Slave Cylinder Bleeding Trouble

[screwhead]

1993 F250 7.3 idi zf5 4x4 NA

Howdy, thank y’all for your help with the ZF5. I installed the 47 on Friday/Saturday and went great. Haven’t shifted it yet but will update other post when I do.

While I was dumb***ing about getting it installed I wanted to start pick up to check if my rear main seal was leaking after replacement. I still have to push clutch pedal in to start it. Will fix that soon. Anyway I sort of understood what the slave cylinder does so I kind of pinned it in the frame hoping the rod that is inside it wouldn’t over extend but I didn’t know how strong it was and it pushed right out of its spot and then the rod and boot came out revealing a rusty and gunk filled innards of slave cylinder and my pedal stayed at the floor.

I figured a new slave cylinder was all I would need so I put it all together (transmission, transfer case, etc) , put in new slave cylinder filled with brake fluid, bled it, tried a bunch of tricks I saw in videos and on forums and that seem to removed any air from the system(no more bubbles just brake fluid) but my pedal will not return from the floor on its own although it has become harder to press down. Tomorrow I was thinking about trying it all again and if it doesn’t work then I’ll buy a master, slave cylinder and hose pre filled.

Rushing a little because it is in my employer’s parking lot and I told him I’d get it done over the long weekend.

Is there anything else in clutch pedal system I should look at before buying the whole pre filled master slave?

Thanks again for your time.

 

[KansasIDI]

buy a master, slave cylinder and hose pre filled.

 

[franklin2]

If you do not have far to go you can drive it without the clutch working just to get it out of there.

1st. Put the trans in neutral and start the engine and let it warm up good so it starts easily.
2d. Stop the engine, put it in 1st gear or reverse, and practice a little bit. Start the engine in gear, it should take right off. Pretend you are coming up on a stop sign or light, turn the engine off. You can put it in 1st gear, start the engine, and then drive it, and you can carefully shift up to higher gears. When you come to a stoplight or sign, just turn the engine off.

 

[IDIBRONCO]

The best way that I've found to bleed the clutch is to just pump the pedal until you can't pump it anymore. Literally. I'll start out using my hands. When the pedal starts to return on it's own, and is getting stiffer, then it's time to start using my feet. Both arms and legs will feel like they're ready to fall off by this point, but it works.
If you can get the truck moved, and don't want to buy a complete set up, you can order the line that Russ sells. I haven't tried this yet, but it's supposed to make the bleeding A LOT easier than using the stock set up. I do REALLY want to try this someday and I probably will.

 

[Clb]

Try injecting fluid from the bottom up?

 

[Old Goat]

I have Russ`s Clutch line, used it last Oct when changing
the Clutch. Simple to use.
There is the Clutch Line, and 2 separate threaded fittings.
One for the MC and one for the Slave, both held in with the
Roll Pin.

Mounted the MC to the Firewall.
Bled the Slave off the truck. used a plastic container lil
larger than the Slave with brake Fluid in it.
Remove the Plastic strap ends.
Put the rear end in the Fluid and then push in the Rod 1/2
dozen times till no more bubbles.
Shove in the Rod and attach the Strap before taking it out
of the Fluid.
Mount Slave to the Transmission.

Don`t think I Bench bled the MC.
Mount it, fill with Brake Fluid, attach the Clutch line,
and let it gravity bleed. Attach Line onto the Slave, and
remove Strap.

The Clutch MC Rod under the Dash is adjustable, and it
needed some adjustment.


Goat

 

[rreegg]

If you do not have far to go you can drive it without the clutch working just to get it out of there.

1st. Put the trans in neutral and start the engine and let it warm up good so it starts easily.
2d. Stop the engine, put it in 1st gear or reverse, and practice a little bit. Start the engine in gear, it should take right off. Pretend you are coming up on a stop sign or light, turn the engine off. You can put it in 1st gear, start the engine, and then drive it, and you can carefully shift up to higher gears. When you come to a stoplight or sign, just turn the engine off.

Step 2 is something I've never heard or thought of - always wondered about this. Could you just keep the engine running in neutral build some rpms then stick it into 1st?

