bleeding the clutch..
 

disclaimer: don't come down on me too hard!

when i replaced my clutch back in may, i overlooked the bleeding step. so i left town for the summer. i got back and have since driven the ranger a few times, i've noticed when i shift, it feels like what i would call somewhat of a mechanical resistance. i've never changed a clutch before, so i'm still learning the ins-and-outs. i talked with Jason about it, and mentioned that i never did bleed the system. so he suggested that's probably would i need to do still.

well today comes and i get a friend to help me with the process. the way jason described it is similar to bleeding a brake system: open the bleeder valve, disengage the clutch, close the valve, then release the clutch. repeat a few times as needed until the valve spits out fluid.

okay, so i did this. i opened the bleeder vavle, pumped the clutch, closed the vavle, then released the clutch. first off, the reservoir didn't have much in it initially. the first couple of pumps spit out fluid, then nothing for several more pumps. i can't believe the system would be that big as to get nothing but air for several pumps. in addition, it wasn't nearly as aggrivating as the reservoir NOT going down any after i filled it and pumped several times. i'm pretty damn sure i can bleed the clutch without having to run the engine. as a last-ditch thought, i removed the clutch fluid line from the slave, pumped the clutch and still got nothing.

any help/adice would be greatly appreciated! thanks.

when you take the line off, you need to press in the little spring loaded button at the end with a screwdriver for fluid to flow. if it does then hook it back up. you need to place the front end of the truck high off the ground. if you look at the master cylinder for the slave (mounted under the brake booster) it points downward, you need to lift the front of the truck til its straight because air isnt going to go downward to escape. then press the pedal slowly to the floor, open the screw and shut it then release the pedal. wait a few minutes and do it again. take the little rubber thing out of the reservoir and leave it out so the reservoir will hold more fluid. do not run it empty or you will be in a world of hurt, you will still need to refill it with dot 3 brake fluid every 2nd or 3rd bleed though. pm me if you need more help, i have done a bazillion clutches in rangers/explorers/bII's but only one faulty clutch master on my dads 93. did you replace the slave cylinder when you did the clutch? are you removing the line at the slave where you press the nylon bushing in and release the hose?

thanks for the help. i'm gonna get back to it tomorrow and let you know how it goes. yeah i replaced the slave and i am removing the line at the slave where you press the nylon bushing in and release the hose.

when i did mine i had to vacuum bleed the clutch cuz normal bleeding didnt work...idk if thats an 03 thing or what

it is a self-bleeding system. unless you let it run completely dry, which it soulnds as though you may have, it should work air out to the reservoir on its own.

to help the system along, attach a small amount of vaccum to the reservoir while you pump the clutch.

if it is completely dry, fill the reservoir and open the bleeder. allow it to gravity bleed till you get fluid out the bleeder.

i've always had success with this process here

gumby is somewhat right.
it is a self bleeding system.

first top of the reservoir. second open the bleeder and let it drip or gravity bleed for a few minutes, do not let the reservoir run dry. next close the bleeder and simpley pump the clutch pedal 40-50 times, top off the fluid and your done!

Quote by Kevin
i removed the clutch fluid line from the slave, pumped the clutch and still got nothing.

Inside the end of the line is a check valve.Looks like a white plastic plug .You have to depress this plug with a nail or something similar or you will get nothing out.
Don't confuse this plug with the release you depress to remove the line from the slave cylinder.

The self bleeding has never worked for me on rangers. it has worked on full size trucks but not rangers where the master clynder points downward. a phoenix bleeder will not work unless the truck is level because the air will still stay up in the back of the master as the fluid goes past it. i have gotten the phoenix method to work with the clutch pedal fully depressed which moves the air pocket closer to the line on the end of the master, but still the easiest way is to raise the front of the truck up in the air so the master is as level as you can get it. remove the clutch inspection cover and have someone press the clutch in and out. the slave clynder should travel 3/8''+

which part was wrong? :cool:

kevin we did my clutch and i dont have time to explain right now but whn i get home tonight ill let u know. i am still at school so yea. but it is easy. takes 30 min max

this is getting fustrating.

okay, so i tried the gravity-bleeding route and it worked, for the basic principle anyhow. first off, i came to find out the reason i wasn't getting fluid out of the bleeder valve is that rubber thing that was in the reservoir didn't have a f*cking hole in it! what the f*ck is that sh!t about?! so i removed it, topped the reservoir, opened the bleed vavle and whaddya know, it bleed! so i then close the valve, topped the reservoir again and began to pump the clutch. well i did this about 10-15 times but didn't feel a damn bit of difference. so i waited for a buddy to come over so he could work the clutch. i removed the inspection cover to have a look-see at the slave cylinder while he pumped it. NOTHING. so do i still need to push the clutch, open and closed the valve, and repeat several times? or what's up? what else might i be doing wrong or not doing (at all)?

this combination has always worked for me.

i remove the rubber insert from the reservoir while purgin the system, and reinstall it when im done.

well how do i 'attach a small amount of vaccum' to the reservoir?

secondly, i must have pumped the clutch close to 30 times and still didn't feel a lick of difference. ~10 pumps can't make that much difference.

and did your rubber insert have a hole in it?

not that i have ever noticed. the cap does; to allow the rubber insert to flex as needed.

i use a manual hand pump with a suction cup over the top of the reservoir cap. pulls vacuum thru the small bleed hole. there are many attachments with most vacuum pumps that you can make work.

kevin We might have a vacumm pump at my here at my house

hey don

i'm just all around frustrated with this thing. how easy was it for you to do?

so how was school this weekend?

^^ you have a pm

did ya get it done kev?

ok i didn't take time to read all the responses.. but here is what i did when i changed the clutch in my 95...

Once i got it all bolted back together a buddy of mine told me to take and air nozzle with a rubber fitting on the end of it and put it on the slave cap (where that lil hole is) and shoot about 10-15psi in there and you would hear a pop... It actually took more psi, and had to take the rubber condom thing out of the res.

Well that worked for a bit, till i got up to tellico this past June... Evidently with the bouncing some air got moved around or what not.... couldn't shift my truck anymore..

So here is what another friend had me do on the trail.. We found some flat land... with the truck off i would pump the clutch 10-15 times then hold it down... He got under there with a wrench and opened up the bleed valve, and let out the pressure... Did this about 5 times, making sure we had plenty of fluid.... Haven't had any problems since then.. He said the first two time we did the process almost no fluid came out just air...

HOPE THAT HELPS!

has no one else on here ever heard of putting the nose of the truck up in the air? the master clynder is pointed downward, all the air usually will not come out inless that master is level or a little bit higher in the front. im tellin ya.....

any luck on this man?

well i went through hell and back trying to solve the clutch issue. finally just had the damn thing towed to an aamco. told 'em all that i had replaced and wouldn't ya figure the only thing i didn't touch which i was told needed to be replaced is the master. pluuuusss there was an added issue of what i called 'rough mechanical feel' when shifting, esp. into 2nd and 3rd. so i okayed them to drop the tranny and have a look-see (and feel my assho!e tighten up). got a call tonight telling me what needed to be replaced.. i'll let ya'll know was the components were. at least i'll have a good-as-new tranny :lick:

boy am i gonna be glad once i complete my wyotech training and am able to deal with this kinda sh!t myself!

you got F'd in the A