Need clutch adjustment/repair.

[johnrhadfield]

I have to push my clutch almost all the way to the floor, to change gears. I have checked the clutch resevouir and dot 3 brake fluid appears to be at the "step", just about an inch below the cap.

Any ideas?

John

 

[johnrhadfield]

More info... I have a 2000 Ford Ranger ... manual transmission and I have posted on this website before.

 

[99RangerKrazy]

Have you noticed any sort of clutch fluid loss (was it always an inch below the top, or was it full and now it's down)? Like a slow leak?

It could be the slave slowly on its way out, leaking just a little bit. This is fairly common amongst the RBV's.

But first, feel around the master cylinder, particularly where the clutch line connects to it. See if there is any fluid right there. If there's a significant amount (like it is leaking), you may want to change that first, as it's 1. Cheap part and 2. Way easier.

You may want to just get a new slave, clutch assembly, and master cylinder anyways. Then you won't have to mess with that later.

 

[Duane867]

Time for a new clutch disk and pressure plate.

 

[scotts90ranger]

that's air in the slave cylinder or master cylinder not a worn clutch, a worn clutch slips with your foot off the pedal (I should know, I've been through 3 in my truck). and the slave in my truck is on it's way out, goes through a reservoir of fluid in about a week and a half with the same pedal feel as mentioned above.

the only way to get air out of the master cylinder with it in the truck is to completely depress the clutch pedal then slip your foot off, do this until the pedal feel is proper and it disengages when it's supposed to.

 

[johnrhadfield]

Wow I have learned so much at this forum.

The fluid in the clutch resevoiur is probably where it has always been. The fluid appears at the "step"(knotch in plastic) about an inch below the cap.

How do I "slip my foot off the clutch pedal to remove air"? I depress clutch and then release suddenly? or just keep depressing clutch pedal repetitively?

If I need to replace the Master Cylinder it looks at bit tricky. I need to remove it from the frie wall? How? and then disconnect the hose to the slave cylinder? How? Special tool?


I am going to change the Tranny fluid cause it's blackish color and I have never changed it yet(I was told I didn't have to). It appears at proper level though blackish.


Thanks,

John

 

[scotts90ranger]

yep just quickly release it, for whatever reason this works...

and on the clutch fluid level, it should be at the step with the cap off and diaphragm out

on the master cylinder side there is a little roll pin near the end of the line that holds it in, it's about 3/32". on the slave cylinder side there is a quick release fitting. The bad part if it is in fact the slave cylinder that's bad is it's in the transmission...

 

[modelageek]

Wow I have learned so much at this forum.

The fluid in the clutch resevoiur is probably where it has always been. The fluid appears at the "step"(knotch in plastic) about an inch below the cap.

How do I "slip my foot off the clutch pedal to remove air"? I depress clutch and then release suddenly? or just keep depressing clutch pedal repetitively?

If I need to replace the Master Cylinder it looks at bit tricky. I need to remove it from the frie wall? How? and then disconnect the hose to the slave cylinder? How? Special tool?


I am going to change the Tranny fluid cause it's blackish color and I have never changed it yet(I was told I didn't have to). It appears at proper level though blackish.


Thanks,

John

when you take the cap off the clutch master cylinder there should be a rubber bladder that you need to remove also..........

 

[johnrhadfield]

Well I removed the black diaphraghm/cup and I did need to add a little DOT 3. It seems that I have a little more clutch to change gears. That was helpful advice to remove the black cup then check the fluid level at the step.

I found this video on youtube. It talks among other things about the problems of difficulty shifting with air in the system. I am doing this by myself so I am thinking of getting a board to hold the clutch in, and 6ft of bleeder tubing with a valve at the end of it that will pour into the empty plastic gallon jug. That way I can add fluid to the resevouir and shut off the bleeder hose without being under the truck.

I am assuming that the clutch needs to be pushed in to then add fluid to the top resevouir and bleed it out the bottom? Or do I need to alternate with clutch in(then no air bubbles) then clutch out(then no air bubbles)?

http://m.youtube.com/watch?desktop_...e.com/watch?v=HgNTDGwcjZc&v=HgNTDGwcjZc&gl=CA

John

 

[scotts90ranger]

these things don't bleed well at all using conventional methods, as long as the pedal is firm from it's stop at rest to all the way to the floor you are fine, in proper working order these clutches only require about 1" of pedal travel to disengage the clutch, if the pedal is mushy or takes half the pedals travel to disengage then there is air in the system. I wouldn't worry about it too much...

