So the clutch on my 05 R53 went to the floor and I was able to pump it and get some pressure, but now the clutch is all the way to the floor. I have a new slave cylinder and I have bled it (I think) enough to be able to push in the clutch.......I can shift gears with the car off (although it seems to like to get stuck in 4th)

Thoughts?

 

Bleeding the clutch slave is one helluva job, even when you do it correctly. Get someone to push in the pedal while you observe the arm actuate...or not. If not, you haven't gotten it bled sufficiently. Keep in mind, your clutch master cylinder may be the culprit, not the slave.

 

Certainly could be the master as NC points out.

To make the bleeding job easier you need to unbolt the slave from the transmission and rotate it so the bleed screw is pointing up. It also helps to make a homemade version of the special tool Mini has for this job - it keeps the rod/piston on the slave fully compressed inside the slave cylinder.
I've never had much trouble when doing it this way.

 

Makes sense. I am making the compression tool. I did notice that when I plug the hose into the Slave Cylinder, it is leaking from around it......not good obviously...do I need a whole new line from the brake fluid res to the slave cylinder?

 

There's a little seal ring that goes on the end of the hydraulic line where it inserts into the slave. Make sure that didn't stay behind inside the old slave.
If it's there in the new slave then make sure it's fully seated on the end of the line.
If it's damaged or missing you only need to replace the short length of hard line that goes from the slave to the top of the trans.

 

Damn, you were exactly right. I found the oring and put that in the new slave and bled it.
Had the wife push the clutch in, I crack the bleeder, let fluid shoot out, then close the bleeder.
Then had the wife slowly pull the pedal up.
Repeated that 3 times (this is all with it off the mount, with the cylinder completely compressed.)
Pedal came up a bit and felt better.
Then jammed the clutch down with a piece of pvc pipe and left that overnight.
Took the pipe out this morning and clutch feels better, able to shift into gears, but still wants to get stuck in 4th….although much easier to get out of gear once it is in….

 

As a gut check, there should be 3/8" or less of freeplay travel on the clutch pedal. Any more than that and you might still have some air in the system.
When uncompressing the slave after bleeding, do it very slowly or you might pull air in through the seals inside the cylinder.
Skip the PVC pipe, that's not doing anything for you.

 

tried again. COmpressed the cylinder....connected the line....put it in place and slowly released the piston....

had the wife push the clutch and i cracked the bleeder...shot out fluid as it should have.

Had her pump the clutch a few times and I bled it a few more times like that.

Still feels the same....better, but still sloppy on the pedal up top.....It will shift into gears with the car off, with it running, and you try to push it into one, the wheels will start to spin.....

 

so I compressed the piston completely...connected it to the "brake" line and pushed the clutch down and bled it. When I was pulling the clutch pedal back up (not fast mind you) I did hear a little gurgling, like it was sucking air as I pulled the pedal up......