I've noticed lately that shifting the truck is starting to feel rough. When I push the clutch down, it feels like there's spring tension and then you can feel the hydraulics. Well, the hydraulic feeling seems to be lower than it was when I bought it. Also, when engaging the gear, it feels to grab lower than before.

After the trans warms up, an upshift will almost give a little *clack* feeling when engaging the gear and I really have to push on the stick to engage the gear. Same goes for downshifting. Sometimes at a stop, it won't go into 1st (not LOW) gear and I'll put it into 2nd or 3rd and work backwards into 1st.

What gives? I'm not sure if it's a bent shift fork or it's just that time for a clutch overhaul. If the latter, talk about bad timing.

 

How's the fluid in your hydraulics? Make sure it's not low. Mine was having some issues a bit ago and since I had my mighty vac out doing something else, I decided to suck the fluid out of the clutch reservoir. The fluid looked absolutely nasty. I pulled out as much as I could and then topped it off with fresh fluid and it made a noticeable difference.

I did it again a few days later and it got better again. I went ahead and installed a new pre-bled unit since I figured something was contaminating the fluid or letting too much ambient moisture in. Things have been good for me so far since then. (I had checked for a bent clutch fork too).

Might be worth at least checking to see what the fluid in the reservoir looks like.

 

The clutch reservoir is filled to the step per the instructions on the cap. The fluid appears to be darker at the top and turns to a light brown towards the bottom of the reservoir. Can I bleed this at the slave?

 

You could disconnect the line at the slave, add new fluid, and then pump the slave to work all the air out. Last time I tried to change the slave only, I had to pull the master out of the firewall and drape it so it was pointing down hill also. I had to pump the master a few times and the slave what seemed like 200 times to work all the air out.

 

Sounds similar to the IDI setup. So you installed a completely new hydraulic setup and it was fine? Did you buy OEM or parts store setup? More Information for DORMAN CC649021 Something like that? That's exactly what mine looks like. Not sure what the last picture is though.

 

Jason, too bad you were closer or i closer to you. I'm having the same clutch woes. Have everything but a new tranny, ready to drop in, just try'n to find the ba#@s to attempt it.

 

Are you going to replace everything at once? Did you buy a new flywheel?

 

I buy mine from Rock Auto. I tried the motorcraft replacement but it didn't last but about a year. That last picture is the rod that attaches to the clutch pedal and snaps into the master. Be sure to install the slave and master first, then slip that rod on the clutch pedal and use the pedal to push the rod into the master.

If you try to just push it in with your hands, you end up breaking the little keeper tabs that hold the slave together for shipping and then you have to deal with a loose slave rod when trying to install the slave.

 

Chris, looks like me and Jason, are in the same boat. Does the clutch fork have access without the tranny dropped? Also chief, that last comment you wrote, with everything then put together, do we go back into and remove the slave, break the "shipping tab", then re-install slave? Thanks a ton Chris...

 

Didnt get the flywheel. A company around the corner from me, will turn it for 40 buks, that is, if its a single-mass. Been looking at the m/s cylinder set-up, and think prior to removing trans, i'm gonna give it a try and install the new. That Dorman link you did, i bought the same one, but wasnt pre-bled. I read a few of Chris's links, and seem not too bad to fill and pump the air, just time consuming.

 

Sorry, but no. Unless you want to go about it the hard way and remove the engine instead, the tranny has to come out.

Also chief, that last comment you wrote, with everything then put together, do we go back into and remove the slave, break the "shipping tab", then re-install slave? Thanks a ton Chris...[/quote]

No need to remove the slave after it's installed. As a matter of fact, be careful when removing the slave since those shipping tabs sometimes get held up on the bell housing and cause the plastic tip to fall off the slave rod.

The shipping tabs are just the think plastic strips that go from the plastic tip on the slave cylinder to the slave body. They hold the piston compressed during shipping so air doesn't work it's way into the shipping. Pushing the pedal with break the two plastic straps and the clutch will function normally from then on.

 

I am in the same boat fellas don't feel bad yesterday after about an hours worth of driving in stop and go traffic I made it home and absolutely could not get the truck to go in reverse I tried everything so I had to leave the truck sit and cool down for about 30 min just yo get it to go in reverse for 20 feet......I notice that the warmer the truck gets the harder it is to get into gear? What would cause that? I also have cked the fluid and is filled to the step as called for the fluid is a little discolored but not bad? What are my choices thanks guys