My truck can be difficult to get in 1st gear or reverse from a complete stop. When it's moving or rolling slowly this is never a problem. Likewise it's often difficult to place the transmission in neutral from 1st gear at a complete stop. However, it the truck is rolling slightly I can then easily place it in first. The clutch itself seems to be pulling strong up hills with 150,000 easy miles on the truck. The problem has gotten worse over the past year or so and I'm now keeping the clutch pressed in (with the truck in 1st gear) at stop signs and lights. My leg is getting tired!

The slave cylinder doesn't appear to be leaking as I'm not using any fluid in the reservoir. The transmission isn't leaking either and it's been recently re-filled with fresh fluid.

The last issue is that this problem is often intermittent. Perhaps I just need a new clutch and slave cylinder.

Thanks

 

Check the linkage under the dash for worn plastic bushings. This can keep the full pedal stroke from reaching the master cylinder push rod.

 

Thanks for the tip Eric - Yes, you're correct there is some wear on one of these plastic bushings (adjacent to the clutch cylinder push rod). I've purchased a bushing kit from Ford and I've attempted to replace the one outboard bushing. After removing an 18mm hex nut, I've tried to gently pry the metal linkage off the shaft without success. I've also tapped it gently and it refuses to move. Any thoughts before I use the proverbial bigger hammer? I would have assumed that it's just a light sliding fit but clearly this is not the case.

 

I had a small plastic piece in the shifter mech., on top of the tranny, fail in my '88 F-150 (M5OD) which made reverse unavailable. Perhaps there are other pieces in the shifter mech. that can be worn out and cause your intermittent difficulty?

Hopefully those with more knowledge can comment on this possibility. My repair was easy and inexpensive, but I had to go to a factory-authorized tranny reman. facility to get the part, as the Ford stealership wanted to sell me the whole shifter mech. for $225.00! (The reman. facility GAVE me the plastic part, and I gave the owner $20. and my undying gratitude.)

 

The push rod lever is pressed over the splines on the cross shaft. It will come off, but it does take some prying to get it out of there. It should go back on much easier since the splines are already cut into the lever.

 

The push rod lever will not budge off the splined cross shaft. I've spend several hours all to no avail. I wonder if Ford techs use a puller?

I guess I'll have to live with a bit of slop in the linkage. The shifting problems persist...

Thanks to all for your help.
Noam

 

Hey can I get some input from you guys? I have a 1996 Ford F-250 4X4/w 5 speed manual. Yesterday in mid town traffic the clutch pedal floored and would not return.(IS THERE NO RETURN SPRING?) I used the starter and milked it into a parking lot. I assumed the master had failed but it is internal of the bellhousing and I cannot see it. The clutch reservoir was empty. I filled it but still need to bleed it to see if I can get any pedal at all. If not... is this an R&R of the trans?

 

Whuh, no responses in a week?

Is yours a gasser or a Powerstroke diesel? Dunno if this applies to the gassers, but on the PSD, the clutch hydraulic master is actually to the right (the TRUCK's right) of the brake master, and the pedal rides on a pivot that "crosses" the brake pedal down under the dash. Hard to describe in text. You gotta get up under the dash to see how it's configured. But anyway, where the pedal attaches to that pivot is a cheapo plastic bushing. When it fails, you get exactly this action. There's a heavy-duty replacement available on eBay, but it involves some fabrication and expense. The dealer replacement bushing is $10-ish. Dorman (Motormite/HELP) has a kit for $4-ish that includes this bushing; inquire on Dorman part # 14041. Takes a screwdriver and about a minute to install; once you slither down there and look, it'll be obvious what you have to replace.

The hydraulics are probably fine. Hydraulic clutches don't need return springs, as the hydraulic pressure and the pressure plate fingers in the clutch itself combine to provide enough oompf to return the pedal. In your case, though (at least let's hope this is it), your pedal is not even engaging.

Again, I dunno offhand (don't have the FSMs with me) if this applies to the trannies on the gas engines.

 

BigSix1, I am having a hard time getting my M5OD to shift into reverse, could you tell me more about the plastic part you replaced, if it would help, could you email/PM direct about this
Thanks
Ocean31

 

Ocean31. It's a gasser.... turned out the trans had to be dropped to replace the slave... what a bear.
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