What just happened to my clutch pedal?

[RedShift42]

Today my clutch pedal felt very squishy, take-up was in the middle instead of the top. Within a few miles take-up was at the very bottom and then no clutch engagement whatsoever. Pedal is now floppy with just enough spring to return.
Pedal started feeling a little odd a few weeks ago then noticeably squishy over the weekend. No leaks and the reservoir is still full.

Can anyone suggest which is more likely, master or slave?

Truck is an ‘02 4.0 FX4 with 91K miles.

thanks!

Eric

 

[scotts90ranger]

no clutch engagement or disengagement? And when you say the reservoir is full, you are pulling out the rubber diaphragm when looking at the level, right? That gets missed a lot...

If no engagement, and the fluid level with the diaphragm out is correct I would say probably master cylinder, my '97 did something similar this summer but it did engage eventually if I used the pedal sparingly, I replaced the master cylinder with a "bled assembly" (master, reservoir and hose assembled, was $20 more than just a master) and it's worked just fine since.

 

[RedShift42]

Thanks!
Fingers crossed it’s that simple. Got a filled master coming in tomorrow. Praying it’s not the slave — concentric, really?? Sheesh, no wonder people love Tacomas.

What is the procedure for removing the master? On other vehicles it’s just been two bolts through the firewall, but I don’t see anything like that. Right now I’m longing for my old ‘92 F150 300ci I6.

 

[RonD]

There should be two bolts in the engine bay side of firewall
They keep the master from spinning because its actually held in place using twist lock type mounting

You need to remove the clutch switch, it has a sliding tab on the top that comes off and then switch can be pulled off the push rod
Remove push rod from pedal arm, it doesn't come off the master once it was installed, its a one way locking mechanism

Get under vehicle and release the "quick connect" fitting, its anything but "quick" usually, lol
No fluid should come out, it self seals when unhooked

Unbolt reservoir, cap on

Remove the two bolts and twist master from engine bay side counter clock wise, about a 1/4 turn maybe a bit more

Pull master out

 

[scotts90ranger]

My '97 did not have any bolts holding the master cylinder on, I was expecting bolts but the master I got didn't have any holes and I didn't see anywhere for any to go... I think there were detents or something, wasn't bad... the only fastener I had to take out was the single bolt holding the reservoir on...

After you get it all in gravity bleed the slave for a little bit, a little air might get in when you connect the quick connect.

I think I was done in under 2 hours in an evening after work in my driveway in early October...

The slaves are kinda annoying to change, but they don't go out very often...

 

[RedShift42]

Well I’m a dope.
Somehow I didn’t realize testing the master is just a matter of popping the QC fitting at the bell housing and pressing the pedal. Figured that out once I had the old one removed. Woulda saved $100 and several cold wet hours in the driveway. So that means the slave is shot.

Ha! Local shop just called as I was typing, says the slave blew out and pumped all that fluid into the bellhousing.
They’re quoting $1200 for the job including clutch replacement – any reason this would have ruined the clutch??

FWIW, I’m confident the clutch should otherwise be good, I’m a lifelong manual trans guy— so competent usage— and truck has only 90k miles of relatively easy use.

 

[duffy]

A clutch that gets wet with fluid (oil, trans, or brake fluid) "should" be changed just like brake pads should be. However if the clutch has lots of material left you can put it in a pan with boiling water and some Dawn dish soap and clean it up. It may "grab" a bit when put back in but will burn in eventually.

If the clutch material is only glued on this may not be a good idea......most are riveted as well.

 

[Uncle Gump]

At 90K on the existing clutch... I would just have a new one put in. No sense going that far and not replacing it.

 

[RedShift42]

At 90K on the existing clutch... I would just have a new one put in. No sense going that far and not replacing it.

-sigh- Yeah, I know that’s the correct answer, my cheapskate self is just having a hard time accepting it. True to the superstition, these things really do hit in 3’s.

 

[RonD]

When quick connect fitting is off of the slave, the clutch pedal should NOT go down at all, if so the master is bad or hose or quick connect is leaking.

Slave is just a sealed "can" that expands when you pump fluid into it, its most complicated part is the bleeder screw, lol
A Slave can leak, and thats it only failure mode

 

[RedShift42]

Thanks for all the advice & info!
Frustratingly, the problem has evolved.
Local reputable shop replaced the slave and clutch, but the pedal feels all wrong. Top half of pedal travel is flaccid, engagement occurs close to the bottom and is too narrow.
I brought it back, thinking system just needed to be bled a little better. They returned it saying no air was found and clutch feels fine. No it doesn’t— feels like my neighbor’s 35yo/quarter-mil-mile Toyota farm truck. Which is crap

In anyone’s experience, is there something obvious, or some Ranger-specific quirk, that the shop has missed?

 

[SenorNoob]

If the shop says it's fine, but it doesn't feel right to you. I'd be looking for another shop.

That kinda sounds like what happened on mine. It didn't work at all though. Apparently someone in the past had mis-matched some parts. Sounds like your truck was probably all original tho.

 

[Shran]

Clutch "feel" varies wildly by vehicle. Some of mine are stiff, some are kinda soft, they engage in different places.

Try this, drive a few feet, stop, put it in neutral, let the clutch out. Push the pedal in and try to shift into first or reverse. If there is no resistance pushing it into gear, your clutch hydraulics are working like they should. If there's more than normal resistance or if it grinds or anything, there is air in the hydraulic system.