fountain in the reservoir during this work, you have pulled the ass card and you cannot avoid the work from my description above (buttom-up).

good luck

ps:
the "Mityvac" is a nice tool, but I had to learn the hard way that it won't do its job 8 out of 10 at the hayabusa´s clutch
and the buttom-up-method is the quickest
and i already did that DOT-"change" , i guess, 20-30 times last years

 

[Rattlehead]

Outstanding. Thanks guys! I'll give this a shot tomorrow and see how it goes. I bookmarked your page in case I need to use the other method.

I will do the zip tie trick too.

Thanks again to both of you.

 

[ottafish]

Outstanding. Thanks guys! I'll give this a shot tomorrow and see how it goes. I bookmarked your page in case I need to use the other method.

I will do the zip tie trick too.

Thanks again to both of you.

My local mechanics have told me to not do the zip tie method on the clutch side as it’s holding pressure against the springs overnight. They did say, if you want to do it on the brakes go for it though.
But there’s still a huge debate about this method… does in encourage the last air to come up the line Vs breaking the bubbles into smaller micro bubbles that get absorbed into the fluid by the pressure in the line? There’s massive conjecture about this method.

 

[Rattlehead]

If I can just get my clutch functioning well enough to take it to my local shop, I'll be happy. I was planning on letting them go through it and do a full service anyway. Lots of little things that need to be addressed, and I just don't have the time to do it myself. Working 6 and 7 days per week during Winter months sucks. By the time I get home its already dark outside.

 

[ottafish]

If I can just get my clutch functioning well enough to take it to my local shop, I'll be happy. I was planning on letting them go through it and do a full service anyway. Lots of little things that need to be addressed, and I just don't have the time to do it myself. Working 6 and 7 days per week during Winter months sucks. By the time I get home its already dark outside.

I hear you.
There are times when outsourcing makes total sense and is the quickest and best option.