98 Ranger 2.5/5 Speed/211 K miles. Bought it from a co-worker two years ago and she didn't know it's history so I don't know how long ago the clutch was done, no problems until now. Recently the clutch works fine then after an extended drive starts sticking on return about half way up. Can feel the release/stick/release to the top in the pedal travel however the clutch still works. If I stop and shut off the engine the pedal freezes at the top of it's travel and can't be depressed. Let the truck sit for a half hour to an hour and it returns to normal and works fine, no sticking at all, no frozen pedal. Can't find any leaks, loose lines, or anything else visibly wrong. Clutch reservoir is low but not empty. The sticks/works when running, stops working when engine is off, works again when cooled down is very puzzling. Anyone have any idea before I tear it apart and start shotgunning parts at it?

 

Welcome to the forum

First check clutch pedals bushings, the clutch pedal has a rod that runs thru the clutch/brake pedal assembly at the top, pivot point, it has plastic bushings at both ends, these can wear out
But the pedal would "feel funny" have side to side play, so use you hand a feel up at the top of the pedal arm while you push and move the clutch pedal with other hand to see if there is play in the bushings
Diagram here: https://ww2-secure.justanswer.com/up...2_165010_1.gif

Next I would change the Master/reservoir/slave hose to start, its sold as one unit
At the end of the Master's hose is the Quick Disconnect valve, it plugs into the open line on the internal slave unit

The Quick Disconnect valve closes when hose is disconnected from slave, this prevents fluid from running out from master/reservoir
If this valve closes it freezes the clutch pedal because fluid can't flow out or in, as you described
You may be able to buy the hose/valve separately but with a 1998 its most likely original Master so I would swap the whole unit/assembly

Its possible the pressure plate inside bell housing is the issue, but you would need to pull the transmission from the engine, and at that point you would replace pressure plate, clutch disc, slave and pilot bearing, so put in a new clutch

 

Thanks. The bushings, etc., are all fine. The part of the problem that has me wondering what's going on is the lockup after turning off the engine and the way it frees up after it sits. I was thinking it might be a check valve issue and that the pressure bleeds off after it sits a while but I don't see how that could be related to the engine turning.. I should have bypassed the clutch safety switch and started it up to see if the pedal freed up but by the time I thought of that it had freed up on its own. I'm going to replace the master cylinder on down and see what happens. I wish that slave cylinder was on the outside of the bellhousing, I'd replace that too!

 

The slave, any slave, clutch or brakes, is just an open container, no valves to fail
The external clutch slave's generally only lasted a few years, the internal ones usually last the life of the clutch, so are better to have, and I can't see a slave causing the described issue, possible but unlikely

If bushings are OK then the pedal lock up could only be master issue or quick disconnect valve issue
And you have an unknown issue, at least I can't remember ever reading about it
Quick disconnect popping off is not uncommon, but clutch pedal is locked at the top, and fitting has to be pushed back on to the slave to free it up