How to Bleed the Clutch on a 2007 Chevrolet Colorado

In 2004, Chevrolet began phasing out the 22-year-old S-10 in favor of the new Colorado. Initially, some buyers might have assumed the Colorado was just a new body on the same S-10 chassis; fortunately, it was not, as the two trucks had very little in common with each other. The 2007 Colorado came standard with an impressive 185-horsepower, 2.9-liter four-cylinder engine and a five-speed transmission. When you get air in the Colorados hydraulic clutch circuit, it can cause the clutch to feel spongy or not work correctly. Bleeding the clutch on the Colorado is a straightforward task most do-it-yourselfers can perform.

Instructions

Raise the Colorado off the ground with a floor jack and slide jack stands under the frame rails. Lower the truck onto the jack stands.

Unscrew the clutch master cylinder reservoir cap and add fresh DOT 3 brake fluid until the fluid level is at the Max line on the reservoir. Leave the cap off the reservoir throughout the bleeding process.

Crawl under the truck until you are near the drivers side of the transmission bell housing. Look for the bleeder valve, a 1/4-inch metal valve located above the fluid line going into the bell housing. Press the end of a 1/4-inch-diameter rubber hose onto the bleeder valve and place the other end of the hose in a clean, clear container.

Fill the clean, clear container with fresh DOT 3 brake fluid until the fluid submerges the end of the rubber hose.

Instruct an assistant to press and release the clutch pedal 15 times, then tell the assistant to hold the pedal in the down position. Open the bleeder valve by turning it a half turn with a combination wrench. Watch the submerged end of the rubber hose for air bubbles escaping. If there are no air bubbles, then the Colorados clutch does not need to be bled. If there are bubbles, continue with the bleeding process.

Close the bleeder valve by tightening it with a combination wrench. Instruct your assistant to release the clutch pedal slowly.

Open the bleeder valve again and instruct your assistant to slowly press the clutch pedal all the way down and hold it. Once you see fluid coming from the submerged end of the hose, close the bleeder valve and instruct your assistant to release the clutch pedal.

Tell your assistant to press the clutch pedal to the floor. Open the bleeder valve and watch for air bubbles to come from the submerged end of the rubber hose. Close the bleeder valve and instruct your assistant to release the clutch pedal slowly. Repeat this step until no more bubbles come from the submerged hose.

Remove the hose from the bleeder valve. Raise the truck off the jack stands with a floor jack and remove the jack stands. Lower the Colorado to the ground.

Refill the clutch master cylinder reservoir to the Max line with fresh DOT 3 brake fluid.

Take the fluid in the container to a nearby automotive-fluid recycling center. Some auto parts stores take old fluids free of charge.