Dubious_Downfall
Active Member
- Joined
- July 6, 2018
- Messages
- 84
- Reaction score
- 13
- City, State
- Fife, WA
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- 1992 Mazda Navajo LX
My manual 93 Explorer 4x4 will grind a little when putting it into reverse at times. It can also become difficult to shift into reverse and first gear. It usually doesn't give me any problems after a cold start, though. Even after warming up the engine while parked. It usually seems to happen after a bit of driving. Even a very small amount of driving, sometimes. Like, the distance around a parking lot.
I bought this truck less than two months ago from an estate representative. It was previously owned by an older gentleman. The representative didn't even remotely understand what they had. Upon inspection, the motor is definitely rebuilt. I can tell because the whole engine bay has been cleaned, the motor looks almost new aside from the rusty headers, and it runs smoother and with more power than any of the other three Ford 4.0L OHV motors I've driven. One of which was a backyard rebuilt motor.
I bring up the rebuild because I'm almost positive that every single problem this truck has mechanically can be traced to the rebuild. Occasionally at idle, the temperature will jump, presumably from air in the coolant lines, which is common after a rebuild (Already taking care of this). The clutch problem I'm having is typical of air trapped in the clutch master cylinder, which tends to happen when clutch parts are replaced (Again, common during Explorer engine rebuilds). And the AC system needs to be recharged.
So, to address my problem and my questions...
The most common, and often considered the only complete way to bleed the clutch master cylinder in these trucks, is to remove the clutch lines and master cylinder from the truck and bench bleed the system. The reason for doing this is because Ford (in their infinite wisdom) installed the clutch master cylinder at a downward, front facing angle. This causes air to easily be trapped and be nearly impossible to remove without flipping the master cylinder so that the air pocket is at the top, which is usually done by removing the cylinder.
So, my thinking and "question" is as follows: I need to tilt the clutch master cylinder. I don't want to remove it because... "Ain't nobody got time fo dat!". And frankly, it's just a huge pain in the butt.
Can I lift up the front end of my truck enough to angle that master cylinder upward?
I have options. It's got 4 wheel drive. I could find a big a** rock and climb it with the front wheels, chock the rears, then bleed it. I also live very close to a city which has roads so steep that calling them a 45 degree slope might not be an understatement. I can't help but wonder if parking it facing uphill on one of these roads might work. Deflating the rear tires might give an extra degree or two of angle. I just don't know how much angle I need before the cylinder is level.
Does anyone know what the actual angle the master cylinder is installed at?
Has anyone had success with this or similar bleeding methods?
Is there an alternate way to get the air out of the master cylinder?
I've seen a video where a guy removed the plunger from the master cylinder, let the fluid flow out, then stuffed the plunger back in as it flowed, which was done with the master cylinder still installed on the truck. Has anyone heard of or tried this?
<-- The video I'm referring to.
Is it possible that these symptoms are cause by a bad throw-out bearing/slave cylinder? (Seemingly no leaks)
I'm open for suggestions. As well as any resources that anyone might deem useful for my predicament.
Thank you in advance, guys! This forum is the only reason I'm able to keep these trucks alive long enough to become attached to them.
This is unrelated, but because the previous owner clearly loved this truck... I'm naming it Noble. Noble is the previous owner's name, which I found on the old registration in the glove box. I'll never meet the man or know almost anything about him, but I know he was part of our family. And if I could, I'd personally thank him for keeping this gem alive.
I bought this truck less than two months ago from an estate representative. It was previously owned by an older gentleman. The representative didn't even remotely understand what they had. Upon inspection, the motor is definitely rebuilt. I can tell because the whole engine bay has been cleaned, the motor looks almost new aside from the rusty headers, and it runs smoother and with more power than any of the other three Ford 4.0L OHV motors I've driven. One of which was a backyard rebuilt motor.
I bring up the rebuild because I'm almost positive that every single problem this truck has mechanically can be traced to the rebuild. Occasionally at idle, the temperature will jump, presumably from air in the coolant lines, which is common after a rebuild (Already taking care of this). The clutch problem I'm having is typical of air trapped in the clutch master cylinder, which tends to happen when clutch parts are replaced (Again, common during Explorer engine rebuilds). And the AC system needs to be recharged.
So, to address my problem and my questions...
The most common, and often considered the only complete way to bleed the clutch master cylinder in these trucks, is to remove the clutch lines and master cylinder from the truck and bench bleed the system. The reason for doing this is because Ford (in their infinite wisdom) installed the clutch master cylinder at a downward, front facing angle. This causes air to easily be trapped and be nearly impossible to remove without flipping the master cylinder so that the air pocket is at the top, which is usually done by removing the cylinder.
So, my thinking and "question" is as follows: I need to tilt the clutch master cylinder. I don't want to remove it because... "Ain't nobody got time fo dat!". And frankly, it's just a huge pain in the butt.
Can I lift up the front end of my truck enough to angle that master cylinder upward?
I have options. It's got 4 wheel drive. I could find a big a** rock and climb it with the front wheels, chock the rears, then bleed it. I also live very close to a city which has roads so steep that calling them a 45 degree slope might not be an understatement. I can't help but wonder if parking it facing uphill on one of these roads might work. Deflating the rear tires might give an extra degree or two of angle. I just don't know how much angle I need before the cylinder is level.
Does anyone know what the actual angle the master cylinder is installed at?
Has anyone had success with this or similar bleeding methods?
Is there an alternate way to get the air out of the master cylinder?
I've seen a video where a guy removed the plunger from the master cylinder, let the fluid flow out, then stuffed the plunger back in as it flowed, which was done with the master cylinder still installed on the truck. Has anyone heard of or tried this?
<-- The video I'm referring to.
Is it possible that these symptoms are cause by a bad throw-out bearing/slave cylinder? (Seemingly no leaks)
I'm open for suggestions. As well as any resources that anyone might deem useful for my predicament.
Thank you in advance, guys! This forum is the only reason I'm able to keep these trucks alive long enough to become attached to them.
This is unrelated, but because the previous owner clearly loved this truck... I'm naming it Noble. Noble is the previous owner's name, which I found on the old registration in the glove box. I'll never meet the man or know almost anything about him, but I know he was part of our family. And if I could, I'd personally thank him for keeping this gem alive.