Thread: Clutch pedal loose, not disengaging completely

Hi,

I've got an '83 F-250 6.9L V8 diesel. When I start the truck it's easy to shift at first, but as it warms up it gets much harder to get it into and out of gear. I mash the clutch pedal all the way to the floorboard, and often it does not come back up on it's own. It's been like that since I've had the truck.

I've tried replacing the slave cylinder, but it's doing the same thing. However, I wasn't able to bleed the cylinder like normal. I followed the directions that came with it, but whenever I pumped the pedal a bunch of times and held it down with a stick then opened the bleed valve nothing came out, no air, no brake fluid, nothing. I manually pushed the rod in and out maybe 20-30 times and could hear the fluid up in the reservoir so I hope got the air out like that. The clutch is behaving exactly as it did before.

Thank you so much you for your time and wisdom oh gracious mechanic gurus of the internet.

It sounds like your problem is the Master Cylinder, not the Slave Cylinder, you may be able to purchase a rebuild kit for it. Bench bleed it before reinstalling it back in the vehicle. While pumping the pedal to build up pressure, dont push it all the way to the floor, only about half pumps. Without being totally familiar with your setup I may suggest bleeding every possible junction along the line.

I work on some Nissans with little extra metal lines installed under the car to act as a cooler, they are a mother to bleed so I bleed every step of the way from Master to Slave.

I may use a second person down at the Slave Cylinder, completely remove the bleeder and have them hold their finger over the hole. Of course this requires a little finesse. They need to relieve a little pressure when you push the pedal down and block the hole totally on the pedal upstroke. Once fluid starts to actually bleed out they will feel it on their finger more easily. Then of course use the bleeder and your stick for the final bleed since that is how you feel comfortable, I do it the same way when I am alone.