Haven't floated gears in a long time, did a long time ago in a toyota just to see how it works but never with the zf5

 

[DaveBen]

NO! You will destroy your transmission! What you are trying to accomplish is keeping the engine AND tranny at the same rpms. This is why you have to shut off the engine to engage the tranny. Then use the starter to get the engine going. You will have to shift up to second by pulling the tranny into neutral and slowing down the rpms until you FEEL the tranny "gear bumps" slowing to almost nothing. This means the engine and tranny are synced and you can shift into that gear. YOU are the synchronizer for your transmission. It can be done. I have driven a 13 speed tranny that has no synchronizers in a Big Diesel Rig. Go soft when you shift and do NOT jamb the tranny into the next gear!

 

[divemaster5734]

If you can set up a compressor I used a Bilt system off ebay to first evacuate the old fluid, and then replace with new.
It creates a vortex using compressed air that they tap into the vacuum present at the vortex.
It amazed me at how low that amount of vacuum was and how effective the system worked.
The compressor available at the time was a borrowed little pancake thing with a 1/8" hose that only did about 70psi before the old fittings started leaking, as my personal one is a 240v 80 gallon monster that is not in any way portable.
I honestly did not expect the results I got.
Had to use 100' of worn extension cord to get 110V out there, and had to unplug a LED strip light before the compressor would even turn.
Did it all solo.

 

[IDIBRONCO]

Go soft when you shift and do NOT jamb the tranny into the next gear!

That's how I drive mine all the time. It seems to make things last longer that way.

my personal one is a 240v 80 gallon monster that is not in any way portable.

You've got me beat. Mine's a 60 gallon 240V. My garage has a room built in one corner of the garage. When I was lookin git it before I bought it, I knew that's where my compressor was going to go. It works great. I can barley hear it even inside the garage. I keep a small Harbor Freight special compressor in my house just to air up flat tires. That's about all it's really good for.

 

[divemaster5734]

You've got me beat. Mine's a 60 gallon 240V. My garage has a room built in one corner of the garage. When I was lookin git it before I bought it, I knew that's where my compressor was going to go. It works great. I can barley hear it even inside the garage. I keep a small Harbor Freight special compressor in my house just to air up flat tires. That's about all it's really good for.

Mounted a 3/8" x 50' hose reel just inside the third bay door and plumbed it to the compressor. Can hit almost anywhere in my 1500' garage and anywhere on the driveway that anything is parked.
Works great, except I have to borrow a compressor for anything beyond a simple tire.
Which my neighbor enjoys immensely, as they are the ones usually borrowing tools from me.

 

[DougBoy66]

Before I bought the vacuum kit that uses compressed air I used an oil vacuum

You must be registered for see images attach

. I have one similar to this one. Get a good tight fitting on the bleeder. Get the vacuum pumped down good and Crack the bleeder. Pull fluid through until clear. Be careful not to empty the master cylinder. This has worked great for me with brakes. No mess everything goes in the catch can

 

[Old Goat]

You will not start the engine in gear, unless the neutral
safety switch has been by passed or jumped.

If your Clutch doesn`t work, I guess pushing in on the
Clutch Peddle will still activate the switch which is on the
Peddle Lever.

With my T-19 I can float them 1st - 3rd, 4th no go.
Works good in the lower RPM range, just don`t wind it out.
Don`t do it often, but out here in the boonies not a problem
just don`t do it in high speed traffic with every one being
first to the next red light.

Never driven a ZF-5 , like Dave,, have driven 10 & 13 spd
road rangers, a different animal altogether.


Goat

 

[screwhead]

Thank you all again for the advice I was able to find a full system pre-filled on Labor Day. I kind of wish I would’ve waited because the one I picked up from Oreillys has a very differently shaped hydraulic hose and runs closer to exhaust, steering column and rubs on my brake lines but it definitely works. I put some rubber fuel hose and heat shielding over it. I will definitely look into Russ’ line. This is the one I got.

https://www.autozone.com/drivetrain/clutch-master-cylinder/p/duralast-clutch-slave-cylinder-pfhk009/864229_0_0

Clutch works like a charm, it weirded me out how easy it is to push the pedal down now feels like a little car.

I have only tied floating gears with a zf5 twice and it was fine but I was too apprehensive to try it with my new trans, clutch, and flywheel. It does seem like when you shift slow and at lower rpm’s as has been described above and other forums on here the clutch is not needed as much but I was always told not to do so on a synchronized transmission.

 

[Old Goat]

The majority of the Clutch MC and Slave are Plastic.
Original Ford one may even be plastic.
When I changed mine (last Oct I think it was) the one`s
I picked up at O`Really`s were made of metal.


Goat