Dad's clutch not working, a few problems!!!

[OilPatch197]

We have tried the last hour to bleed the clutch system. It is a 1998 Ford with the 2.3L motor, man transmission.


Long story short is he is doing this as *cheaply* as possible, just installed a junkyard motor.

While he was at it he decided the clutch disc was worn, and wanted to see what I had...

I had a few clutch disc and pressure plates for a '83 4cyl and a '84 2.8...

he found one with the same diameter and spline count. so he used that, IT HAD SIX SPRINGS IN THE MIDDLE INSTEAD OF THE FOUR on his original

He put it together and now the clutch will NOT release, the only way to get it into gear is when the motor is off, ALSO he has NO PEDAL FEEL...

SO I take it the disc is the problem?(they do NOT cross reference) and is the slave cylinder blown(internally) since there is no pedal resistance?

Also the pressure plate had some bent fingers, but he just put it in press and reset it.

NOW WHAT?
v
I'm guessing drop the transmission and install worn plate, any tell tell signs of binding while we have it down? Seems strange that there is not pedal feel. Even if I conveince him on a new clutch, anyway to test slave ??

 

[Shran]

Tell him to stop being a cheap ass and buy some new parts?

Did he bleed the slave cylinder at all? Could just be full of air? They CAN'T fail "internally," assuming the master cylinder is good, it will either push fluid into the piston and it will work properly or it will push fluid past the seal and leak all over.

I have no idea if the clutch disc itself from an '83 would fit a '98. I guess as long as it is the same diameter, spline count is the same, and the splined part is offset from the center of the disc the same amount as the original, it should work

 

[RonD]

It is not the disc.

The slave is the most likely issue, but master could be bad as well, open clutch fluid reservoir and look in it while pedal is being pushed down, fluid shouldn't rise up, if it does then check valve is bad, so when you push the pedal down the fluid is going to reservoir not the slave, so pedal has no pressure.
When you bleed it fluid would come out of bleeder because it would have less resistance than going UP to reservoir.

 

[OilPatch197]

Well he took out the transmission again, had a new clutch kit ordered. Now we can't test the master....

The truck always had a light pedal, so I just told him to put back in the original clutch disc.

Slap it back in and perform the test as you guys recommend.

 

[OilPatch197]

Just a follow up. He put it back in, did the test, no fluid came up into the reservoir.

...so he is slapping in a new clutch and slave cylinder, should fix the problem, and if not,then it's the master, he won't have to drop the transmission again!

 

[bobbywalter]

did you watch the action?


how easy was the line to separate and reconnect when moving the trans in and out??.

up here you often have to pop the pin off the master because the line disconnect is boogered at the slave. so that can always cause some pia air issues.

did he regauge the the disks again back to back for dimensions? iirc the hub is a bit larger and stands off more on the flywheel side on the older 6 disk but the back sets are the same. theres a difference around 94-95 when they went to the junk 4 spring setup with a smaller hub. and again around 2000 or 2001, i dont think the late style disk would have an issue in the older style flywheel, but if there is a mechanical bind issue, going with the older 6 disk in the newer flywheel would cause it, and explain the issue. i am surprised a bit and would not expect it but its possible. measure carefully. i remember there being a change to metric dimensions somewhere in there but i think it was internal stuff and not the interface stuff.

interested in the outcome and dimension specifics.

 

[feellnfroggy]

the clutch pedal has an air pocket above the pedal that cant just push out air. remove the assembly from the fire wall and turn it upside down to allow that air to float up to the master and add more fluid. you have to bleed the pedal assembly as well as the slave.

 

[OilPatch197]

He slapped in a new clutch, a new slave and now it has a LITTLE pedal, NOT enough to disengage the clutch!!

Since we had to cut the hydraulic line to get the transmission out,(would not release from that quick disconnect) and he tried a "poor mans" repair by using some transmission hose with clamps.

We are just going all out and replacing the master and the line as well.

 

[LARRYBOMB]

Slave cylinder and clutch master cylinder are pretty cheap. I recommend putting in a new slave and master cylinder. That way you can bench bleed master cylinder before installing. I recently replaced clutch, slave, and master cylinder. My slave failed but it never leaked. It stopped releasing after you let the pedal back out. I took it out and all the grease was dry and when you squeezed it the spring couldn't push it back when you let off the pedal. Works like new now and I also put a shift kit on it. Shift kit is about $11, slave about $60, master about $28, clutch about $90(shipped) I love RockAuto.

 

[AllanD]

fill the fluid reservoir sit in the truck listening to a CD whan a new song comes on push the pedal to the floor and hold it there.

When the song gets to the second verse slip your foot sideways off the pedal so it SNAPS up, wait for the next song and repeat the procedure until you have some pedal feel

IF you open the bleeder you have to start over.

AD