95 Ranger 2.3L Manual clutch issue?

[easyrunner4]

The old clutch was beginning to go out and was well warn once we pulled it. So we changed it. We put in a new slave cylinder, a new clutch pressure plate, a new clutch, we resurfaced the flywheel, and bench bled the clutch master cylinder and line, then bled the slave cylinder while not allowing the ressevoir to drain completely.

We now have two additional problems that weren't presenting before. One seems to be a vacuum leak possibly. We'll start the truck and after idling for about 20 seconds it begins to idle real rough and low and sometimes cuts off.
Two is that it won't shift into gear when after starting it in neutral. I managed to start it in first gear and immediately take off (the engine grabs the transmission when starting in gear even with clutch pedal pressed down). When I get it moving I can fenagle the transmission in 2,3,4,5 gears but it's rough (and that is using the clutch) it kind of pops into gear at the right rpm, if not the right rpm it grinds. If i stop and put it in neutral it begins to idle rough again and cuts out more frequently this way than when starting in neutral.

We've disassembled and reassembled the trans/clutch twice to be sure it was installed correctly. Is there something in the assembly process I could have missed as a back yarder? Any other ideas on what is wrong?

I forgot to mention, we checked the shift rails, they are all in neutral position and I observed the slave cylinder during operation and it appears to be making the full range of motion when the clutch pedal is depressed.

The auto parts store told us the clutch pressure plate they sold us was an auto adjusting model, it has a plastic ring and springs pushing that ring on the prssure plate housing. Is it possible they sold us a mislabeled kit and it's actually a manual adjusting pressure plate?

 

[ratdude747]

Issue 1: Yup, that's a vacuum leak. At least on my 95 3.0 forgetting the Evap line did that... as would any major vacuum line. Assuming you didn't remove the upper intake (if you did, make sure the bolts are tight, I made that mistake once as well), follow all the lines off the vacuum tee plus the evap connection to the intake for a disconnect. Could also be a stuck IAC; I had that happen before as well (previous owner ran it without an air filter, and part of a bug nest got lodged in the valve).

Issue 2: Sounds like the clutch isn't releasing at all. If it bled correctly, the master cylinder likely isn't the issue (otherwise you wouldn't have good fluid flow out the bleeder)... which would lead one to believe it's a slave issue. Is the clutch fluid level OK? If not, it may be leaking, possibly into the bellhousing. Otherwise, it sounds like the slave cylinder isn't pushing the pressure plate "fingers" like it should. Did the slave cylinder come with the clutch/plate as a kit? If not, then it sounds like the plate or the slave cylinder isn't the correct part. If so, possibly a bad slave cylinder.

Either way, the issue is probably something large; otherwise you'd get some sort of clutch action.

 

[YungICY]

Something simple for the clutch to try if you haven't already is, with everthing installed, top off the fluid then go to the master cylinder inside the truck. Pull out the retainer clip that holds all the guts in and gentlely pull out the inerds just enough to let some fluid bleed out then reassemble, bleed then entire system one last time. If that doesn't help at all then I would suspect an odd fitment between the pressure plate and slave.

Sent from my LGMS345 using Tapatalk

 

[easyrunner4]

That's the same general feed back that I've gotten, I will try bleeding the master from the compression rod at the pedal shortly. As far as the vacuum leak I can't find any loose bolts or unplugged fittings, I'll try to get a set of fresh eyes on it to see if I missed something. I will let you know how it turns out.

 

[scotts90ranger]

A simple stupid no tools needed method of getting the last bubbles out of the master cylinder is to push the clutch pedal to the floor then slip your foot off a handful of times... It does work as I've done it a handful of times...

 

[ratdude747]

That's the same general feed back that I've gotten, I will try bleeding the master from the compression rod at the pedal shortly. As far as the vacuum leak I can't find any loose bolts or unplugged fittings, I'll try to get a set of fresh eyes on it to see if I missed something. I will let you know how it turns out.

Check the line to the vacuum canister (a black plastic "ball" attached to the passenger's side splash shield). There is a mid-line connector there (at least on my 3.0) that can get unplugged if you're not careful.

How are your power brakes? Feel good?

Also, remove the IAC valve and check it and the gasket; the gasket should be free of tears (and IIRC is reusable if it's not too hard and cracked) and the valve should be normally closed.

 

[Andy D]

Fill the MC. Unbolt it from the fire wall and tip it down and forward. Let it hang that way. Open the push on where the hose plugs into the slave. BF should trickle out. Plug hose into slave and open the bleeder on slave. Brake fluid should drip out. The process is in the directions, you know, the paper printed in 2 languages the slave , master and hose come wrapped in. If you did it right, the system should gravity bleed with the cover off the MC. The Rat did. PITA job That is why experienced RBV guys recommend changing everything under the bell housing when the trans is out. I was here for 6 months whilst researching the clutch R+R before I attempted it. I got into this thing expecting to slap in a disc and a rear main seal. At least I read about it before blundering into it blindly.

 

[black_demon69]

A simple stupid no tools needed method of getting the last bubbles out of the master cylinder is to push the clutch pedal to the floor then slip your foot off a handful of times... It does work as I've done it a handful of times...

i could not bleed mine that way it just would not bleed

 

[Big Jim M]

This is the way to get'rdone!

Fill the MC. Unbolt it from the fire wall and tip it down and forward. Let it hang that way. Open the push on where the hose plugs into the slave. BF should trickle out. Plug hose into slave and open the bleeder on slave. Brake fluid should drip out. The process is in the directions, you know, the paper printed in 2 languages the slave , master and hose come wrapped in. If you did it right, the system should gravity bleed with the cover off the MC. The Rat did. PITA job That is why experienced RBV guys recommend changing everything under the bell housing when the trans is out. I was here for 6 months whilst researching the clutch R+R before I attempted it. I got into this thing expecting to slap in a disc and a rear main seal. At least I read about it before blundering into it blindly.

These things are very temperamental!

The above is correct and well written. Do it for success.

Big Jim