Strange problem with bleeding the clutch

[potatodog]

I'm running into the strangest problem bleeding the clutch on my girlfriend's 91 Explorer that I've ever experienced. Her Explorer had 192,000 miles on it when it got run out of antifreeze, (it's a long story, please don't get me started). I found a wrecked 94 Explorer with an automatic with only 104,000 miles on it. I successfully swapped the 4.0 and it runs great. A lot of the thanks for that goes to the advice I got from the forums on this website. Thank you all very much. As we all know, when you break apart the cases for any reason, you put a new clutch and slave cylinder into it. It's just good insurance. I also replaced the master cylinder. After using 3 pints of DOT3, and bench bleeding the master cylinder, I've run into a strange problem. When the engine is off, I've got a good, hard clutch pedal. After the engine is running, the pedal immediately softens up and won't allow me to put it in gear. I shut it off, step down on the pedal, start the engine, and it works perfectly until I depress the clutch pedal again with the engine running. Then it's too soft to allow me to put it into gear. Please help. This is not the first one these I've done, but this is the first time I've run into this particular problem! Thanks in advance for any help you can give me.

Fred

 

[Tbars4]

..I've deleted three other threads of yours on this same topic..

..While you are waiting on others to help you with your issue, take this time and please use the search function at the top of the page...No need in making several threads on the same subject..

 

[OneofMany]

Ouch, you might have to call click and clack about that one
You didnt install something right.

 

[woodcody33]

how to bleed the clutch the best way i have found

The best and only way I have found to bleed a clutch on a 90s explorer is to remove the rubber inspection cover from the bottom of the bell housing and open the bleeder valve on the slave cylinder. with a prybar pry the throw out bearing back to the slave cylinder until it stops. Have someone push the peddal to the floor.then close the valve and release the through out bearing. You may need some one to keep an eye on the fluid resivoire

 

[Anime]

The reason the pedal is firm at first but then goes to the floor is because there is still air in the system. You need to either bench bleed the master cylinder or use a vacuum pump when putting in a new slave cylinder to get the brake fluid in there, or just bleed it normally lots of times. A combo of all three seems best, bench bleed the master, fill the system while using a vacuum pump, then have someone push the clutch pedal to bleed it a few times to get the remaining air bubbles out.