# 2003 6 speed Turbo Clutch Bleeding



## beryxil (Sep 21, 2019)

Hi, I have an '03 Beetle 6 speed. The clutch pedal won't engage the gears. It goes down and up, but it seems like it won't go down enough. I had a similar issue on a Honda Civic and when I bled the clutch it worked again.

My question is how do I bleed the clutch on a 6 speed? I have search online and I haven't found pictures or videos that matched my car. I understand that the clutch slave is inside the transmission, is there a process for bleeding it?

Thanks.


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## petethepug (May 25, 2001)

http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=395269

Your right, not much out there. The last time I dealt with it I made a bleeder in 92 for my Corrado. Since the clutch doesn’t build pressure like the brakes it’s all gravity.

The power bleed set ups are worth the purchase price even if you go generic purchasing from harbor freight.


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## beryxil (Sep 21, 2019)

petethepug said:


> http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=395269
> 
> Your right, not much out there. The last time I dealt with it I made a bleeder in 92 for my Corrado. Since the clutch doesn’t build pressure like the brakes it’s all gravity.
> 
> ...


How do you bleed with a power bleeder?


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## petethepug (May 25, 2001)

It’s a modified garden bug spray container made to take a vacuum instead of pressurize. A few pumps on the container and it suctions the fluid through the lines to pull all the air bubbles out.


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## beryxil (Sep 21, 2019)

petethepug said:


> It’s a modified garden bug spray container made to take a vacuum instead of pressurize. A few pumps on the container and it suctions the fluid through the lines to pull all the air bubbles out.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


How do you, and where do you connect it?


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## billymade (Jan 29, 2008)

I have the 02M six speed; i had to bleed mine, after a clutch and throw out/bearing slave replacement. There are many threads on vwvortex, where people struggle to get it bled correctly; without a bleeder tool, it can be nearly impossible! I tried the conventional bleeding methods and failed; the clutch is notorious for being hard or impossible to do so. I found the phoenix systems reverse bleeder; to be a one person bleeding process and literally took a couple of minutes to complete with any need to pump the clutch pedal in a traditional brake bleed manner to evacuate the air, or bad fluid out of the clutch system. 

With the reverse bleeder: you fill up the bleeder bottle with fluid and attach the hose to the bleeder block screw. Remove excess fluid from the clutch master cylinder reservoir and open the bleeder block screw/valve. Then, pump the. reverse bleeder gun; to push the fluid through the system into the clutch master cylinder reservoir (the reverse of most bleeding procedures; remember air is lighter than hydraulic/brake fluid and so it will travel up to the reservoir and the air will be released, evacuated, from the clutch hydraluic system!). Tighten the bleeder block valve closed; go in the car and test out the clutch pedal. Do this procedure, as many times as needed; until the pedal feels normal, the fluid is clean and the clutch operates correctly. Pretty easy and the job is done! Then test drive the car and see how it operates. If you feel it needs to be redone; go ahead and do it, it is quick, easy to perform the bleeding process. 

NOTE: when installing new parts like the slave/throw out bearing; the fluid will run out if the system and the clutch pedal can get stuck all the way to the floor and not retract. Don't worry, just use the top of your foot or your hand; to bring it back up and the reverse bleeding process, will fix this problem (happens as fluid/pressure is gone).

While, you do have to buy the Phoenix reverse bleeder tool; it really works and you can use it in the future, to bleed brakes or clutches on any other cars you work on. I was amazed, how well it worked and it was worth every penny! 



There are different levels of quality and kits; of the Phoenix reverse bleeder but the plastic V5 model, the cheaper version should work fine, unless you use it professionally and in that case, you might step up to the metal version, which is more durable long term. 

Phoenix Reverse Brake Bleeder

Check out the videos on youtube; to see, how Phoenix systems illustrates the clutch and brake bleeding process: 

https://www.google.com/search?sxsrf...hUKEwi63b3ug-PkAhWM_J4KHc43BpgQ4dUDCAg&uact=5


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## beryxil (Sep 21, 2019)

billymade said:


> I have the 02M six speed; i had to bleed mine, after a clutch and throw out/bearing slave replacement. There are many threads on vwvortex, where people struggle to get it bled correctly; without a bleeder tool, it can be nearly impossible! I tried the conventional bleeding methods and failed; the clutch is notorious for being hard or impossible to do so. I found the phoenix systems reverse bleeder; to be a one person bleeding process and literally took a couple of minutes to complete with any need to pump the clutch pedal in a traditional brake bleed manner to evacuate the air, or bad fluid out of the clutch system.
> 
> With the reverse bleeder: you fill up the bleeder bottle with fluid and attach the hose to the bleeder block screw. Remove excess fluid from the clutch master cylinder reservoir and open the bleeder block screw/valve. Then, pump the. reverse bleeder gun; to push the fluid through the system into the clutch master cylinder reservoir (the reverse of most bleeding procedures; remember air is lighter than hydraulic/brake fluid and so it will travel up to the reservoir and the air will be released, evacuated, from the clutch hydraluic system!). Tighten the bleeder block valve closed; go in the car and test out the clutch pedal. Do this procedure, as many times as needed; until the pedal feels normal, the fluid is clean and the clutch operates correctly. Pretty easy and the job is done! Then test drive the car and see how it operates. If you feel it needs to be redone; go ahead and do it, it is quick, easy to perform the bleeding process.
> 
> ...


That sounds great. Where is the bleeder block screw. None of my searches have been able to show me where. 


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## billymade (Jan 29, 2008)

This video, shows the install of the ecstuning bleeder block but should give you an idea, where it is located (Note: Golf V shown but location is the same on Mark IV VW's): 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLM7EoE8tO8


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## beryxil (Sep 21, 2019)

Thanks. I watched that video for the reverse bleeding tool and it looks pretty slick. I appreciate all of the help.


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## billymade (Jan 29, 2008)

No problem; let us know the results of things and we can go from there. Thanks.


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## beryxil (Sep 21, 2019)

Thanks for all of your help. I was able to bleed the clutch and it is back on the road!  I am going to order a reverse bleeding tool and that ECS Tuning bleeder block. It seems like a good way to go. 

Thanks again. 

Jason


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## billymade (Jan 29, 2008)

Good job!


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## petethepug (May 25, 2001)

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