hi all, driving to work this morning my clutch started acting up. when i got to the office i noticed my fluid reservoir was almost empty implying a leak. after filling up and bleeding the system, the clutch still doesnt work. i hear noises like fluid in the upper clutch master cylinder, but no leaks. does the master cylinder on these trucks go out often? theres about 165k miles on it. any help appreciated

 

How did you bleed the system?
I ask because I once tried to bleed out a Ranger clutch (same thing) and found that the only way it was effective was to open the bleeder valve and let it slowly drain. A very "static" way to bleed a stinkin' clutch if you ask me, but I was getting no where with traditional methods.
Of course, w/165k on the clock it could be time...?Is the slave is inside the bellhousing/part of the TOBtoo, like the Rangers?

 

i bled the system with a 6ft lenght of rubber hose going from the slave servo to the master cylinder tank. i just recyled the fluid til there was no air. i did have to drain off what little dirty fluid there was in the line, but it was only an oz. or two. not sure if that was the prefered way to do it, but it worked really well.

 

When you say your clutch doesn't work, is the pedal staying down on the floor and you have to lift it up by hand, or the pedal works fine but the clutch doesn't release?

When you were bleeding the system, were you opening and closing the bleeder valve at the slave cylinder after an assistant pumped the pedal and then held it down?

I had a lot of problems getting pedal after changing both the master and slave cylinders. After bleeding the system the conventional way I still didn't have any pedal. I got frustrated and pumped the blazes out of it with the bleeder valve closed and everntually got pedal. Over time the pedal got better as the system purged itself of the air in it.

If you can't get pedal after this, have someone push the pedal while you watch the slave cylinder. If nothing happens when the pedal is pressed and released, you need to replace the master cylinder and/or slave cylinder. If you have time you can replace one and see if that fixes it. If not replace the other.

After 165K they're probably needing to be replaced.

HTH

 

Also, is the slave cyl mounted outside on the bell housing (traditional) or integral w/the TOB? Is that the system we"re talking about ?
That's how that Ranger was.

 

I had this happen to my 1994 mazda b3000 and it turned out to be a blown slave cylinder between the engine and gear box. The part was cheap only a hundred dollars, but lots of work envolved. You should replace the clutch while you have the gear box out, check www.rockauto.com they had the best price I could find.

 

If you're talking about a 1993 or earlier Japanese-made Mazda B-truck (as opposed to the later Ford Rangers), the 1993 and earlier ones commonly have clutch master cylinder and slave cylinder issues. Mine are lifetime warrantied. Two weeks ago I replaced oth, and two days later had to replace the "new" master cylinder. It works fine now. I've replaced them both several times in the 14 years I've had my '88 B2200.