Brake Fluid change - Bleed clutch also?

[nova996]

I'm going to be changing my brake fluid to get ready for DEs in March. I figure I might as well put ATE Blue in there.

If I do that, do I have to bleed the clutch also? In other words, do I need to make the Blue is in the clutch cylinder and the rest of the clutch system? If I don't (and just do the brakes), can old brake fluid migrate from the clutch cylinder back into the brakes?

Thanks!

[Loren]

The brakes and clutch system share the same reservoir. You can easily skip bleeding the clutch but the fluid will likely mix in with the new brake fluid and slightly lower the boiling point. Bleeding the clutch is not hard. Just follow the instructions on the DIY page.

[KarlS]

I changed from OEM to ATE and then to SRF in my 996. I never bled the clutch and had no problems on the track. If you don't bleed the clutch, it's probably a good idea to bleed the brakes again after your first track event.

Karl

[able2ski]

Absolutely do it all. You have to remove the driver side rear tire (well, all 4 actually) anyways to access its caliper; this only eases access to the clutch bleeder.

Theres no point in opening a liter can of fluid and not use it all........its considered a bad practice to keep leftover fluid around indefinately, and if you do the job right, a liter can will purge all old fluid from both systems. Do it all, use it all.

Unfortunately, based on my current experience, should either system have a possible pre-existing defect, doing this job yourself (and admitting to such) may cause you trouble if you need to get those underlying problems covered under warranty.

My problem (detailed in another thread) arose from alleged overtightening of the clutch bleeder valve, which I was blamed for; be certain not to overtighten any of the bleeders. It will certainly come back to haunt you.