Ok so I need a little help. I have a 96 F250 7.3 bought used. It has 250,ooo miles and at some point, but i don't know when, had the clutch replaced as it has a tag on the housing that says single flywheel installed.

It had been doing well but started having issues getting to shift into 1st or 2nd from a stop, also issues getting into reverse. Can pump the clutch and makes a little better, but not remarkably. Also is not all of the time, sometimes is is fine and then suddenly has issues, generally after you have been driving it for a while. You have to have the pedal to the floor to shift and engages if it is not completely 100% to the floor.

Replaced the clutch pedal bearing today. When the engine is off it shifts through all the gears perfectly fine and easy. The pedal is not what I would consider squishy as it is the classic calf burn to depress it and hold it there.

I did get the fill plug off the transmission today and what do you know, the was hardly any fluid in there, at least I never hit any for as far as my finger would get in there. My wife said she could smell something burning when hauling a horse today, that is relatively new, but assume from lack of transmission fluid.

Anyway, I am trying to diagnose whether it is the master/slave cylinder that is the culprit or if the clutch itself and inside the transmission. I am not a mechanic by any stretch, could do that cylinders, but that is it. And don't want to replace the clutch itself if don't have to. So any help or insight would be GREATLY appreciated!!

 

Could be bad pedal box bushings

 

Possibly dumb question but is the same as the pedal bushing and if not what is it, where is it and what to look for to see if it is bad?

 

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/9...tml?styleid=22

 

Gotcha, will take a look, but seemed good when crawled under to change the pedal bushing. Any thoughts on the master/slave cylinder or the clutch itself?

 

There could be some air in the system. If who ever changed the clutch let the rod on the slave cylinder extend all the way out when they removed it from the side of the trans, then they would have had to bleed the system. If so, they may not have gotten all the air out cause they are hard to bleed. Take the cap off the master then crawl under the truck and push on the clutch fork so you are pushing the rod into the slave. Do it VERY slowly and have someone watch down in the master to see if any air bubbles come up.

 

Thanks, will try that. Changed the transmission fluid and that seems to have help with shifting some, but still seems like have to mash the clutch to the floor to far.