problem after bleeding the clutch

The hydraulic clutch lever on my 83' honda magna v45 was feeling
really spongy recently so I decided to bleed it today. I followed the
instructions in the clymer manual and bled it until the fluid coming
off the bleed valve had no bubbles and was not dirty. I made sure
everything was very clean before doing anything too. As I bled the
fluid the resistence grew less (logically), but once I filled up the
master reservoir the lever remained really free. Now, pulling the
clutch lever doesn't do anything; it pulls right in and doesn't
disengage the clutch at all. Anyone have any idea what may be wrong?
The fluid is at the correct level and the bleed valve is tight, as is
the reservoir cap. I'd appreciate any suggestions.

Matt

 

That phrasing makes me think you weren't topping up the level
continuously. If you let the fluid level drop too far, you may have
drawn air into a section that normally isn't affected by bleeding.

--

 

Indeed, if the lever pulls all the way in with nothing moving at the other
end it's more than just a little bubble at the banjo fitting.

 

Sounds like air in the master cylinder. One thing that can help is to apply
heat with a hair dryer. When it gets so warm you can't comfortably press
your fingers to the side, the air bubbles inside should expand a lot. This
can help work them out of the system. If memory serves (I don't own a Magna
any more), there is a small hole in the bottom of the reservoir close to the
grip. I believe it's the one that shoots brake fluid all over you if you
squeeze the lever too fast with the cover removed. Anyway, air trapped in
that passage can cause this kind of trouble. If worst comes to worst, maybe
you can go to a pharmacy and get a syringe, remove the needle, fill it with
fluid and then pump fluid into the little holes. Get creative, and use your
imagination on how to get air out of the assembly on the handlebar. Good
Luck.

 

Thanks for the tips everyone. Earlier today I checked everything for
leaks then proceeded to "bleed" the banjo bolt and re-bleed the whole
system. For some reason that did the trick. The clutch doesn't feel
as good as most bikes I've ridden (in fact, I'd probably try to bleed
it again if I'd just gotten the bike) but it's much better than before
I bled it and it could be I'm just not used to the feel of a 1983
magna clutch. Thanks.


Matt