No start after slave cyl install

[DesertBen44]

the ford in my sig

Changed slave cyl, have been bleeding it, got it where pedal feels pretty good, not quite perfect, was hoping to drive around and let the air work out (its parked uphill) now I have a no crank/no start.

I put my phone camcorder function under to watch the slave cyl actuate to see how much its moving, and well its moving a bit. Dont really have anything to compare it to.

I will continue bleeding, just wondering if I could have axidentally disconnected some kind of neutral safety switch with my foot during the furious pumping? Not seeing anything.

Any other ideas? batterys are definitely fine.

Going to proceed trying to bleed more before I check the trucks vitals to see if another freak thing broke while I was doing this, but im pretty sure its clutch related

 

[DesertBen44]

I found that I guess is the neutral safety switch, on the rod that actuates the clutch master, it is definitely plugged in and seems to be spring loaded in the foreward position. Could the feverish pumping have damaged this switch>

 

[G. Mann]

Yes, you could have damaged the clutch switch. The clutch position switch on your truck locks out the starter if the clutch is not pushed in. If the switch has gone bad, you are not getting the correct position information and you will get no starter action with the key.

Set the park brake, put the trans in neutral [sig says ZF5 speed right?], turn the key on, and bridge the starter solenoid on the passenger fender well.. behind the battery. [may have to do a bit of reading if you don't know where it's located].

If you get starter turning, the problem is with the clutch position switch.

Bleeding slave cylinder:
Try my system, it works every time, first time.
Buy yourself a old fashioned oil hand pump. Like grandpa used to oil the wheels on your lawnmower. Get some clear hose that will fit over the nozzle end of the oil pump and over the tip of the bleed screw. Fill the new hand pump with brake fluid [keep it as your "clutch tool" and don't use it for oil]

Open the master cylinder cap and leave it loose. Open the bleed screw and attach the clear hose to it. Put the end of the hose in a clean container and pump the peddle a few times to pump down the fluid in the clutch master cylinder. Close the bleed screw. Connect the clear hose to the hand pump, open the bleed screw and pump fluid from the bottom UP to the clutch master cylinder.
Keep an eye on how much fluid you add [don't over flow it]. If you have someone watching it for you, they will see air bubbles being moved UP from the slave cylinder at first.. then only pure brake fluid.

{ if you are starting with an empty clutch master, the way I like to do it, pump fluid from the bottom up till there is about 3/8 th inch of fluid in the master, then close the bleed screw} You are done bleeding the clutch, add fluid to the master till it's got the right amount and put the cap on correctly.

Disconnect the clear line and put a plug in the end to store your tool [I use a golf tee].

At this point, you should have good clutch peddle, and the slave will have no air in the system.

Bottom up pushes air the way it wants to go.. UP..

I use the same system to bleed brakes.. one man. Has never failed yet.

 

[DesertBen44]

Thanks for response!
I gave up for the night, was starting to irritate the poor neighborhood even MORE then usual! haha. will bridge solenoid tomarrow AM and see if that helps anything.

I like bleeding things from the bottom up as well, but these POS plastic slave cyls dont have real bleeder valves on them, they just have a damn allen bolt that sprays fluid in every possible direction!
Maybe I should have bought some kind of rebuild kit for my old metal cyl instead of this new one haha

 

[G. Mann]

Suggest you may want to make a trip to your local auto parts store help isle.. you can find replacement bleed valves with nipples.

Take the offending piece of crap out and take it with you to match up threads and seat area. A bleed valve with a nipple should cost you less than $2.. if I recall.

 

[DesertBen44]

SO today I went out fresh minded and figured before I started jumping relays and whatnot I would try the old school method: beat the neutral safety switch with a screwdriver. truck started right up. Shut it down, tried to start again, no start.

Sprayed some brake clean all over the rod and cleaned assorted BS off of it, hit it with a screwdriver, fired right up.

Drove around, went to tractor supply, came out, started right up with key, no abuse of NSS

Went to get gas, started right up with key, no abuse of NSS

So moral of the story is I guess cleaning the rod made the NSS work. Not sure how long this glory will last, ford dealer has the switch but its almost 90 bones!

WIll have to decide if I want to bypass it and wire some kind of deadman for starting, or if I should just replace it with a new switch.

Thankyou for the help G Mann, I really appreciate it!

 

[G. Mann]

On my 87 there was a little black box that mounts roughly above the foot throttle peddle, one screw. electrical plug at the back , if I recall.. the little black box has the key buzzer [leave key in ignition, it goes buzzz when you open door] . I removed the box, pulled the plug and the Clutch safety switch was no longer in the system, key buzzzzer was gone.. life was good.

From your sig you truck is a 92? .... Likely has the same setup. I also have a 92, no key buzzer, don't have to have the clutch in to start. Mine is a F450, but same wire setup, I think.

Might be worth a look.

Glad I could help.. makes me feel like a BOOB member.