clutch problems

[BRUTUS_T_HOG]

who ever your mechanic was, totally incompetent. you should get half your money back for them not doing it right. then when you do it yourself go back and tell them it WAS air in the system. or you could show them these steps and make them do it for you for free

preliminary step: get an assistant, a quart of brake fluid, a drain pan, and basic hand tools

step 1: unbolt master cylinder and secure in a slighty upward position or jack front of truck into the air. a trailer MIGHT work but it depends try to do it facing up a hill

step 2: fill reservior DOT 3 brake fluid and place assistant in driver seat

step 3: crawl under truck (making sure it will not move in any way), and follow the clutch line down into the slave cylinder and locate the bleed screw above the line. it should be a 10mm.

step 4: put a box end wrench on the bleed screw and crack it loose then snug it back up

step 5: tell your ASSISTANT to slowly pump the pedal up and down about 3-4 times and then hold the pedal to the floor, then YOU open the bleeder with a pan under it and watch the fluid/air squirt out, then close the bleeder and repeat until no air comes out and the pedal feels right. the slave cylinder should now have full travel.

step 6: top off reservior and clean up

NOTES: don't let your assistant let go of the pedal until you close the bleeder or it will suck more air in.

keep an eye on the fluid level. with such a small cup it runs out fast. also make you pull the rubber cup out of the reservior so you don't end up wondering why you get no fluid.

make sure you wash any spilled brake fluid off painted surfaces or it will quickly ruin the paint.

 

[Toocrazy2care38]

yea, the mechanic seen me coming. i would have done it myself but didnt have the time. i though it would be done in a day but it has not been sitting around for about a week. I need my truck this weekend so im going to go down and try to unbolt the master and just bungee it to the fire wall and bleed it. Will i have to remove the brake booster to get to the master? how long approw. do yall thnk it will take to do it this way.

 

[Toocrazy2care38]

brutus, if i unbolt the master cylinder how am i going to have someone pump the pedal. so what would the procedure be to unbolt it and bungee it to the fire wall while its bled?

 

[fastpakr]

The piston that comes out of the master cylinder (normally pushed in by the pedal) can be pressed by hand.

 

[BRUTUS_T_HOG]

brutus, if i unbolt the master cylinder how am i going to have someone pump the pedal. so what would the procedure be to unbolt it and bungee it to the fire wall while its bled?

as was just said, it can be pressed by hand. and no the brake booster doesn't have to come off. you just have to remove 2 bolts or nuts and i can't remember if the rod comes with it (attaches to pedal)

if you're removing it from the firewall then lets change this up.

take 2 screwdrivers to push the white collar back on the slave cylinder hydraulic line to remove it. then have your assistant pump the piston by hand until it gets to hard then take a screwdriver and push in on the center of the line. its a check valve so it will hold pressure until you push the "button". repeat until no air comes out, then put the line back into the slave, put the master back on the firewall and bleed with the bleed screw using the previous steps. if you still don't get it i can get pictures

 

[Toocrazy2care38]

ok so i got my truck back from the shop yesterday. Truck was hard to get into gear but it would sit and idle in gear with clutch down. once i got home it started getting a little worse and by the end of last night i was back to square one with no clutch at all so i have to start it in gear and shift without clutch..... theres obviously gottta be air in the lines but why would it get worse and lose pressure the more i drove it???

 

[BRUTUS_T_HOG]

it could get worse if you are losing fluid. check for leaks?

 

[piotrsko]

one of the culprits is the stupid system collects tiny air bubbles and they grow to bigger bubbles at the top of the master cyl. since the master has a refill opening nowhere near where the bubbles collect, they don't self purge.

I have heard of success with putting the rear wheels in the gutter and jacking up the front until the bumper hits pavement, but it is easiest to pull the master and hand bleed.

you'll have to pull the pin and mess around with the plastic retaining clips on the brake pedal to get the rod out. annoying but do able. it also helps to pull the reservoir off the firewall. I used a 4 ft extension but a 10mm swivel socket would work too.