Clutch dosent work when cold
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Elder User
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From: Western, PA
Clutch dosent work when cold
Hello I have a '94 ranger with a hydraulic clutch. When its cold out the clutch pedel stays in the down position when pressed and the truck will not go into gear. I half to push it into the garash and let it thaw for it to work.
What might cause this?
What might cause this?
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Elder User
Joined: Mar 2006
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From: Western, PA
Update: I changed out the fluid and blead the system and it was fine until this morning when it was below zero outside. It did the same thing pedal goes to the floor but the clutch dont work.
Could anything else in the system not work when cold?
I cant afford te be late to work anymore.
Could anything else in the system not work when cold?
I cant afford te be late to work anymore.
Fleet Owner
Joined: Aug 2001
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From: Drummonds, TN USA
The only common denominator I can think of is extreme cold causing thickening of the hydro fluid - and that should only be if there is water in it.
Weak springs in the clutch master, on the slave, or a bad pressure plate might contribute to the problem.
There isn't much else in the system, but I do know it's a time consuming pain to completely and thoroughly flush out the fluid in the system...
I also don't really believe the slave cylinder pre-load spring would go bad.
I can't think of a reason why a pressure plate would be stuck only when very cold either.
You may just have to garage it in the cold season, until you can go through the entire system and check things out.
I'd be frankly tempted to get a line fitting from a frame at a scrap yard so that you can drain out every drop of fluid from the slave cylinder and be sure new fluid isn't mixing with the old.
Weak springs in the clutch master, on the slave, or a bad pressure plate might contribute to the problem.
There isn't much else in the system, but I do know it's a time consuming pain to completely and thoroughly flush out the fluid in the system...
I also don't really believe the slave cylinder pre-load spring would go bad.
I can't think of a reason why a pressure plate would be stuck only when very cold either.
You may just have to garage it in the cold season, until you can go through the entire system and check things out.
I'd be frankly tempted to get a line fitting from a frame at a scrap yard so that you can drain out every drop of fluid from the slave cylinder and be sure new fluid isn't mixing with the old.
Last edited by Greywolf; Feb 11, 2008 at 05:49 PM.
Elder User
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From: Denver
If the release springs on the clutch are weak, it will be more likely to stick when cold as there is more resistance to the parts moving.
Does it behave completely normal when warm, or is the pedal somewhat soft all the time?
Does it behave completely normal when warm, or is the pedal somewhat soft all the time?
Cargo Master
Joined: Feb 2002
Posts: 2,414
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From: Tucson USA
I would suspect a bad mastercylinder. change it then expect the slave to go if it is weak. will depend on the miles on it.
Check at the clutch pedal for fluid leaks in the cab where the rod comes in and also under the master in the engine compartment. Kind of a PIA to change the master but easire than the slave (trans removal here).
Check at the clutch pedal for fluid leaks in the cab where the rod comes in and also under the master in the engine compartment. Kind of a PIA to change the master but easire than the slave (trans removal here).
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Fleet Owner
Joined: Aug 2001
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From: Drummonds, TN USA
True.
The master doesn't call for a tranny unbolt and slide-back to get at it.
But the slave holds a lot of fluid, and the Q/D connector won't allow what is in the bottom of the slave cylinder to be drained out unless you make something to do that.
Still - even if ice forms in the slave cylinder it should extend and retract if the master cylinder has enough pressure going into the lines. Bleeding it to any degree should rid the M/C of icing.
Unless the whole system is just plain loaded with it.
I wonder now if there is any fluid seeping from the bellhousing that would indicate the S/C has been frozen and damaged.
The master doesn't call for a tranny unbolt and slide-back to get at it.
But the slave holds a lot of fluid, and the Q/D connector won't allow what is in the bottom of the slave cylinder to be drained out unless you make something to do that.
Still - even if ice forms in the slave cylinder it should extend and retract if the master cylinder has enough pressure going into the lines. Bleeding it to any degree should rid the M/C of icing.
Unless the whole system is just plain loaded with it.
I wonder now if there is any fluid seeping from the bellhousing that would indicate the S/C has been frozen and damaged.
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Elder User
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From: Western, PA
Originally Posted by Greywolf
I wonder now if there is any fluid seeping from the bellhousing that would indicate the S/C has been frozen and damaged.
Fleet Owner
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 29,941
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From: Drummonds, TN USA
I don't think all of the old fluid is flushed yet.
And I just don't know of a SURE way to be certain it is short of pulling that slave CYL.
The only device I know that can do that for sure is to pull it, drain it, and BENCH BLEED it.
Not even a pressure bleeder can do it thoroughly as the design stands.
THEY DO NOT HAVE A LOW POINT DRAIN
I'd write a link to a page to talk to the engineers behind that, but it's late at night and they should have thought of it at some point in the last many years - so that it would be incorporated in the design by now.
It isn't, so we move on....
And I just don't know of a SURE way to be certain it is short of pulling that slave CYL.
The only device I know that can do that for sure is to pull it, drain it, and BENCH BLEED it.
Not even a pressure bleeder can do it thoroughly as the design stands.
THEY DO NOT HAVE A LOW POINT DRAIN
I'd write a link to a page to talk to the engineers behind that, but it's late at night and they should have thought of it at some point in the last many years - so that it would be incorporated in the design by now.
It isn't, so we move on....
Last edited by Greywolf; Feb 13, 2008 at 08:10 PM.
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