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dtderbas I have posted a possible solution to your Ranger clutch sticking in hot weather.
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Bruisebrother I have posted a possible fix for your Ranger clutch hangs in hot weather.
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mike r I have posted a possible fix for your Ranger clutch hangs in hot weather.
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Hi Bpski
Thanks for the post. I've been working on the problem lately as well since it seems to be getting worse. I'm not familiar with the heat shield material that you used but that's what the internet is for. I used to have aluminum foil wrapped around the original heat shield. It didn't seem to help any so I took it off but I will look into improving the heat shielding for the hydraulic line. Particularly since there isn't any heat shield there any more. I had a new master cylinder and hydraulic line installed on thursday. They didn't reinstall the original heat shield. The new master cylinder and hydraulic line didn't solve the problem. The clutch "feel" is a little different but the old problem is still there. thanks Mike r |
Mike R,, wrapping in aluminum foil would be like baking potatoes in the oven. No protection. You need an insulating material. I ordered this off of Amazon.
Heat Shroud Aluminized Sleeving Heat Shield fuel line wire heat sleeve 3/4" I.D. x 3FT with 10 Pcs 7.8Inch Stainless Steel Cable Metal Zip TiesI cut 1 piece 12 inches. Put the first wrap right against the transmission where the hydraulic line goes into it. First piece goes on with a tight fit. I then cut the rest into 4 pieces. Velcro 2 pieces together to make them extra wide. So you now have 2 extra wide 6 inch pieces. I offset them on top of each other, on the line to make a triple thickness. They don't fit tight on the line but you can then use the metal tie wraps to snug them down, when you are satisfied with their positions. It is triple thick right where the line is above the header. The original heat shield is under all of the extra shielding.This is just what I decided to try. There are all sorts of engine compartment insulating materials. For spark plug wires and fuel lines. There is also the type the goes on the headers themselves, like for motorcycles. They are available at auto parts stores too. If you replaced the master clutch cylinder and clutch line it should have had a new heat shield. I ordered one (that was bleed and ready to install) before I crawled under the truck. I didn't install it, but it has a new heat shield on the line. Hopefully your new installed clutch line has its own new shield and you just haven't looked to see. Bpski |
Originally Posted by bpski
(Post 2194244)
1998 Ford Ranger 4x4 4.0 m5......I now can use my Ranger in hot weather, without the clutch hanging.
THE FIX ON MY RANGER. 1. The original heat sleeve over the hydraulic line had slipped down and was offering no protection. Moved back into proper position. Just slides on the line. My problem would begin in low 80 degree days instead of the 90's, like most owners are describing. 2. Bleed out some of the dot3 from the slave cylinder to get rid of some of the old dot 3 that has been getting boiled. Boiling point of dot 3 is around 400 degrees. 3. Bought some additional heat resistant sleeves to put over the original heat sleeve. The kind you can use in engine compartments. They attach with velcro and are holding up fine. 4. I wrapped more than one layer of these sleeves, to offer more insulation from the header heat. It’s intermittent and really only happens after it’s been driven for a while. Pedal goes soft, clutch won’t engage when released, revs when I step on the gas but doesn’t respond, usually between 2nd and 3rd, sometimes gets really stiff. If I feel it starting to go it will often settle down if I pump it a few times. Sometimes it will act up for a few minutes then straighten itself out. Every time I’ve taken it to my mechanic someone will drive it and it behaves. It also sometimes does it when shifting between 1st and reverse a few times in a row. I’ve also found that running the AC makes it worse. I showed my mechanic your fix and asked him if he could do it for me but it will be a week or two before he has an appointment available. So was hoping it’s still working, because I’d really like to be able to drive my truck when it’s hot. |
I had a similar problem for years. Very annoying as it would sometimes work ok and other times I had to push real hard to get it in first gear. I had 115k on the truck but drive like a baby so I did not think the clutch would ware out. I had it changed out and of course had to rebleed the master cylinder because they did not do that right not it drives fine. The clutch looked barely used and nothing stood out to cause the issue other than it is no longer present. I changed out the master cylinder and hydraulic hose before the clutch and no luck. I bleed the system very well and still had the problem. I changed the clutch and now the problem is gone. Sometimes you just have to take the leap and put a new clutch in. I suspect that it was either the through out bearing or pilot bearing that was the cause of it all. After 17 years of service what can you do. I wish that I did not suffer for years with this annoying issue and just got the clutch repaired sooner as all the wishing and thinking did not make the truck easier to drive. It does drive much nicer now as it should and I look forward to driving my baby truck.