 

[johnrhadfield]

these things don't bleed well at all using conventional methods, as long as the pedal is firm from it's stop at rest to all the way to the floor you are fine, in proper working order these clutches only require about 1" of pedal travel to disengage the clutch, if the pedal is mushy or takes half the pedals travel to disengage then there is air in the system. I wouldn't worry about it too much...

Thanks Scott,

I think I do have air in the system. It has been to cold weatherwise to get underneath and work on it.

When I get a chance, my idea is to use and extra long bleeder hose purchased from Lowes (clamp it off with vise grips if necessary), and place the end of it into and empty gallon plastic container(or container already partially filled with DOT3) while the other end of course is attached to the bleeder valve.

I intend to bleed into the plastic container with the hose submerged.

Up top I will fill the cltuch resevuior with DOT 3.as needed.

I should be able to see it bleed all the way through system into the plastic container?(With clutch in or out?)

This all done with the clutch left out. Then once I see no air bubbles in the plastic hose and plastic container, I should be able to just push the clutch in? And it will pull some of the fluid from the container back into the slave cylinder. (Then I place a board to keep it in and check fluid level at both the clutch resvouir and the bleeder hose container and fill as.needed)


All the time I will watch the level at the top with clutch resvouir.

What do you think? I should be able to pump the clutch back and forth(as in the video they did it with a screwdriver) and get the air out of the Master cylinder by pumping the clutch at the same time with the end of the bleeder hos always submerged in DOT3?

Am I missing something here?

John

 

[modelageek]

Thanks Scott,

I think I do have air in the system. It has been to cold weatherwise to get underneath and work on it.

When I get a chance, my idea is to use and extra long bleeder hose purchased from Lowes (clamp it off with vise grips if necessary), and place the end of it into and empty gallon plastic container(or container already partially filled with DOT3) while the other end of course is attached to the bleeder valve.

I intend to bleed into the plastic container with the hose submerged.

Up top I will fill the cltuch resevuior with DOT 3.as needed.

I should be able to see it bleed all the way through system into the plastic container?(With clutch in or out?)

This all done with the clutch left out. Then once I see no air bubbles in the plastic hose and plastic container, I should be able to just push the clutch in? And it will pull some of the fluid from the container back into the slave cylinder. (Then I place a board to keep it in and check fluid level at both the clutch resvouir and the bleeder hose container and fill as.needed)


All the time I will watch the level at the top with clutch resvouir.

What do you think? I should be able to pump the clutch back and forth(as in the video they did it with a screwdriver) and get the air out of the Master cylinder by pumping the clutch at the same time with the end of the bleeder hos always submerged in DOT3?

Am I missing something here?

John

have you watched these 2 videos

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HgNTDGwcjZc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RVjEMoroZQM&feature=related

 

[greenbean93]

Have you noticed any sort of clutch fluid loss (was it always an inch below the top, or was it full and now it's down)? Like a slow leak?

It could be the slave slowly on its way out, leaking just a little bit. This is fairly common amongst the RBV's.

But first, feel around the master cylinder, particularly where the clutch line connects to it. See if there is any fluid right there. If there's a significant amount (like it is leaking), you may want to change that first, as it's 1. Cheap part and 2. Way easier.

You may want to just get a new slave, clutch assembly, and master cylinder anyways. Then you won't have to mess with that later.

What he said. Couldn't have said it better myself. I had to do the same thing with mine. Probably gonna be the slave inside the tranny.

 

[greenbean93]

Don't forget to bleed the clutch also. 8mm wrench will do the job.

 

[ppeterso2]

Hello, I went through this last week with my 2000 3.0L XLT Ranger Manual! Story: My clutch started acting like yours a year ago and I bled it. I had a FIT with the bleeding process and I was able to restore it, slightly.

The weather got warm and the clutch seemed to operate perfectly. The weather turned cold in late November and I had to pump the clutch to get the truck in gear and as January rolled in, I had to double clutch it btw the gears or it wouldn't shift.

Tried to bleed it again 2 weeks ago and no matter what I couldn't restore any pressure--but it gladly let air in. Worst part: I Lost ALL clutch function--pedal did nothing but flop around..

Used the starter at each stoplight to limp it 2 miles to Ford w/no clutch. Master cylinder was bad--cost me $200 to replace. Clutch is perfect now! The weird thing is that it never leaked/lost any fluid and no fluid was on the floor of the Truck.