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ludicrouspeed69
Member
- Joined
- Dec 5, 2023
- Messages
- 7
- City
- Washington
- Vehicle Year
- 1993
- Engine
- 2.3 (4 Cylinder)
- Transmission
- Manual
- Total Lift
- 4"
- Tire Size
- 32
Signs of a faulty clutch hydraulic system
These trucks have an external slave cylinder that acts on a lever to move the release bearing. The system is otherwise similar to the later Rangers, with almost exactly the same master cylinder and reservoir. Bleeding the system is slightly different. 83-84 Bronco II has essentially the same system.
The procedure was not normally necessary until the recent full obsolescence of the "pre-bled clutch hydraulics assembly" from ford dealers and online.
The pressure line for between the master and slave cylinders is impossible to find online and rarely in usable condition when found at the junkyard.
Fortunately, the F-150 line has the correct fittings on both ends, and is longer than the real Ranger part, so it can be easily substituted.
Part numbers:
Clutch Master Cylinder: E3TZ7A543B
Clutch Slave Cylinder: E3TZ7A564C
Clutch Pressure Line: E3TZ7A512D (obsolete and every interchange option is sold out as of 1/20/2025)
The F-150 Pressure Line (which is still available online in several non OEM interchange options): E3TZ7A512A
Steps:
1. Remove the fluid reservoir and master cylinder from the firewall.
2. Inside the cab, pull off the spring clip that retains the stock Master cylinder push rod to the clutch pedal.
3. Remove the slave cylinder from the bellhousing.
4. Wiggle the clutch master cylinder out of the truck. It is difficult but possible without removing the push rod and making a giant mess. I find rotating it upside down helps get around the brake lines. Unscrewing the fender liner also helps but it can be done without.
5. Pull the whole assembly out through the engine bay.
6. Remove and replace whatever component(s) of the assembly is (are) broken.
The pressure line fittings are held in by small spring pins. They can be tapped out with a hammer and 3mm straight punch.
7. With the clutch hydraulic assembly fully assembled, as much old brake fluid drained out as possible, and the tapered bleeder screw on the Slave cylinder closed, hang it up on a shelf or piece of pegboard by the fluid reservoir.
8. Fill the reservoir to the brim with fresh DOT 3.
9. Using a phillips screwdriver, push the piston inside the Master cylinder in short strokes until you feel more resistance. Observe the bubbles from the fluid reservoir and top up as needed. And hold the Master cylinder so the pressure line fitting faces roughly downwards, but the push rod end is also angled down (like shown).
10. Every 20 strokes or so, use the other end of the driver to tap rapidly along the pressure line, starting from the Slave and working your way up to dislodge bubbles.
11. Continue until the piston only moves 1/4" or less.
If you can't achieve this much resistance within around 5-10 minutes of this, it is likely your master cylinder has a failing seal and is letting air in. I had this problem.
12. This is where a Mityvac comes in handy, if you have one. A full bleed is achievable with only the screwdriver, but if you insert the pointy Mityvac tip down through the fluid into the hole in the reservoir, you can pull about 50 inches on it and very easily get the last of the bubbles out with minimum fatigue to your arms. I am able to achieve 1/8" or less of piston movement with the Mityvac. The next step will tighten the travel up even further so don't worry if you're just on the edge of 1/4" and your arms are tired. It's just good to get rid of as much travel as possible during this step, because you will waste less fluid to gravity bleeding in the next step.
13. Leave the white plastic push rod retainer in place on the Slave. Set a pan under the slave cylinder and crack the bleeder screw open. Holding the slave with the bleeder hole facing up, let gravity bleed fluid and bubbles through until the reservoir is almost empty. Close the bleeder.
14. Repeat step 13 once more with the reservoir topped up, then check the master cylinder travel again with the screwdriver. It should be about 1/8". If not, repeat step 13 a third time.
15. Top up the fluid again, screw on the lid, remove the white plastic rod retainer from the Slave, and reinstall the assembly into the truck. The F-150 line does not route as naturally as the old Ranger one did, but I had no trouble getting it in, and just zip tied it away from anything that could melt/abrade it due to the excess length.
16. Once the master is mounted to the firewall, stab the push rod in, from inside the cab, until it clicks. Then reattach its eyelet end to the clutch pedal.
You should now have a crisp, fully working clutch hydraulic system.
