Truck clutch master cylinder question

old · Dec 27, 2013

Ok so is there a way to test a clutch master cylinder to know if it is gong bad?? Have a friend who has a 1989 Ford ranger and she is having clutch problems. Some times she can pump the pedal and the clutch will release and other times that does not help. The new clutch master cylinder is $55 which if her is not bad is to much of a gamble for what her income is

Anonymous-0 · Dec 27, 2013

rich , I think you need to replace a clutch master cylinder,,, however , if you want to experiment ,,,pour a teaspoon of lucas tranny fix //I think lucas hub sealer would be to thick,,,either product should help the seals expand ...

cole in mo. · Dec 27, 2013

Most times clutch trouble is from the slave cyl, make sure the master reservoir is full, then bleed the slave and see if it helps.

504 · Dec 27, 2013

Do not add any oil base product to a brake fluid system as any rubber parts will fail fast.
Rich just open the bleeder on the slave cyl, it will gravity bleed. Also look for signs of weeping around the slave cyl. Might try a used unit to save her some cash.

old · Dec 27, 2013

Ford ranger slave cylinder sits in the bell housing so no way to get to it with out pulling the transmission out. Master is full of fluid but yet if the clutch pedal is pushed down it may or may not release the clutch. If pumped a few times some times it works some times it does not

old · Dec 27, 2013

On a Ford ranger the slave cylinder is in the bell housings so the only way to get to it is by pulling the transmission out

Anonymous-0 · Dec 27, 2013

Old get a proper bleeding wrench I think it,s 5/16 hex and bent 90 deg. Get help and top up master then bleed it. I went through this years ago and it solved it.
Later Bob

waltdavies · Dec 27, 2013

I have a 97 Ford Ranger the clutch cylinder is a pain in a A$$ they are almost impossible to beed correctly. The dealer by now should have a cure for it. Check with them also check with Napa.
Walt

IBOrangeinTX · Dec 27, 2013

Old,
They just don't understand about the slave cy being inside the bell housing. Have a Ranger, clutch went out, had to pull the tranny and put in new slave cyl, clutch plate, disc, and bearing. Thought I might as well do the whole nine yards while I had it broke into.
Mine went out while I was sitting at a red light. Had to push it thru the intersection and then call one of those 'Roll Backs' at $150 tow.
BTDT and got a greasy T shirt.
Good luck

25twin · Dec 27, 2013

Rich,
Some of those master cylinders had a rubber cup under the cap and made it look full when it was not. Was very easy to miss and very deceiving. I don't remember which of my Fords was like that.

old · Dec 27, 2013

NAPA what is that. Have no had a NAPA in this area in well over decade

old · Dec 27, 2013

Not the problem I have checked it and checked it again

old · Dec 27, 2013

On this one it does not work that way

Steve@Advance · Dec 27, 2013

Most likely it's the master cylinder.

If the slave cylinder were bad, it would be leaking (the slave cylinder does not have a reservoir like the master cylinder, so any fluid leaking past the seal will leak leak out into the bell housing)

Start with a new master cylinder, bleed it best you can, (they can be extremely difficult to bleed, and ANY air will act exactly as you describe). Pressure bleeding from the bottom up works best, but still...

Then, just as you give up in disgust and defeat, walk away, leave it overnight, and most likely, in the morning you will have good pedal.

At least that what happened last time I dealt with one. Good luck!

Bob · Dec 28, 2013

NOT a problem, Wally. Either buy a complete assembly that is pre-bled, or bleed the master and slave assembly BEFORE installing. (If they need bleeding AGAIN, later, there"s a failure, and you need to start over. Been there, done that, the cheap plastic system SUCKS!

UncleTom · Dec 28, 2013

The only luck i had bleeding hydraulic clutches is with one of those on man bleeder kits that actually pumps up a vacuum. Put the hose on the bleeder, pump it up and open the bleeder. It will suck the air out a lot faster than using the pedal.

T in NE · Dec 28, 2013

Can you get the fluid sucked out of the reservoir? What color is it? The fluid in my amigo's reservoir was black, even after getting the new slave cylinder bled. Ended up putting both cylinders on it. Still trying to get the clutch pedal adjusted where I like it.

Jeff NWOH · Dec 28, 2013

Had a 97 ranger for a while. Clutch acted somewhat similar. Sometimes worked fine, sometimes grind getting into 1 or reverse. Bled that thing 10 times from down below on the bleeder and no change.

Had a mechanic friend of mine suggest pulling a vacuum on the master cyl reservoir with one of those little mity vac deals. Got a big burp of air out of it and the clutch worked flawlessly after that.

M-MAN · Dec 28, 2013

My old f150 would do that once in a while. Broke the clutch rod a couple years ago & had to replace the master cylinder since that's the only way to get the rod. It's worked perfect ever since.

MARK ROBKE · Dec 28, 2013

On my '97 ranger the pilot bearing failed, and would try to seize on the input shaft, causing the clutch to seem to not release when it was actually the shaft trying to rotate along with the flywheel. This made it hard to get in or out of gear, and not release at a stop. I tried to polish the input shaft where the bearing rides, but it only lasted 85,000 so I ended up replacing the input shaft and a 2nd pilot bearing.
Also clutch disc damper springs can fall out and wedge in between disc and flywheel, causing a not releasing problem, but this is not as a likely failure on a small truck.
If the pedal is low on your ranger and it pumps up, like brakes out of adjustment, and it is not low on brake fluid, then the master cylinder may be at fault; but I myself have only ever seen the slave cylinder fail. Mark

Super-H-Mike · Dec 28, 2013

Betcha that slave is leaking, just not bad enough to see fluid on the outside of the bellhousing yet. When they leak , it also can draw in air, causing what you describe. One bleeding trick is to run a length of vacuum hose from the bleeder up to the master resvior, open bleeder and pump pedal. Sends the fluid in a constant loop and releases the air out.

old · Dec 28, 2013

The is the only way I bleed any master/slave cylinder set up on cars and trucks

super h man · Dec 28, 2013

oh man, thats what my 95 ranger is doing now. has 80k on replacement clutch, pedal is half dead, hard to shift n get into gear, resivoir was refilled, did hear some chirping when clutch was pushed in. nothing real loud, or consistant, just a second when it disenguaged it would rattle. that was 1000mi ago. lol.

Brian Jasper co. Ia · Dec 28, 2013

Old, if you haven't already, look for any evidence of fluid leakage from the bell housing. If you find it dry, do like Mark says. Fill the reservoir with brake fluid, and then pull a vacuum on the reservoir with a hand held vacuum pump like a Mity-Vac. Hold for a few seconds and release. Do this several times until you don't get anymore bubbles.

Brian Jasper co. Ia · Dec 28, 2013

NEVER put any oil of any kind in a brake system. A hydraulic clutch system is the same. Putting any oil in these systems quickly DESTROYS all of the natural rubber parts.

Maxgussam · Dec 28, 2013

(quoted from post at 08:43:06 12/28/13) Betcha that slave is leaking, just not bad enough to see fluid on the outside of the bellhousing yet. When they leak , it also can draw in air, causing what you describe. One bleeding trick is to run a length of vacuum hose from the bleeder up to the master resvior, open bleeder and pump pedal. Sends the fluid in a constant loop and releases the air out.

Thank you for posting this!
I am having problems bleeding the clutch system on my honda.
Never heard of doing it this way.

Truck clutch master cylinder question

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