1993 Sport M50D Clutch Issues

[CreepingNet]

Hello All,

I have decided to re-edit my post for more clarity and less of the diatribe.

The truck in question is my 1993 Ford Explorer Sport 5-speed with a Mazda M50D-R1 Manual Transmission in it.

I've been trying all morning to disconnect the quick-connect line from the M50D so I Can pull the clutch master cylinder + lines from the truck and try to remove the bubbles from it.

- at first I tried using a small computer screwdriver to push the ring in around the perimeter of the quick-connect, but was unable to successfully pull the line.

- Next I went to AutoZone and Rented/Bought the proper coupling tool, even with that I have been unable to remove the quick-connect fitting.

Are these normally that hard to remove? I've had the white ring mostly disappear around the sides of the quick-connect fitting both with the tool and with the screwdriver but nothing seems to change.

I've been reading other threads on the forum, on one a guy said that the connection to his Slave was turning, and it seemed from subequecent posts that seems not right, I've noticed the fitting on my truck that the fitting fits into on the slave cylinder turns easily, but seems very well latched into it's position otherwise.

It's just getting the quick connect off that is giving me the most trouble right now.

 

[CreepingNet]

Update.....

Well, the quick-release ring has been verified "effed" to say the least. Being as I'm excellent at fabrication of such things (guitar nuts and the like), I'll be working on a quick-release ring replacement, thinking about getting some plastic tubing from TAP Plastics or Galaxy Hobby in the same diameter and using that to pop that part off...if I need to. I decided on this after seeing a GOOD picture of the slave end on this forum, looks like I can get this detached if I just fabricate a longer ring of the same thickness.

Man oh man did crazy Tune jack up that ring though!



Tried this tonight, seems to have given me more pressure, managed to limp around the parking lot in 1st after starting the truck in first (after starting in reverse to get out of the spot). Still difficult to change gears, though I can now change them, and I still have to start in 1st or Reverse to get the truck going (did get it into first ONCE).

A couple more questions.
- how hard is the slave bleeder supposed to be to turn? The reason I'm asking is it seems mine is seized up, which would make bleeding the slave impossible.

An series of oddities with this and previous situations leading up to this since the shop replaced the clutch master...
- all of my gear change problems happen when it's cold out

- when it's cold out, my .3 brake fluid level in the clutch master resovoir is lower, indicating a leak but I don't see any leakage signs anywhere.

- Before this, I had a few times where getting into reverse was hard on a flat surface

- The last time I got the bubbles out of the slave without removing it, I had the truck on an incline (nose up)....wondering if that's just enough of an angle to do some of the air bleeding

- I got more clutch pressure tonight on an incline and was able to shuffle through the gears and neutral with a little bit of extra force than usual

- Is there a chance my slave could be the problem, and if so, is there any way I can limp it to the garage in Kent so I can do all the usual Explorer tranny stuff myself (slave, throwout, clutch, etc...).

Trying to learn to do as much of my truck repair myself. I'm sick of shops setting up my Ex the way I don't want it to be, and it's been a bit of a fun adventure thus far.

 

[RangerX]

.
Are these normally that hard to remove? I've had the white ring mostly disappear around the sides of the quick-connect fitting both with the tool and with the screwdriver but nothing seems to change.

When I had to do mine, I found that I had to drive in the white ring further than I thought it would go, before it would release. If you can still see it, it's not far enough.

 

[CreepingNet]

Fixed the clutch issue,

I have decided to write what I went through here. Maybe insisight, maybe I'm onto something.

So this problem goes back to just before my birthday, I got in the Explorer to drive to work, pressed the clutch, bam, goes to floor, no resistance. Slave resovoir was empty. Stupidly refilled without pushing the clutch in (as I was in a hurry, hurry makes waste, waste is cracked bowl that never hold rice!).


Now, my wife has need of the car too, luckily, she's off this week, so I take the car, but then Valentines day is right around the corner, and I need to do somethign special that requires my Explorer to be back in action.

I managed to bleed the clutch master and slave - one man. I got the idea off Scotty Kilmer's video.

I got home tonight, and in a fit of mechanical inspiration, I decided to do a one-man bleed job on the Ex, and it worked, oh god did it work perfectly...

- Our apartment has steep parking spots, I parked in a Visitors spot that was at an incline so as to get the Master cylinder as level as possible.

- got in truck, took a metal rod I had (actually, it's the bar that pushed the drivers side window up, when that was working), jammed it between the drivers seat and the clutch pedal. I Pushed the clutch all the way to the floor using the seat and rod to push it forward.

- Opened clutch master cylinder, only 1/16th of an inch low

- climbed under the truck, opened the clutch slave bleeder valve 1/4 turn, .3 started to dribble out slowly, definatley air

- pumped the clutch 3 times, by the 3rd time an air-like sound went away

- propped clutch down with rod and seat again

- checked fluid level, now 1/8" below the step

- climbed under the truck, closed the clutch bleeder

- take out rood, move seat into driving position, let off clutch with rod slowly

- Re-propped again, added .3, put in "condom" into the resovoir, closed master resovoir, release clutch

- pumped the clutch, nice and firm! Catches on the 1st 1/8" of push, feels like a brand new slave was installed

Drive the truck around 20 miles tonight, shifts and changes gears like a brand new truck now. Does not even give me any pain on 1st or reverse anymore. Awesome!