hydraulic clutch not disengaging problems...

hayden01 · #1 (**permalink**) 10-22-2009, 05:41 AM

Hey yall, I have a ‘84 full size bronco with a manual trans hydraulic clutch. I recently put a new clutch disk, master cylinder, and slave cylinder in her. I put everything back together, bench bled the new master cylinder, bled the system, and now the clutch does not disengage. There are no leaks in the master cylinder or the slave cylinder. The rod on the slave pushes out and I slid off the clutch fork boot to see if it was even moving the pressure plate and it is.
I’ve been fighting my truck for about a good 2 weeks now. Is it possible for the fingers on the pressure plate to go bad so they would not disengage the clutch?
I have bled the system numerous times. The petal is stiff like it was before I did the clutch job. What would be the cause of the clutch not disengaging with new parts except the pressure plate? I know they go bad but I though only the surface were it contacts the friction disk went bad.
Any pointers or thoughts?
Thank you for any suggestions

Lazy K · #2 (**permalink**) 10-22-2009, 07:47 AM

Check that you are getting the full stroke on the clutch pedal. In other words check for worn bushings in the pedal linkage and for cracking/flexing in the firewall.
Are you sure you put the new disc in the right way round?

hayden01 · #3 (**permalink**) 10-23-2009, 07:19 PM

I am positive that I put the clutch in the right way. I do not beleave that it could go on backwards. It only fits one way as far as I know...
I will look into the the firewall flexing and the bushings on the petal linkage though. never though of that. Thank you.

Lazy K · #4 (**permalink**) 10-24-2009, 05:11 AM

If you still have the old disc have a look at the splined hub and the way it sits in the disc. Look at if more of the hub extends out one side more than the other. If it does then the flatter side should go towards the flywheel.

JoeP · #5 (**permalink**) 10-28-2009, 04:12 PM

I have a '86 300-6 with hydraulic clutch and have had similar problems. I had to lengthen the connecting rod between the pedal and the master cylinder. Then I had to push the connecting rod into the master cylinder a little bit to connect it to the pedal, but it took this to make mine get enough stroke to function properly. This was done to a new O'Reilly master cylinder with a new slave cylinder. I tried to stiffen my firewall at one point but that didn't help at all. Good luck.

Zach Sprunger · #6 (**permalink**) 10-29-2009, 06:50 PM

I'm having the same problem with my '85 F-150. The clutch won't disengage at all. Things I've tried: gravity bleeding the cylinders, re-adjusting the bolt tension on the clutch and pressure plate, and putting extra grease on the transmission rod. I haven't tried extending the rod between the pedal and master cylinder, but I don't see how that would help. It seems like if that was the problem, then the clutch would still be disengaging a little bit, right? Let me know if you have any other ideas, and I'll try and find out what I can.

JoeP · #7 (**permalink**) 10-30-2009, 11:38 AM

I really did extend the rod and it really did solve my problem when nothing else would.

hayden01 · #8 (**permalink**) 11-12-2009, 06:56 PM

right on, right on....I'll have to try that

Bgasrickshaw · #9 (**permalink**) 11-15-2009, 01:57 AM

I hope I am wrong, but it may just be that the pressure plate was your problem in the first place, and if you re-used it, you put the problem right back in, I learned the hard way that any time you go to the trouble of removing the tranny to work on the clutch, REPLACE EVERYTHING. The clutch disc, pilot bearing/bushing, release bearing and the pressure plate. I also resurface the flywheel, and flip or replace the ring gear if there is ANY sign of damage to it. There is nothing worse than having to remove all that stuff again, just because you tried to save a few bucks on parts, and didn't get the one that mattered. Good luck.