Clutch line pops out of slave

[blackharley]

Ok, I have had nothing but problems with this damn truck and this one has happened twice in a year. Both times I was on the highway in fourth and when I went to shift to OD the clutch pedal moved an inch and stopped like a rock. I found the line popped off so I popped it back in and got 3 shifts into it and it popped out again. I ended up replacing the master cyl and line and all was good for 6 months and today it happened again. Same situation 4-5 shift and pop. I managed to start in 2nd and shift to OD and got the 45 miles back on the highway but as soon as I hit the clutch to stop at the off ramp it went again. The fluid in the master is clear as a bell but the slave bleeder is black as hell... I love this truck and I have another few vehicles to drive but they aren't exactly winter friendly. If anyone knows why this happens id love to hear it.

 

[AllanD]

There are two similar, but incompatible connectors

The early (1988-92) coupler pair (Which is anodized Black but fades to a purplish color and on some early vehicles is anodized Red)

And the 1993-current "Yellow" coupler

The black "male coupler will go into the yellow female but will not properly or reliably ""Latch-in"

The Yellow (or "Gold") male coupler simply will not fit into the Black female coupler

The Relatively Rare (1988-89) RED couplers are just a color variation on the black 88-92 black couplers


IF your current problem is not the result of a coupler compatibility issue, or a color match

Then either the male coupler is worn or the retaining barbs in the female coupler are bent or damaged, and in either case either the clutch line or the slave must be removed and probably replaced to effect repairs

 

[kjmclark]

Related question

OK, so I had the same thing happen to me, but not the particular gear bit. I had trans work done a few years ago, and things have been great since then. But I got home the other day and when I downshifted the truck into first as I was parking it, I heard something, and realized the clutch pedal was almost all the way in and not moving. Wouldn't pop back out, and wouldn't go in the rest of the way either.

I read about that line popping out, and sure enough, when I went under the truck the next day, it was just popped out. Not dangling, but I tried shoving it back in and sure enough it clicked into place.

But my clutch pedal is exactly where it was before. I'm going to bleed things and hope that was the problem, but how do I get the clutch pedal back? I gave it a little tug to see if it would move, and it didn't. Should I pull harder? I didn't try pulling it very hard the first time.

Also, fluid in the reservoir is about 1/2 full, but not pretty. There was *something* (liquid that wasn't there before) on the bottom of the transmission, but the master cylinder is dry as a bone, and so is the clutch pedal push rod. I haven't opened the inspection port to look inside the transmission.

Thx!

 

[kjmclark]

Update - so I just got out there and bled that clutch hose. The reservoir fluid looked gunky, but the stuff coming out of the slave didn't look that bad. I completely refilled the reservoir twice, and there seemed to be about that much fluid coming out of the bleed valve.

But, it didn't change a thing. Clutch pedal still doesn't want to move, either way, though it did seem, for a second, like it went in an inch or so, then locked up just the same as before. Pulling is just as pointless as pushing that pedal.

But OTOH, I opened that inspection hole, and saw the prettiest, cleanest, newest looking slave cylinder you ever saw. Looks like the day I bought it at O'Reilly a year and a half ago. No fluid on it at all, anywhere on it. (The work I had done was around November, 2014.)

I only drive the truck about 1200 miles a year. It gets some abuse (towing heavy loads) when we use it, but I wouldn't expect the slave cylinder to look bad, and it doesn't.

So, probably a shot master?