Clutch issues

FSJPat · Aug 12, 2012

My clutch is engaging/disengaging with the pedal right off the floor. I have a hard time getting it into 1st (Low) and I have to double clutch it to get it to downshift unless I come to a stop.

It doesn't slip at all, and the fluid in the master cylinder is full. Am I looking at a new clutch soon, or what should I look at to find the problem? Slave cylinder? Thanks for any help.

sniper_101 · Aug 12, 2012

Or bent clutch fork. Mine cracked and broke after being bent and cracked for what looked like a while.

stroker2 · Aug 12, 2012

If this problem arose within just a few days then you have a bent clutch fork. Mine did that and a couple more pushes of the clutch and it would only come half way back up. Turned out my clutch fork was broke in half

FSJPat · Aug 13, 2012

Thanks for the replies. I'll take a look at the clutch fork and check the travel from the bottom.

FSJPat · Aug 13, 2012

Oh wait, let me guess, the transmission has to come out to check the fork? FML.

morefuel · Aug 13, 2012

http://www.thedieselstop.com/contents/getitems.php3?Luk Aftermarket Clutch Upgrade
Maybe this will help as far as taking your tranny out.

FSJPat · Aug 14, 2012

Thanks for all the replies so far. Tonight I will pull the slave cylinder out and check the fork-bellhousing distance to see if it is a bent fork.

The problem is intermittent. Yesterday when I got off work, my truck wouldn't go into reverse or 1st in the parking lot. A couple of hours later, I went outside to move my truck, and it went into reverse and first easily. This morning, it went into reverse no problem, but I had a hard time getting it into 2nd from a stop. It would slide into 2nd if I was still rolling slowly.

At this point I am thinking it might be hydraulics. Am I wrong, or would a bent fork or worn clutch have these problems all the time, but a slave or master cylinder on it's last legs might not.

sniper_101 · Aug 14, 2012

Could very well be the hydraulics. I personally haven't had any issues with mine, but some people claim they go through a hydraulic system once a year or two.

I believe you can pick up a pre-bled system at Napa for like $120-200. Even if the issue does turn out to be the clutch fork, it may be wise to install a new hyd. system for reassurance and keep the old one (if it turns out to not be the problem) for a spare, or vice-versa. (I did this)

Just my $0.02 . . .

Edit - also, just so you know, the picture below is where my clutch fork bent and where they all seem to. Just so you have a reference before you drop the trans, should you have to.

FSJPat · Aug 20, 2012

Last night I pulled the slave sylinder out of the bellhousing and measured the distance to the fork, and it was ~2.5", so I am hoping that means the fork is not bent. I ordered the pre-filled/bled hydraulics from Rockauto last night, so hopefully I will still be able to shift until I can replace it.

If that doesn't fix it, then the next step will be pulling the tranny

FSJPat · Aug 23, 2012

My new master/slave cylinder came in yesterday and I slapped it in, works like a champ now. Really glad I didn't have to pull the transmission to fix it.