I need to bleed my slave cylinder...

My truck has a hard time shifting into first gear sometimes.

When I had my clutch and slave replaced about a year ago the guy said that sometimes on these trucks air can build in the system and if it does you need to bleed/burp the line. He said that all that needed to be done was so take the cap of the bleeder just for a split second and then put it back on. He said that was enough time to get any excess air out.

My question is this, is this right and if so do I really just need to pull the cap off for a second and then replace it?

Also where is the bleeder located and is it easy to get to?

Thanks,

Jake

 

Not meaning to be a smart a## , but over 3000 posts in 4 years and You haven't noticed this problem gets brought up 3-4 times a week ?
What he told you is wrong . You bleed the slave like you would the brakes. With the additional twist that you may have to reposition the master upside down to remove all the air from it .

 

I will disreguard the stupid comment that you made about searching...

I had a specific question that reguired a specific answer and you still cant give me a straight answer.

What do you mean by repositioning the master upside down... That makes no sense.

 

Never bled the clutch system before but just removing the bleeder cap doesn't sound like a fully proper bleed. Let me grab my haynes manual and check it out.

EDIT: Sad news, can't find procedure for slave, just master. My truck has got the same problem and it seems like a lot of Rangers have this problem and say it may be tranny related. My truck has this problem and all I do is pump it three times and it slides right into first. What I mean by pump is push clutch in, take the shifter and gently nudge the first gear slot and after the second nudge she slides right in. I can force her in first one thrust but she farts.

 

So do you think it would be a good idea to pop the bleeder cap off for just a second to let out any air that my be in there?

 

I'm thinking that that would probably be gravity bleeding and getting the air bubbles out of the system with the brief second of bleeding would be luck. It seems like it would work but you wouldn't know if the air is really out or if there is still air in it. I think if you try to bleed a full bottle of fluid through the system you're more likely to flush out the air bubbles. I would wait for someone more experience to answer this question though.

EDIT I think the bleeder is actually a bolt and you use a hose to bleed out the fluid from all the youtube videos and stuff.

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

 

Anyone else?

 

I think that if it had air in the line it would be a hard shift everytime. Mine doesn't like to take first, I let the clutch out a tad to spin the synco so I can try again, always works.

 

When I had my '88 I bled the slave just like brakes. Had some one pump the pedal hold it to the floor loosen the screw on the top and then tighten. Hope that helps

 

if air is getting into the system then you need to look if there is a leak in the master, slave cylinder, or the line from the master to the slave, as far as bleeding you can pump the clutch pedal (DO NOT BLEED THIS SYSTEM LIKE YOU WOULD BRAKES) or gravity bleed it where you loosen the bleeder on the slave cylinder just a 1/2 turn or so and watch the resivoir let it get down to almost empty fill it back up full let it bleed half way and then close the bleeder. The video posted earyler will have this same info

 

Why is gravity bleeding bad?

 

Gravity bleeding is not bad its the best method of bleeding the clutch system, bleeding it like you would brakes is not, it will not get all the air out of the system

 

The angle that the master cylinder is mounted will not allow all the air to be removed from it.
It is necessary to vigorously pump the pedal a few times to aireate the fluid (break up the large air bubble in the top of the cylinder into smaller bubbles that will partially mix with the fluid).Then one person depress the pedal while another opens then closes the bleed screw on the slave.
Repeat until no air bubbles.
The best way to ensure all air is removed is to remove the master cylinder and invert it (actuating rod pointing down) .Make sure the reservoir is elevated , and depress the actuating rod while holding the check valve on the slave end of the line open (depress with a nail).
Let the check valve close , then release the actuating rod.
Lather,rinse,repeat.

 

you have to open the bleeder and keep poring in the atf. fill up the resevor while the bleader is open. when it gets about half empty fill it up. Do this until you have filled it about 5 times total. fill it then tighten up the bleeder. If it was just replaced sometimes you have to take out the little bkack tube that comes through the fire wall that hooks to the clutch peddle and turn it upside down so the air dont get caught at the top. fill it with it upside down tighten everything and put it back through the fire wall and hook peddle back up then bleed the system

 

bleeding it like the bleeding brakes is the right way first you gravity bleed then you have some one pump the pedal and hold it to the floor then you crack the bleeder close the bleeder and repeat untill there is no air bubbles coming out of the slave cylinder. when i did mine i filled the master 4 times through out the whole procces. also if the air is trapped in the master you have to remove it from the fire wall and hold it at an agle so the air can work it way out.

 

don't use atf use dot 3 brake fluid