Honda S2000 (AP1/AP2) Clutch Fluid Flush and Gravity Bleed
- Brake fluid strips paint; cover painted surfaces and rinse spills with water immediately.
- Support the car on a jack stand before reaching under it.
- Do not reuse fluid that has come out of the bleeder.
- Before driving, check that the pedal is firm and that every gear, including reverse, engages without grinding with the engine running.
- Take old brake fluid to a recycling point; do not pour it down a drain.
Introduction
On the S2000 the clutch hydraulics use brake fluid, fed from their own small reservoir. The writeup's author found that this fluid needs checking more often than the brake fluid. If a pedal feels unusually light, the clutch only bites near the floor, or the gears are hard to select, the cause is often air or worn-out fluid in this circuit. The gravity method in this guide is a one-person job: empty and refill the reservoir, open the bleeder on the slave cylinder and let fresh fluid push out the old fluid and any air, keeping the reservoir topped up the whole time. If the pedal is still soft afterwards, finish with the traditional two-person pedal method described in the S2KI clutch fluid thread (https://www.s2ki.com/s2000/topic/924318-clutch-fluid-change/). Adapted from a community writeup by an S2KI member on s2000.club (https://www.s2000.club/OM/DIY_%20Clutch%20Bleed%20(Gravity%20Method)%20-%20S2KI%20Honda%20S2000%20Forums.pdf).
Procedure
10 steps-
Step 1: Empty the clutch reservoir
Open the hood and remove the cap from the clutch fluid reservoir. Leave the cap off for the whole job. Use the turkey baster to suck out as much of the old fluid as you can.
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Step 2: Clean and refill
Wipe any sediment out of the reservoir with a clean, lint-free rag, then fill it to MAX with fresh fluid using a funnel. Keep fluid off the paint.
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Step 3: Raise the left front
Lift the car at the left front factory jacking point and support it on a jack stand so you can reach the transmission.
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Step 4: Find the slave cylinder bleeder
Under the car, the slave cylinder is on the driver side of the transmission. Pull the rubber dust cap off its bleeder.
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Step 5: Attach the hose
Push a short clear hose over the bleeder and lead it into a cup. If the hose is a loose fit, there is a tab near the bleeder that can be used to hold it in place.
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Step 6: Open the bleeder and let it flow
Loosen the bleeder with the 8mm (5/16-inch) wrench. Fluid starts flowing straight away under gravity.
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Step 7: Keep the reservoir full
The clutch circuit is small and drains quickly, so check the reservoir constantly and keep topping it up to MAX. Letting it run dry will pull air into the system.
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Step 8: Close when the fluid runs clean
Within a minute or two fresh fluid reaches the hose. When it runs clean and free of bubbles, tighten the bleeder, remove the hose, wipe up and refit the dust cap.
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Step 9: Top off and close
Lower the car, fill the reservoir to MAX and refit the cap tightly.
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Step 10: Check the pedal
Pump the clutch pedal a few times; it should feel firm with an engagement point higher than before if air was removed. If it is still soft, have a helper press and hold the pedal while you open and close the bleeder, then let the pedal up only after the bleeder is closed, repeating until no bubbles appear.
- A short hose works better than a long one for gravity bleeding.
- A different-coloured fluid makes it easy to see when the new fluid has reached the bleeder.
- S2KI members note that simply sucking out and refilling the reservoir a few times refreshes much of the fluid if you only want a quick freshen-up.
Related procedures
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