Good luck but I would just change out the clutch. Its only money and there is nothing more annoying that driving a manual with a problem like this. I would try to bleed the clutch real well as that could cause it but you can tell that by how firm the pedal is and how much travel you have before it starts resisting. My pedal resists at the very top and is firm. Even that said I could likely get a little more air out of it. These are a real PITA to bleed. BOB |
Sand67, I got your inquiry about whether my 98 Ranger is still working. Since the weather has been getting into the 90's, I have wondered whether my fix is still working, also. I'm retired and don't drive it everyday. Also haven't been caught in any stop and go traffic, when it's above 90 outside. That would be the ultimate test. Last week it was around 95 and I made 3 short stops with errands. With my original problem, this would have been enough for the clutch to start hanging. Since I have put on the extra heat shielding, last summer, I have not had the clutch hang up. We've had enough hot days already this year, I should have had the problem. Fingers crossed,, but it does look like its fixed. Hopefully others will find this thread and at least give this fix a try. Most people would not think the problem is really an engineering issue and keep throwing parts at the problem. I would be interested to know that a model year 10 years younger than my 98, needs the same fix. There may be other ford models that have this problem, spanning over many years. I know this is the first link that I can find when I do a search for "Ford clutch hangs up in real hot weather". The discussion here, could help many Ford owners that have manual transmissions with hanging clutches. Since it only happens in real hot weather, it is difficult to troubleshoot. People would be looking on the internet in the summer. You would have thought that by now, someone would have seen the real problem is extremely hot dot 3 fluid, in the clutch hydraulic line. Let everyone know if this fixes your problem too. PS... Just to let you all know. The 1-4 steps I listed in my first post above were done 1 at a time and then tested to see if I fixed the problem. So putting back the original heat shield in place did NOT fix it. Bleeding out some of the old dot 3 did NOT fix it. Then I moved on to putting in additional heat shielding. My clutch has not hung up since doing that last step. I put it on in early Aug of 2021. I wasn't sure if what I put on was enough. If it does come back in mid 90's + degree days, I'll be looking to add more heat shielding.
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If it was an engineering problem there would have been problems with that clutch design right out of the box with what ever Ford product it was used on.
The public would not have tolerated such a thing and there would have been a recall. What I find astonishing is what happens due to the loss of a piece of trivial heat shield, how a design that is so fragile that everything goes to hell on a hot day from the loss of said heat shield. The centre slave cylinder of the LUK clutch is a shitty design in my opinion, the old fashioned type where the slave cylinder is mounted on the outside of the bell housing is so much more serviceable and less temperamental. The bleed process alone is just ridiculous. :eek13: |
The engineering issue I am referring to is that the clutch hydraulic line is run 2 inches above the drivers side exhaust header. It should not be that close to something that produces 1000 degrees + in temperature.
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Originally Posted by bpski
(Post 2207716)
The engineering issue I am referring to is that the clutch hydraulic line is run 2 inches above the drivers side exhaust header. It should not be that close to something that produces 1000 degrees + in temperature.
Yeah it works, but when things wear out, look how difficult it is to service it. Ford would have you throw the truck away and buy a new one, and with todays problems, that is an irresponsible option these days. Time to put the planet first and profit in the back seat. |
Sand67,
Left the house at 1:00pm with the temperature at 94 degrees. More traffic on Fridays and the hottest day this year, so far. Drove the Ranger between 1pm and 5:30pm in city traffic. Lots of stops and starts. Running AC the whole time. Made 4 stops in the 4.5 hours. Even in going home traffic with temp at least 98 degrees, I did not have any sign of the clutch wanting to hang. I did get stuck at one light for at least 6 changes( 15 to 20 minutes at 98 degrees), with a line of cars in up hill traffic. The only worse test I can think of is getting stuck in going home traffic on I-565, when its bumper to bumper (for 45 minutes), in the hot sun, and 95+ degree temps. I won't be going to Arizona or Texas to find higher temperatures. This is the best this truck has ever done in what is just normal summer temps, for other vehicles. It has showed its quite dependable. since I put in the extra heat shielding, last summer. |
Originally Posted by bpski
(Post 2194244)
