big time trouble

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Dec 23, 2000 | 09:17 PM

ramato2000

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big time trouble

i have a serious problem with my 86 f150 inline 6. the master cylinder for the clutch has begun to tear away from the firewall. as i press in on the clutch, the firewall flexes as the master cylinder pushes away from the body, the result is that it is nearly impossible to get the truck into gear. i originally thought the problem was a bad clutch so i changed it, to no avail when i discovered the real problem. the two bolts that hold the cylinder to the firewall ripped through, i'm temporarily using washers to hold it together...what can i do...is is possible to goto a cable setup, or put in a automatic????

Dec 23, 2000 | 09:58 PM

billyb

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big time trouble

make up a steel plate to reinforce the firewall, bolt it in , put the cylinder back on, and you should be good to go.
i used a piece of 3/16ths plate to fix mine. took about an hour.

Dec 24, 2000 | 11:53 AM

ramato2000

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big time trouble

the steel plate used, was it mounted inside the cab, or inside the engine compartment?

Dec 24, 2000 | 10:29 PM

billyb

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big time trouble

it is better from inside the cab, but if you can''t get to it, just sheet metal screw it on the engine side of firewall. all you are doing is trying to replace the fatigued metal where unit mounts and spread the force of pressure.
i think pprevious reply may be on to something about ford having a plate available for this area. it is worth checking into.

Dec 25, 2000 | 09:55 AM

ramato2000

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big time trouble

thanks for the info!

Jan 4, 2001 | 07:48 PM

jdr

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big time trouble

My clutch master cylinder ripped off the firewall also. I made a plate and mounted it on the inside because I didn't feel it would do the job on the outside. It's held up for a good 5 years now even though you can still see the firewall flex when the clutch is depressed.I did see a TB from ford once about this problem and that there was a replacement for this panel, but as always I wrote down the number of the TB and never had time to follow up on it and now I can't find the number. If anyone does have the number handy I would appriciate it, otherwise the plate should work.

Jan 5, 2001 | 07:26 AM

TallPaul

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From: Metro Detroit (Redford)

big time trouble

My '84 F150 did that and my neighbor put a steel angle iron plate across the firewall to hold it down. The firewall rotted from junk sitting in the defroster intake trough. I also, for good measure, bolted a bracket to the clutch master cylinder bolt under the dash and tied that back to the framework that holds the steering wheel assembly. In two years haven't had a problem with clutch, though the steering wheel tilts ever so slightly leftward when you depress the clutch. Water leaks in though all over the floor and will rot that out soon.