Truck is a 99 Mazda B3000.
It would not go into gear unless I shut the engine off, then put it in gear and start the engine with the clutch pedal in.

I was expecting the truck to lurch forward when I started it, but it didn't.

After work it behaved normally, I could take it out of gear at a long red light and it would go into first and reverse with the no problem while the engine was running.

Fluid is topped up with no apparent leaks ????

It has a fairly new master cylinder, so even with that maybe it's failing and not pushing enough fluid into he slave cylinder to disengage the clutch.

But if that's the case, then why would it start working again ?

This was Thursday and today (Friday) it seems OK again...

 

There is a check valve at the end of the master where reservoir hose connects.
When you press pedal down, valve closes so all fluid flows to Slave
When pedal is up fluid can flow in from reservoir to replace any lost fluid

You could open reservoir and have someone pump the clutch to see if valve is acting up, NO fluid should ever flow up into the reservoir

 

I wasn't aware that the quick disconnect coupling is where the check valve is, strange place to put it.
All master cylinders that I've come across have them in the master cylinder themselves.

I'll look at the reservoir level the next time it acts up.

 

Not at the quick connect, reread it

At the end of master cylinder where reservoir hose connects

There is a valve IN the quick connect, on the master hose, it closes when you separate it from the slave connection, if that happens, quick connect pops off, then you can't press clutch pedal down at all

 

Oh, OK...
At any rate when I do the rear engine oil seal again in the summer, I intend to replace the slave cylinder with a Ford one.
No sure what's in there now...

Does LUK make the slave cylinder for Ford ?

I can find lots of LUK products, but not so much Ford stuff.

And I know I may have to buy a new master cylinder to mate with the Ford/LUK slave where it concerns the coupling.

 

I have only used LUK kits in my Rangers over the years, no complaints

And not that it matters:
LuK = “Lamellen und Kupplungsbau” German for "disc and clutch makers"
Company started in 1965 and is based in Germany but it has a plant in the US, and Hungary, and of course Germany.
Its owned by Schaeffler Technologies
And at one time or another they have been makers of OEM Ford and GM Clutches, all about best price, when ordering a million clutches, lol.

 

Looks like the Ford ones have a big dust boot on them.

I know mine doesn't and I don't know how necessary the dust boot is ???

I would have to take one apart and see what the dust boot is actually protecting.

 

I replaced clutch disc on my '95 3.0 liter and the LUK replacement kit had a 1" smaller diameter than the Original . I wound up using a Ford replacement clutch disc with the original pressure plate and a new Ford axial throwout bearing (original had no dust boot and was mildly leaking around the seal. New one had an improved design with dust boot). Since I abuse my truck by occasionally towing a 14' trailer, I wanted at least the original quality.

 

Thanks, I'll be pulling the engine here in the next month or so to replace the leaky crank seal, and I will be replacing the slave while I'm in there.
I don't know what it is now, but I'm betting it's not a Ford one.

 

Well it turns out that the master cylinder wasn't replaced after all. The guy at the garage lied to me again...
The seals were totally worn out _ hence the problem.

What a bitch getting the cylinder in and out !