1998 Ford Ranger 4x4 4.0 m5......I now can use my Ranger in hot weather, without the clutch hanging.
I have been searching for a solution to this problem for many years. I had found a few owners that have posted the problem, but no real solutions posted. Symptom: In hot weather, after running the truck for about 30-45 minutes the clutch pedal will start to stick, when letting up on it. Eventually it hangs part way up and may not engage. Clutch works fine when cold and when the truck cools. Works in cooler weather also. I have joined the forum to offer my recent findings. Hopefully this will help others who have this problem. The solution is based on the symptom. Something is heating UP and takes around 30 minutes to do it. I crawled under the truck with this in mind and saw what was going on.. The clutch hydraulic line crosses above the exhaust header, by about 2 inches clearance. It also crosses the exhaust header a few inches from the transmission. Not very much clearance and above the heat source. Since the header heat source can be over 1000 degrees, I figure the dot 3 in the clutch line is probably boiling or extremely hot after 30 minutes. When you use the clutch, you are shoving this hot dot 3, into the slave cylinder. The parts in the slave cylinder are expanding from this extremely hot dot 3 and start to stick. Eventually the slave cylinders internal parts expand too much, to work correctly. The clutch pressure plate spring just doesn't have quite enough umph, to push the dot 3 fluid back through the sticking slave cylinder. The clutch pedal hangs part way up and the clutch doesn't engage in the transmission housing, either. I am sure some owners have fixed this problem with a new clutch slave cylinder or combo clutch, slave cylinder kit. Throwing parts at it is addressing the symptom. I just believe Ford ran the clutch hydraulic line way too close, to the driver side header, without enough shielding. The real problem is extremely hot dot 3 in the clutch hydraulic line and not any particular part. Loose enough internal tolerances in a new slave cylinder could look like a fix. I don't know if there was a particular reason to heat up the a clutch line fluid on purpose. ???? THE FIX ON MY RANGER. 1. The original heat sleeve over the hydraulic line had slipped down and was offering no protection. Moved back into proper position. Just slides on the line. My problem would begin in low 80 degree days instead of the 90's, like most owners are describing. 2. Bleed out some of the dot3 from the slave cylinder to get rid of some of the old dot 3 that has been getting boiled. Boiling point of dot 3 is around 400 degrees. 3. Bought some additional heat resistant sleeves to put over the original heat sleeve. The kind you can use in engine compartments. They attach with velcro and are holding up fine. 4. I wrapped more than one layer of these sleeves, to offer more insulation from the header heat. I just recently became the owner of a Ranger twin,1998 Mazda B2500 and am having the same issue after about 25 minutes of driving with the clutch hanging up, then slamming into gear, then sticking completely. Wait a while and it's OK again. Clutch fluid reservoir is fine. I have the smaller 2.5L 4cyl engine and the hydraulic line from the clutch master cylinder to the slave/transmission doesn't really get very close to any exhaust lines, so I'm wondering how this could be a problem for this model. I have no knowledge of the previous owner's maintenance history, so I'm thinking I should start with flushing the clutch lines and getting new DOT3 fluid in there to help with any low boiling point issues. I will try adding the heat insulation too, as it sounds like it could be the fix needed. But I also wondered if it may be an issue with the clutch master cylinder. |
Ranger-Twin I did read a post a long time ago that may help you with determining if you have a hydraulic fluid heat up problem. You could run the truck in the heat of the day in your driveway. Making sure to use your clutch to shove the dot 3 into the clutch slave cylinder until your problem appears. The post had read that this owner could stop his clutch from sticking by spraying water on the clutch master cylinder. His clutch would then stop sticking by cooling down the fluid this way. When you let up on the clutch pedal, the pressure plate finger springs push back on the throw out bearing, that pushes back on the slave cylinder plunger, that dis-engaged the clutch, to begin with. If this slave cylinder plunger is sticking, then the dot 3 can't be moved through it and down the line and back to the master clutch cylinder. Once the dot 3 comes back to the master cylinder the clutch pedal will forced back up. So your foot depresses the clutch pedal to disengage the clutch and the pressure plate spring is what presses back to raise the pedal, when you take your foot off of the clutch pedal. On my ranger I could not find a "helper" return spring (on the truck) to raise the clutch pedal, when you take your foot off of it. Any thing in the clutch system is suspect. In my problem, the slave clutch cylinder was my major suspect because the master had been changed. In my model the slave cylinder is inside the transmission housing. It would not be the first thing you change because you have to remove the transfer case and transmission to get to it (4x4). You may want to try the water cooling technique to see it your dot 3 fluid is getting too hot. The pressure plate finger springs don't appear to be all that stout, to complete the clutch pedal return and re-engage the clutch, if there is any binding or sticking parts in the total system. Sorry for the long sentences. Seems hard to describe whats going on in shorter sentences.
