After trying to bleed clutch master cylinder, unable to get pressure back in clutch

[AnotherUser]

I tried to bleed my clutch cylinder, like I would with brakes. I unscrewed it, turned on the van and pumped on the clutch about 8 times and them wedged something to keep it depressed, then put the screw back in. But there is now no pressure when I push in the clutch. I've refilled the fluid reservoir and it's still not building pressure up. There seems to be air in the lines still, but I don't know how to get it out.

[AnotherUser]

I managed to fix this. I was doing it the wrong way.

For the wondering, I did a gravity bleed rather than trying to pump on the clutch.

All I did was loosen the bottom bleed screw, go up top to the fluid reservoir and continuously poor brake fluid in it. After a good amount of fluid I went underneath to check and it was flowing out in an even stream, then I tightened the screw and that was it.

[Burntboot]

My general policy is to bleed on the bench first (if possible)
Then I gravity bleed and only then will I start the regular process.
For what its worth, bleeding is done by cracking the bleeder, depressing the pedal, closing the bleeder, topping up the fluid, then repeat.

*** If the pedal is allowed to rise while the bleeder is open, it will suck air INTO the system

While the pedal feels good, I would still arrange a helper and bleed it a couple more times with pressure.
I can almost guarantee the pedal feel will improve and when the pedal feel improves, so does the clutch action.

Glad you got it sorted

[AnotherDave]

Similar problem to OP, just looking for more info. I changed my clutch master cylinder. I didn't bench bleed, No access to workshop or a bench. I can open the bleeder screw and have clear fluid run out the bottom, no bubble. (I've drained 250 mls, about a cup out this way, keeping the reservoir at full at all times). I cannot build any pressure at all by pumping the clutch with the bleeder closed. No Fluid is leaking.

How long did/does it take of pumping the clutch to build pressure?
Can anybody suggest what I might have done wrong that would lead to an apparantly leak free line from reservoir to slave, but would stop pressure building up.

All good now. As a note to future people with this problem, when you are frustrated enough to ask for help on the internet, you are about a third of the way there.

1)I filled the reservoir to beyond the full line, then gravity bled out a full cheap one-man-bleed-kit bottle twice.
2)I then closed the bleeder screw, topped up the reservoir and gave the pedal 4 pumps
3)I then opened the bleed screw, and ran back around to give it 2 more pumps
4)I then watched the tubing until the bottle was full again from gravity bleeding (it was during this step that I would see the air bubbles leaving the system)

I repeated steps 2-4 3 more times, before my clutch was working.
I'm not saying this is the best way, or the right way, but if you are as frustrated as I was, this is what worked for me on this occasion.