Hey all I'm new to this section of the forum,

I just bought a 94 2wd ranger 5spd. 50000 original miles on the 2.3l. I picked her up from a hospital clinic, it appears to have been used as maintenance vehicle, barely driven, maintained to the dot. Oil changed every 3000 miles. The one issue was the clutch, it wouldn't/wont disengage. I, never owning a hydraulic clutch, assumed that the clutch had been ridden severely and needed replacing, not knowing that it was most likely an issue with the hydraulic system. Anyway I replaced the clutch pad, pressure plate, pilot bearing, and slave cylinder. I've got everything bolted back together and am now at the point of needing to bleed the clutch. When I checked the reservoir it was bone dry, I've heard this means I need to bleed the master cylinder before the slave? I've seen videos saying I should disassemble the master cylinder under the clutch pedal and pull up on the cylinder itself until fluid comes out, thereby purging air from the master.

I've tried to do this with no results. The fluid does not come out and it has no effect (I did refill the reservoir multiple times throughout). I have bled the standard "brake method" by pressing the clutch pedal to the floor and opening the bleeder valve on the slave. Closing the valve and then releasing the pedal. I repeated ten times or so. Still no results. The clutch goes to the floor with no resistance. I've searched online and haven't found anything specific to my problem. Any advice?


Thanks guys, Always a big help.

 

The way we do it is, undo the master cyl rod from the petal, undo the master cyl from the fire wall. Push the master cyl through the firewall toward the engine enough to raist the lower end to an upward position. Doesn't have to be straight up, just an upward angle. Fill the res with fluid, then open the bleeder on the slave until straight fluid come out. keeping watch on the res, don't let it get low. When you get nothing but fluid, close the bleeder, replace the master, and you are ready to go.

 

Sounds as if you have a bad master if nothing is coming out with the piston pulled or its an empty resevoir! The under dash is the easiest as I have never been able to pull the master with the push rod in place and working over the fender under the brake booster is kinda cramped.

If the resevoir was dry its a pretty good indication the master could have been bad from the get go.

 

I've gone through the same thing. #1 make sure the disconnect is pushed all the way into the slave. #2 To thoroughly bleed the clutch remove the master with the reservoir. Stand up a 6 foot piece of lumber, 2 by 6 will work, fasten the reservoir at the top and stretch out the fluid line straight or mostly so. The turns in the line trap the air. work the master cyl with a screw driver to work the air bubbles out of the line. keep the res full. There are videos on you tube showing this procedure. search under "ranger clutch bleed". fordgirl's suggestion should work. let gravity do the work. you still should do a "brake type bleed" after you get pedal just to make sure all the air is out.