Clutch Disengagement problems?

[mpire]

OK, so this is a strange story, so you are just going to have to work with me on this one.

So my truck was stolen by my ex wife and while in her possession they pulled the transmission and did a clutch job. Looks like the steam cleaned the transmission or something as it looks brand new.

I assume its a brand new clutch etc, done at an AAMCO transmission place.

5 speed manual with the 2.3 in a 1997 ranger.

So now it is tough to shift. I have changed the fluid in the transmission, and I am looking at bleeding issues.

Could this be air in the clutch lines? I push the clutch all the way to the floor and I swear it doesn't feel like its fully disengaged.

Is there anywhere to adjust the clutch engagement, or do I need to look into bleeding the clutch better, or maybe replacing the clutch master cylinder?

Any insights are welcome. Generally 1st and 2nd are difficult to engage most of the time when its cold. It gets easier when it warms up, but it never really gets to the super smooth one finger shifting I had before.

I think I have something like 200k+ miles. I have put 50,000 miles on the replacement engine, I know that much.

 

[RonD]

I wish someone would "steal" my truck and put a new clutch in it

No, there is no adjustment, external or internal.
Yes, you could need to bleed it again.........and again.......and again

The Ranger clutch hydraulic system is notorious for not being easy to bleed.
If you can drive it now, which is sounds like you can, I would give a 1,000 miles for the new clutch disc to wear down a bit.
I could be the replacement Pressure plate wasn't self adjusting(stock was, and is more expensive), so as clutch disc wears down it will disengage higher and higher in pedal travel.

If you think you know where is was done call with license plate number and ask what new parts were used.

With engine off, try switching thru all the gears, if it isn't "stiff" trans is fine.

 

[Kenneth S]

You put atf, not regular gear oil in it?

 

[95MEXIFORD]

I'm leaning toward air in the line. I'd try bleeding it couple times, wait a day and bleed it again. If that doesn't work,you may have to pull the hydro line and bench bleed it.

 

[mpire]

Its a long legal story, but basically I paid about as much for the attorney to get the truck back as what the service would have cost.

I seriously doubt that I will be getting any info on what parts were used. They had the work done, but then the mechanic put a lean on the truck because the work wasn't paid for, but then I had to hire an attorney to get the truck back because their plan all along was to put a lean on the truck and auction it off to my ex wife's friend. Its so stupid and complicated.

I generally do all my work myself, so I don't know what to make of this at the moment. My blend door just broke too, so I am mad at my truck.

Bleeding the clutch line looks like a nightmare.

I have vacuum and pressure bleeders, which is better?

 

[mpire]

I used to be able to shift the truck with my pinky finger, now I have to really jam it into gear.

I just want it back like it was.

Its an old as hell truck, but there isn't anything better out there to replace it with so it keeps on going.

 

[scotts90ranger]

'97 isn't old as hell...

the easiest thing to do to get the air out of the master cylinder is just to push the pedal to the floor and slip your foot off the pedal, do this like 5 times and see if it helps, if it doesn't it's probably air in the slave cylinder which you should be able to get out just by gravity bleeding it, the fitting on it doesn't lend itself to bleeding tools...

 

[XLTsplash]

The way the clutch master is mounted on a Ranger makes it very hard the getting the air out. On my 1997 I installed a new pre-bled master, slave and line and it worked great with no bleeding needed at all. If you don't feel like pulling your trans. I have been hold the trick to get the air out is to remove the rubber bell housing plug and use a pry bar to push back on the release bearing. This will push the air that is trapped in the master out. I haven't tried this, I was just told about it at a LUK clutch class.
Here's some information on bleeding the master, remove from the truck http://www.skf.com/binary/81-61713/TT08_002.pdf