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Well, the reservoir was empty, so I'm working on the assumption that air somehow made itself into the system.as long as you haven't opened the system any more than the quick disconnect, there shouldn't be any air.
I've bled it, without the slave, outside the vehicle, but it took two people. Me to pump the cylinder and my buddy to push in the center of the disconnect to bleed it. Worked pretty well. I don't know if yours is tilted downward toward the front of the car, but if it is, it isn't bled very well because the air floats to the top of the cylinder, away from the lines. If you can detach it from the firewall but don't pull it all out, you can bleed it that way.