Ranger Clutch tech needed

[Doc Holiday13]

I'm a newbie and found this place by accident when I was double checking some wiring diagrams.
About 4 weeks ago I replaced the tranny, clutch, flywheel, and slave cylinder in my 96, 4.0L, 4wd ranger.

Well all was well with it until tonight. After a 2 hours of highway driving I felt the clutch pedal going soft on me. About 2 miles from home the pedal dropped to the floor, no pressure. Check the reservoir, empty. Get some fluid and tools and try to bleed it right there in the road. Nothing.

I've done a bunch of searching and come to find out I lucked out somehow and didn't have to pull the master cylinder off and tilt it to bleed it. It just worked with standard bleeding. But because I didn't do this originally is this coming back to bite me in the butt or is this a fluke and I need to replace the slave again?
In a few hours I'm gunna get my trailer with my other truck and get the ranger to my house and try all the bleeding steps that I've read about in the last few hours(yeah its been a long day for me)

 

[Doc Holiday13]

Surprised I didn't find this on my searches here at the ranger station

Here is is a easy -how to video on youtube made by perfection clutches

 

[Doc Holiday13]

problem not solve but it is diagnosed......

Brand new slave cylinder blew out.. I filled the reservoir and had someone pump cuz it leaked fluid. Pulled the rubber bellhousing plate and as the clutch was pumped I heard and saw the fluid dripping down the slave and onto my trailer

 

[piotrsko]

welcome aboard.

apparently most of us work days so there seems to be a delay in answering daytime questions

and yes, I believe you got almost too lucky on the first slave install, but that is JMHO, and SOMEBODY has to get an easy bleed session.

 

[frozenassets]

Similar clutch problem

I have a 95 Ranger 2.3. Recently I noticed the clutch a little soft and dragging so I could barely shift gears. Problem cleared up in a few minutes and recurred in a week. It recurred again for longer and I took it to a mechanic. The problem was not evident while he had it, but based on what I described he changed the master clutch cylinder. Worked good for a day and problem briefly recurred again. I am told that if it was the slave cylinder it would be leaking oil, which is not the case here. Any ideas?

 

[mari0]

Sounds like a slave cylinder to me...mine is shot too. Can't shift into any gears without slamming it in or grinding, I'm swapping a new transmission though too. They said mine should be ok, but my bushings are completely gone you can move the shifter left to right about 2 inches each way haha

 

[piotrsko]

I have a 95 Ranger 2.3. Recently I noticed the clutch a little soft and dragging so I could barely shift gears. Problem cleared up in a few minutes and recurred in a week. It recurred again for longer and I took it to a mechanic. The problem was not evident while he had it, but based on what I described he changed the master clutch cylinder. Worked good for a day and problem briefly recurred again. I am told that if it was the slave cylinder it would be leaking oil, which is not the case here. Any ideas?

sounds like typical air bubbles in system. After a while they grow together and the clutch starts acting like something ain't right. Bleeding a Ranger is a 5th water Zen mystery, however some people like above get lucky and it goes correctly the first time. do a search for the possibly hundred different ways people have tried to bleed and pick the one you think works best. I myself take the master off the dash and bleed it on the bench.