Master cylinder pushrod

brendank · Apr 5, 2009

Ok, so I have a funny story. Funny for you, but not very funny for me.

So I'm driving downtown yesterday, and just as I press in the clutch, I hear a loud snap, and the clutch goes to the floor. First thing to go through my mind is the disgusting task that is bleeding this stupid system. I figured the line must have came off or something.

I look under the truck, and see no fluid. Good. Next place to check is under the dash. At first glance, I thought that the heim like plastic piece in the pushrod just came off of the pedal. Nope. The pushrod actually snapped off about 1" from where it meets the pedal. Sweet. So I ended up Vice gripping what was left of the pushrod to the side of the pedal so I could limp the damn thing home. I just shifted without the clutch, so I only had to use it a couple of times to start off.

Anyways, so I bought a new master and it came with a new pushrod. It looks like the pushrod clips into the plunger, and is sort of a ball in socket kind of setup. The new one is already apart, and so I'd like to just take out the old pushrod and swap in the new one.

The problem is that the teeth that hold the pushrod into the plunger are too hard. I'm having a difficult time getting at them in order to press them in to allow the pushrod to separate. It looks like they weren't designed to let the pushrod go once it's snapped into place.

Has anyone ran into this? I think I'm pretty much screwed and will have to fool around with this joke of a hydraulic system. Worst case, I can just swap out the whole plunger with the new one, but I'm not interested in breaking open the system unless I have to.

Suggestions?

metalmacguyver · Apr 5, 2009

I dont believe the push rod is supposed to come out either. You might be able to get creative with a small piece of brass tubing available at most hobby stores. You could try sliding it down the push rod and disconnecting the rod from the plunger much like the fuel filter connections work.

Good luck.

LittleHorse · Apr 5, 2009

me and a buddy were trying to get the rod out of mine yesterday for about an hour. We finally gave up. And that was with it out of the car. Good luck getting it out under the dash. I've heard of people getting them out but as far as I'm concerned it might as well be impossible.

cocoasranger · Apr 6, 2009

There is a shoulder on the rod about a quarter inch from the end that the two hardened fingers snap against. I was able to pry these fingers up with 2 thin bladed electronics screwdrivers while pulling, rocking and twisting the rod. This was done off the truck however and it may be impossible to do in place.

If you could somehow wear down the 90 degree edge on the rod even slightly by spinning it in place with the tip of a knife or a small file against it you may be able to pop it out with moderate force.

After I broke the edge on mine I was able to snap it in and out of the master at will with only about 10 pounds of force.

If you want to separate the rod off the truck I believe you can remove the snap ring and the rod and thrust cup will come out together, but this will require some bleeding when finished. :icon_cheers:

fastpakr · Apr 6, 2009

Don't waste your time. Bleeding the hydraulic system is perhaps a ten minute task with the master cylinder unbolted from the firewall. Just need a clear line that reaches from the slave to the master reservoir.

brendank · Apr 6, 2009

fastpakr said:
Don't waste your time. Bleeding the hydraulic system is perhaps a ten minute task with the master cylinder unbolted from the firewall. Just need a clear line that reaches from the slave to the master reservoir.

That's kinda what I figured, but I just thought that someone might know a little trick or something to get it out easily.

The problem is that I'm at my house in the city, and the farm is about 4 hrs away. I only have minimal tools here. I guess I could probably get it done, but it would be a major PITA here as I don't have a garage, or even a cement pad for that matter.

LittleHorse · Apr 6, 2009

I pulled a transmission out of an explorer 3 weeks ago on gravel. Not pea gravel, but the big, jagged driveway gravel.

It builds character.

brendank · Apr 6, 2009

So I swapped out the plungers, and it's a no go. It must be leaking past the freakin' o ring. It just dribbles out of the inside.

I guess I'll have to swap it back to the new master housing and just put the whole thing in.

If I go through all that trouble, and the new one leaks in the same spot, you may see the headlines "Deranged man goes on rampage, murders 14 parts store employees with sharpened master cylinder pushrod".

:annoyed:

USMCWHITENER · Apr 6, 2009

don't feel bad...i'm working on my 1993 Ford Ranger with 3.0L with 5spd...got everything put back together after dropping new engine in truck..bought brand new clutch, slave cylinder, etc...start bleeding clutch and cant get no pedal...so i went and bought new clutch master cylinder..installed it yesterday....still have same problem....i'm getting fluid out of the bleeding vlave but cant get a pedal...it just goes straight to floor...can anyone help me on this???

fastpakr · Apr 6, 2009

Do a search on bleeding the hydraulic system - it comes up in here once a week or so and the solution is pretty well documented.

Jericho0311 · Mar 29, 2017

So on the way back from class I decided to finally get around to returning a faulty PCV valve to Carquest (thank god for my receipt keeping habits), got the new PCV swapped her out right there in the parking lot and went on my way. I stopped at a light, stepped on the clutch to shift into gear and snap, the damn push rod did exactly what you said. Unfortunately for me, my '94 Ranger is my one and only, so towing home happened. Now I get the fortunate task of replacing the entire clutch system. I figure, if the push rod is so hard to push that it snapped, then something must be wrong. Considering I've only had this truck for 3 weeks, a good clutch swap and new master cylinder might be the right move, if nothing else than to eliminate any possibility of plates refusing to move.

Shran · Mar 30, 2017

Some aftermarket master cylinders come with plastic pushrods. Why? I don't know. Cheap, designed to fail would be my guess. All of the factory ones I've seen are metal.

It is possible to unclip the rod from the master cylinder but it is very difficult. Almost easier to just replace the whole thing and bleed it.

Master cylinder pushrod

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