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Old Ranger clutch hot weather hagup!
Howdy Ranger-Forum Community. bpski, Twin-Mazda etc. Glad to hear you'al still working ont this issue! My Ranger with the trouble was a 95' with 2.3L. Everything clutch is on the left side under the intake side not the rigth exhaust side! Eventually had to junk the truck .Still had the problem, Fram totaly dis sinagrated. Now running a 96' still a 2.3L . The clutch slave is quite differant from the 95' !! Only one hangup when I first got my 96'. 90 degree + day! Sprayed everthing from the throw out to the trans with a secret can of something a machanic friend gave me!!! It had 11,874 miles. now 28,000 plus. 3 years now. Runs like it looks, Showroom new in& out . All I ever found out was that possibly the slave and its cover shaft were to closely machined ? and the extreme heat expantion caused the hang ups ! Be Safe, Bruisebrother. (Keep in touch- If not with me-yourself!)
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I got a chance to take a look under the truck over the weekend. The inspection cover at the clutch fit tightly and I didn't see much to indicate a fluid leak at the quick connect clutch line fitting...maybe a couple very small whitish deposits around it, but no drips right now. As I took the cover off, I'm not sure what I expected to see, but it wasn't this!
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.ran...207b6831c7.jpg Yes, a huge wasp nest, inside the clutch housing! I found more nests inside the engine bay - all abandoned thankfully...apparently this truck was sitting for some time. Still not sure how they got in there, unless the cover was left off for an extended period of time and then put back on. Perhaps that's the case, hard to say really. Anyway, I'm planning to vacuum that crud out as best I can (but also going to be careful not to suck in clutch disc dust!) and have a new master cylinder to put in. Hopefully in the next few days, I will report back. May this be to someone's amusement, even if it's not mine! |
Well I guess this is my update log. I was still having intermittent problems with the clutch going dead after 20 minutes of driving, so everything I can find says most likely a problem with the clutch master cylinder. So I bought a new (pre-filled) master cylinder a couple weeks ago and put it in over the weekend. The quick connect (lol) fitting at the clutch slave was giving me fits to get off. It's the white plastic collar type without a shoulder to get leverage on. I used the tool that came with the kit, but ultimately had to use some screwdrivers. I got the collar pushed in most of the way, but couldn't get the old line to come out. Finally, I thought I would try to use hydraulic pressure to force it out, as I had heard this line falls out accidentally for some. So I pushed on the old clutch pedal and the line popped right out.
The problem now is I cannot get the new quick connect fitting to even come close to fitting in and sealing. I've cracked the bleeder screw and then pushed hard on the line/fitting to get it to seat, but can't even get it halfway to where it needs to be. I'm hoping I didn't destroy anything by my method of removing the old line. Planning to check it tonight for dirt, or bent fingers at the fitting or something else. Am I missing something obvious? |
Update: Bleeder screw was not cracked open enough. Opened it up a couple turns with some gravity bleed and the quick connect fitting pushed right on. Truck feels better than it ever has!
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