Clutch Bleeding Problems(fluid won't come out)

[RickyK12]

Life for me is like that old country saying "If it weren't fer bad luck I'd have no luck et all"
2001 LT with 36K miles.
I bought five Speedbleeders and installed as per suggestions in threads.
Problems arose regarding bleeding the clutch, as follows:
1) I removed the grub screw and installed the speed bleeder; No fluid came out.(mindful to overcome the spring pressure inside grub screw housing).
2) I installed a standard factory bleed screw; no fluid came out.
3) I removed the entire factory fill adapter (carefully heating with a hot air heat gun to soften the locktite) and still no fluid.
4) I then applied vacuum with a Mighty Vac (still no luck).
Now this is the first time I'm doing the major services myself. I had the dealer do them in the past. I'm now pondering the following.
A) Might the hose for the "clutch vent" been kinked during a previous service?
B) Might the dealer skipped this procedure and It was never bled?
C) And if (B) is correct, might it now be full of crud and blocking the hose?
D) Or did I inadvertently screw things up on my own?

P.S. Clutch is fine and no different than before this snafu.

Any Suggestions?

[sheldan2]

What is the color of the fluid on your reservior? what size bleeder are you using? It sounds like you are not getting the bleeder in far enough to release the valve, but you should be getting fluid out without the bleeder if you squeeze the clutch lever to begin with. If that doesn't work then you need to check your lines from your clutch lever to your slave cylinder and from there to your bleed valve for a kink

[RickyK12]

Fluid color was red. As I recall, thats the color of BMW factory fluid. Do the Dealers use the same color fluid?
Also, remember I mentioned completely removing the grub screw fill adapter.
I'm thinking I have a kink in the bleeder vent line; The line that comes from the slave and is tie wrapped to the right side frame behind the tip-over chrome cover.
Do you think the kink can be removed? Or does the line need to be replaced?

[sheldan2]

I would look at the line from your slave cylinder to your bleed valve first, cut the tie wraps and follow it back to your slave cylinder, this is probably where you would have a kink, due to the fact if it was kinked prior to your slave then you would be having clutch problems. Loosen your bleeder and pump your clutch and see if fluid is coming out, if it is too tight then that too can cause a blockage of fluid

[zaphod]

3) I removed the entire factory fill adapter (carefully heating with a hot air heat gun to soften the locktite) and still no fluid.
This is when you connect the speed bleeder.

4) I then applied vacuum with a Mighty Vac (still no luck).Did you remove the reservoir cap first?

[jzeiler]

I suspect that there is not sufficient pressure to overcome the internal valve in the speed bleeder. Try a regular bleed valve or try the speed bleeder on a brake caliper to make sure the internal valve opens. Brakes develop higher pressure than clutch systems.

There is still a possibility the bleeder is not opening the check ball in the clutch hose fitting.

Oops! I re-read your post. The mighty vac will not suck fluid from a speed bleeder. There will not be enough vaccuum to open the internal check valve.

OK now I have read the entire post - it does sound like a clogged/kinked line. These use fairly rigid tubing and don't kink easily but it could happen. You could also run some small diameter bailing wire up the tube to see if there is a blockage. I am interested in what the final out come is. Keep us posted.