- Hard or impossible to shift into 1st or reverse
- Difficulty shifting in motion without perfect rev match
- Engine bogs down very slightly if you come to a stop with the shifter in gear and your foot on the clutch
- Weird "texture" to the clutch pedal travel (spongy, notchy, or inconsistent)
- Revving the engine with the clutch in but the shifter in 1st makes the truck move forward a bit.
These trucks have an external slave cylinder that acts on a lever to move the release bearing. The system is otherwise similar to the later Rangers, with almost exactly the same master cylinder and reservoir. Bleeding the system is slightly different. 83-84 Bronco II has essentially the same system.
The procedure was not normally necessary until the recent full obsolescence of the "pre-bled clutch hydraulics assembly" from ford dealers and online.
The pressure line for between the master and slave cylinders is impossible to find online and rarely in usable condition when found at the junkyard.
Fortunately, the F-150 line has the correct fittings on both ends, and is longer than the real Ranger part, so it can be easily substituted.
Part numbers:
Clutch Master Cylinder: E3TZ7A543B
Clutch Slave Cylinder: E3TZ7A564C
Clutch Pressure Line: E3TZ7A512D (obsolete and every interchange option is sold out as of 1/20/2025)
The F-150 Pressure Line (which is still available online in several non OEM interchange options): E3TZ7A512A
Steps:
1. Remove the fluid reservoir and master cylinder from the firewall.
2. Inside the cab, pull off the spring clip that retains the stock Master cylinder push rod to the clutch pedal.
3. Remove the slave cylinder from the bellhousing.
4. Wiggle the clutch master cylinder out of the truck. It is difficult but possible without removing the push rod and making a giant mess. I find rotating it upside down helps get around the brake lines. Unscrewing the fender liner also helps but it can be done without.
5. Pull the whole assembly out through the engine bay.
6. Remove and replace whatever component(s) of the assembly is (are) broken.
The pressure line fittings are held in by small spring pins. They can be tapped out with a hammer and 3mm straight punch.
7. With the clutch hydraulic assembly fully assembled, as much old brake fluid drained out as possible, and the tapered bleeder screw on the Slave cylinder closed, hang it up on a shelf or piece of pegboard by the fluid reservoir.
8. Fill the reservoir to the brim with fresh DOT 3.
9. Using a phillips screwdriver, push the piston inside the Master cylinder in short strokes until you feel more resistance. Observe the bubbles from the fluid reservoir and top up as needed. And hold the Master cylinder so the pressure line fitting faces roughly downwards, but the push rod end is also angled down (like shown).
10. Every 20 strokes or so, use the other end of the driver to tap rapidly along the pressure line, starting from the Slave and working your way up to dislodge bubbles.
11. Continue until the piston only moves 1/4" or less.
If you can't achieve this much resistance within around 5-10 minutes of this, it is likely your master cylinder has a failing seal and is letting air in. I had this problem.
12. This is where a Mityvac comes in handy, if you have one. A full bleed is achievable with only the screwdriver, but if you insert the pointy Mityvac tip down through the fluid into the hole in the reservoir, you can pull about 50 inches on it and very easily get the last of the bubbles out with minimum fatigue to your arms. I am able to achieve 1/8" or less of piston movement with the Mityvac. The next step will tighten the travel up even further so don't worry if you're just on the edge of 1/4" and your arms are tired. It's just good to get rid of as much travel as possible during this step, because you will waste less fluid to gravity bleeding in the next step.
13. Leave the white plastic push rod retainer in place on the Slave. Set a pan under the slave cylinder and crack the bleeder screw open. Holding the slave with the bleeder hole facing up, let gravity bleed fluid and bubbles through until the reservoir is almost empty. Close the bleeder.
14. Repeat step 13 once more with the reservoir topped up, then check the master cylinder travel again with the screwdriver. It should be about 1/8". If not, repeat step 13 a third time.
15. Top up the fluid again, screw on the lid, remove the white plastic rod retainer from the Slave, and reinstall the assembly into the truck. The F-150 line does not route as naturally as the old Ranger one did, but I had no trouble getting it in, and just zip tied it away from anything that could melt/abrade it due to the excess length.
16. Once the master is mounted to the firewall, stab the push rod in, from inside the cab, until it clicks. Then reattach its eyelet end to the clutch pedal.
You should now have a crisp, fully working clutch hydraulic system.
Last edited:
