Clutch Problems

[brysonj]

Hello all, first time post long time lurker. Hoping someone can help me.

The vehicle is a 1993 Ranger 4x2 3.0 V6. 5 speed manual. 90K original miles.

This truck belongs to a good friend of my family. He brought it to me because the clutch was releasing right at the floorboard. I diagnosed a leaking slave cylinder, and we decided to do the rest of the clutch while the transmission was out.

As with many, bleeding the clutch was difficult when it all came back together. I purchased the "phoenix injector" in an attempt to get the air out of the lines. The clutch seemed to release ok, but I could still only get the truck into 2nd and 4th gear with the engine running. The pedal felt fine, so I opted to go ahead and change the master to compliment the new slave.

Well, I was careful to bleed the slave with the line at the top before bolting to the firewall. The clutch still is having big problems. After a couple of days of fruitless bleeding attempts (think several hours here), I have come to the conclusion that perhaps something else is wrong.

I decided to take the truck out for a drive. As long as the truck is in first gear when I start the engine, the truck is very driveable and shifts almost flawlessly. The clutch pedal is firm. The release / friction point is at the oem position -- about midway through clutch travel. However, if the truck comes to a stop and you're not in gear, you have to shut the motor off to get back into gear -- again, then everything is fine and in fact you can shift through all the gears driving as fast as you want.

This is a frustrating problem. Where should I go next?

1. Should I take it to an "expert" to bleed this thing? Based on the friction point of the clutch, I am skeptical that further bleeding will solve this problem.

2. There is a rubber portion of the hydraulic line (about 6") between the master and the slave. Is it possible that this line is damaged internally (after 13 years) and needs replacement?

3. Despite the proper feeling of the clutch, is it possible the new clutch disc / pressure plate is in some way defective?

4. Some kind of problem with the transmission (seems unlikely, but again I am lost here)

 

[Fordpwnzchevy]

sounds like maybe the synchros in the transmission are messed up. Can you let out the clutch w/o the truck on? If yes then there shouldnt be a problem with the clutch yea? Just my .02 cents

 

[brysonj]

sounds like maybe the synchros in the transmission are messed up. Can you let out the clutch w/o the truck on? If yes then there shouldnt be a problem with the clutch yea? Just my .02 cents

Well...if I keep driving it like this ther're going to get messed up for sure...

Seriously though, I haven't a clue. I've worked on vehicles of all kinds for years and rarely have I been stumped like this.

 

[brysonj]

Well, after hours of research I think I have finally managed to find my problem. Looks like the new clutch assembly is going to need to be replaced. Note I did not replace the clutch as a set, I simply purchased a remanufactured pressure plate and new disc from the same vendor. I am beginning to believe this was a mistake, and it looks like I am going to get the chance to do things over.

Perhaps the article below will save someone else the hassle I have endured. It is the exact problem I am having.

http://www.motorage.com/motorage/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=96313

 

[RangerX]

That article you linked is a great read.

Just wondering, where did you get the clutch and slave? I did my clutch last year, and online reading told me not to go with parts store clutches or slaves. I ended up getting LUK Gold from dialaclutch. It came with everything needed, including pilot bearing, O-ring for the line, and alignment tool. The slave was identical to the factory one I took out.

 

[brysonj]

That article you linked is a great read.

Just wondering, where did you get the clutch and slave? I did my clutch last year, and online reading told me not to go with parts store clutches or slaves. I ended up getting LUK Gold from dialaclutch. It came with everything needed, including pilot bearing, O-ring for the line, and alignment tool. The slave was identical to the factory one I took out.

The remanufactured clutch and pressure plate were both "Perfection - ZOOM" products purchased from Advance Auto Parts.

The owner of this truck is retired, and drives maybe 5K in a year. He's no hot rodder. What I need is a reliable, NEW, OEM style clutch that will be trouble free and not so performance oriented. While I am aware you "get what you pay for" and obviously another remanufactured clutch will never again be in my future, the budget is not unlimited. With that said, do you or anyone else have a suggestion of where I should purchase the new clutch?

 

[RangerX]

Yup. Get the LUK standard model. It's what Ford puts in. I offroad so I went with the Gold.

Dialaclutch rules, IMHO. Fast friendly service, great prices.

 

[RangerX]

I just checked their site. $195 for your year/model.

 

[brysonj]

Yup. Get the LUK standard model. It's what Ford puts in. I offroad so I went with the Gold.

Dialaclutch rules, IMHO. Fast friendly service, great prices.

Alright, I will look into them today. If they can overnight ship in time for the weekend we might be in business.

BTW, I emailed the author of that article to thank him and he emailed me back. Very nice, considering he wrote the article a couple of years ago.