Has anyone bled the clutch (slave)? My '15 with a little over 60K grinds a bit especially shifting to 2nd and overall isn't a smooth shifting transmission. In fact, it's the biggest disappointment with the car. (Has not worsened.) I did change the trans fluid with genuine Honda. Pedal travel during clutch grab seems appropriate, so I don't think that the it's is going out, but it just never felt I guess the word is solid. Might just be me about "feelings" because the last man trans car I had was cable operated.

So...has anyone ever felt a difference in shift smoothness post bleed?

Oh, yes, the day's project will also include brake bleeding.

 

I religiously flush the brake/clutch (shared) fluid every 2 years, so I can't say I notice any real difference. If it has never been flushed (8+ years!), perhaps it will be different.

I use a Mityvac pressure bleeder with one of the adapters from Power Probe BAKIT01 Master Brake Bleeder Kit.
It's not as nice as a dedicated fit cover, but does the job. It's actually kind of mind-boggling that there aren't Honda-specific adapters out there.
If anyone knows about a Honda-specific brake reservoir adapter, I'd love to know about it.

I temporarily remove the coolant reservoir bottle to get better access to the bleeding screw. Kind of hard to get a torque wrench at it. I think I use one of those squiggly adapters.

 

If you haven't done so in 3 years, I'd replace the brake fluid while you're bleeding the clutch. Honda recommends doing so in that interval as per the listing in the maintenance minder section of the owner's manual. If you don't have an assistant while bleeding the clutch, I find that acquiring a simple vacuum pump tool from say Harbor Freight or a general parts house to clear then slave cylinder of air as well as get the old brake fluid out of its line. Follow that with a good brake fluid replacement (traditional brake caliper bleed method... 20 pumps per front caliper, 10 per rear drum/caliper usually does the trick), starting with the driver front on left hand drive cars, working clockwise and ending at the driver rear.

The only time I've felt clutch engagement issues is either air getting into the system or with a worn clutch (obviously)... And with your Fit being a GK, I'd be cognizant of brake fluid levels since the brake fluid reservoir feeds the clutch line brake fluid.

As far as for transmission shift feel, there are three ways to go about it. Deleting the clutch delay valve, swapping out (or mixing) Honda's MTF for some variant of 5W30 Synchomesh fluid (be it GM, Pennsoil or AmSoil) or changing out the shifter cable bushings to aftermarket ones from say Acuity Instruments or Hybrid Racing (they simply pop in/out with simple hand tools) to reduce the slop from the rubber naturally wearing or fatiguing with time.

The clutch delay valve has been a common complaint in the Fit community, you might be able to find some details regarding it after a brief forum search. Several have found an alternative part or somehow sealed the delay valve itself... I don't outright recall how it was done and honestly don't want to spread misinformation on that particular subject.

Following that... many people have found that switching to, or mixing in, Sychromesh into their manual transmissions helped smoothed shift quality in their Hondas. This tidbit has been long going especially with those that do spiritedly drive or track their Hondas.

I personally done this with my 2016 CR-Z after being LIVID that it would occasionally not go into/grind 5th or 6th gear on the way to work in sub 50 degree days with less than 15k miles on it (first MTF change was done at 7.5k miles during first oil change). After switching to 5W30 AmSoil Sychromesh, I haven't had any issues with the transmission shifting unless it was honestly a driver error on my part. My daily beater GD3 with 355k miles, got the similar treatment but half Honda MTF and Sychromesh... shifts shockingly well for its mileage.I'll be trying this route with the CR-Z next MTF change.

The Acuity Instruments bushings, I've done in both my CR-Z and beater Fit as well. Their bushings are a spherical bearing design that both reduces the amount of "play" or wear that develops with aging rubber as well as reduces cable binding by giving the shifter bushing an actual pivot point with minimal slack. You'll see a slightly firmer more, direct feel when cycling through the gears after installation. I'd encourage this as a cheapish sub 100 buck upgrade (when not on sale) that one can perform in about 30 minutes or less if they're slightly comfortable with turning wrenches. They're rather easy to install, link to their bushings is below.

https://acuityinstruments.com/collec...-2007up-hondas

I hope some tidbit of this helps or at least gives you some things to take in consideration.

 

Great info, thanks. Just did the clutch, on to the brakes latter on today.

By the way, I just gravity bleed everything which takes longer but always works...might be dumb but it does the job.

Right, the rev hang is brutal on these cars and is probably why the synchro is gone on 2nd gear. I've heard good things too about Synchromesh and even though it pains me to drain out the new MTF I may have to try it.

 

Regarding rev hang, to me, it's not just rev hang. It actually keeps revving UP after I let go of the accelerator. LOL

I normally drive mine gently between shifts. Not in a hurry.

But when entering a freeway, I actually have to time my accelerator to clutch in a weird way.
For example, 3rd gear, pedal to the metal, and when I want to go to 4th, I let go of the accelerator first, AND THEN push in the clutch.
Switch to 4th, and let the clutch out.

If I let go of the accelerator at the same time I press the clutch, engine actually revs UP for a second.
Maybe the drive-by-wire is introducing the delay.

 

Alright, so as expected no difference in the clutch or brakes but that's OK as they were due at just past 60K and 8 years. Plus in was simple, cheap and I got to rotate tires for "no extra charge," so to speak.

 

@nayov I bleed my brake and clutch every 2-3 years. I use a Mityvac MV6830. The last time I bled the clutch, there was a noticeable improvement in clutch pedal feel. The pedal felt firmer and the engagement was more authoritative. I was very pleased.

By the way, the Mityvac is a truly great tool. I recommend it.

 

If it works, how is it considered "dumb"?

 

LOL...Well the proper method and tools vs. hacks and shade tree "mechanics" do things like this, it could be argued.