Clutch has me stumped.

[Vintage]

'86, 2.5, 4wd. Got home about 4 days ago and tried putting it in reverse and got nothing but grind. Tried going back to first and wouldn't go in. The truck had had some previous trouble going into reverse, but never any other gear. It didn't make any noise as if something had failed, and I had no leak. I've since replaced the master, and slave and bled the system multiple times with no change. The clutch grabs when starting in gear, but once started works normally for whatever gear it's in, though I assume burning the clutch. But it won't come out of that gear.

 

Any advice would be great. :dunno:

[Geonovast]

Are you sure you're bleeding it correctly? The external slaves have to be removed, and fully compressed during bleeding. You cannot bleed it with it still attached to the bellhousing.

[Vintage]

No, I've never heard that. I've just been pumping the pedal and opening the bleeder. It makes an obvious difference in the pedal. The paper that came with the part doesn't mention this either, but I'm definitely not holding that too highly. Why would it have to be removed, etc.?

[1987Comanche]

The external slaves have to be removed, and fully compressed during bleeding. You cannot bleed it with it still attached to the bellhousing.

 

I used a vacuum bleeder on my '87 2.5 after I replaced the external slave. It worked fine.

[Vintage]

The external slaves have to be removed, and fully compressed during bleeding. You cannot bleed it with it still attached to the bellhousing.

 

I used a vacuum bleeder on my '87 2.5 after I replaced the external slave. It worked fine.

 

This will be my next step, but could using the pump-and-bleed method really be missing that much air?

[Geonovast]

The external slaves have to be removed, and fully compressed during bleeding. You cannot bleed it with it still attached to the bellhousing.

 

I used a vacuum bleeder on my '87 2.5 after I replaced the external slave. It worked fine.

 

87 wouldn't be an external slave, did you swap it from an internal?

 

This will be my next step, but could using the pump-and-bleed method really be missing that much air?

 

It doesn't take that much air to only partially work.

[kro10000]

The external slaves have to be removed, and fully compressed during bleeding. You cannot bleed it with it still attached to the bellhousing.

 

I used a vacuum bleeder on my '87 2.5 after I replaced the external slave. It worked fine.

 

87 wouldn't be an external slave, did you swap it from an internal?

He has an AX-5, I believe those were all external

 

Anyways I would definately check all that first, but my clutch issue had nothing to do with a hydraulic problem. This happened:

 

I was having the same symptoms as you at first. Grinding in reverse, until eventually it would no longer go into any gear.

After dropping the tranny three times (my slave is internal) replacing the master 6 times, slave twice, all the lines, etc, I still had the same issue.

 

As it turns out the welds on the bracket that connect the clutch pedal shaft to the master cylinder had broken enough to flex when the pedal was depressed, but would still press the master cylinder rod in slightly. Eventually when I was bleeding it the whole thing broke, and that is how I figured the problem out.

 

So just check the welds on the clutch pedal and bracketry, I doubt it is the problem but it is worth a look.

[Geonovast]

AX-4/5 went to internal in 87 with the BA 10/5.

[kro10000]

AX-4/5 went to internal in 87 with the BA 10/5.

 

I stand corrected

[wannabeMJ]

could it be only an air leak in the line???? (crack line)

wouldn't leak much and would create loss of pressure

[Vintage]

could it be only an air leak in the line???? (crack line)

wouldn't leak much and would create loss of pressure

I guess that's a possibility also. I'll check the line before I hook up the vacuum bleeder.