Engine/Transmission (1994 - 1998) Clutch problem

[Macmc01]

Hi all, long time. I just got a 96 a month ago and the clutch was spungy. It works but its soft and I couldnt shift to reverse easily. I bleed it and it worked for half a day. When the truck is cool it would work ok and then soften up. On occasion It would be stiff and work perfect then the next time be mush. I finaly broke down and got a new master slave from Dodge (ouch) and put it in. WoW great feeling and pressure, nice and stiff. I could tell a diffrence, and reverse was easy. 3 days later mush again #@$%! . It worked great for a day and a half then it got worse to the pont its almost worse than the old one . I have a line on a used one to test but before I waste time on it what do you guys think? Im about to pull hair or :{ Thanks!

Mac

 

[JTroiano]

Maybe its not the clutch pedal system. Sometimes when a pressure plate or clutch disc are falling apart the pieces floating around inside will cause weird problems like you are experiencing.



Jon T

 

[Macmc01]

I was hopen that it wasnt the clutch. I was told it was replaced just before I bought it. A mechanic looked at it and thought it was hydrolic issue. This morning, cool out, it worked perfect. It was stiff and went right into gear, every time. I miss my mecanical clutch

 

[SRath]

It kind of sounds like your pressure plate springs are fatigued and it is exacerbated when they get hot.



There's not much to go wrong with the hydraulic system. It is either tight (leak free), bled of all air, and works; or it leaks, or has air in it, and doesn't work right.



Other issues arise from the clutch being replaced recently. Right parts? Assembled correctly? All worn parts replaced? Lots of potential problems depending on who did it and for how cheap.



We buy used 2-stroke dirt bikes frequently. Every seller will tell you it "just had a fresh topend". That usually, in my experience, means it will swallow a circlip the first time you ride it (because it was a "hurry-up" job just to get the bike sold)... I would much rather get it with the worn out top end still in it and have him hand me the new parts to install myself. Same premise here.

 

[telliott]

sometimes the hydraulics can be bleeding back. if the seal in the plunger is bad, it may lose pressure and get soft without actually leaking fluid. it may just be leaking within itself so you will never actually get air into the system or lose fluid. I had similar problems with mine and i replaced the hydraulics. good as new.

 

[SRath]

Now that is an incredibly useful bit of information and worth remembering, telliot! What a bear that would be to figure out! But that would also mean he got two bad ones (original and replacement) in a row. It could happen, though. I'm assuming when he said he got a new "master slave" he meant the whole assembly.



When you say the "seal in the plunger", is that just the master cylinder plunger? A seal leak in the slave would have to leak externally wouldn't it?



Good post!

 

[tony597fitter]

If you only changed the Master cylinder, I would say you still have air in the line. It is VERY difficult to get all of the air out of the system properly. Dodge sells a master and slave setup that has been bench bled and guaranteed to have NO air in the system.

South Bend Clutch also sells a whole bled system for 97 and under trucks for $100.

 

[Macmc01]

I got the 300 job from dodge, it works great when cold not worth a #@ warm. Id say its worse than before once warm. I have a friend thinks he has a working one in a parts truck. Ill try it. Where do I need to go to get the one from south bend? I check their web site and didnt find one for the 94-98 nor any pricing. Thanks for all your help.

 

[tony597fitter]

Just call them and ask for Peter, he will set you up. I bought mine about a year ago from him for $100.

Its a one piece sealed unit, that you CANNOT take apart or you will get air in the system.

 

[JTroiano]

Im still thinking clutch. Sorry



Jon T

 

[Macmc01]

JTroiano you are correct. I got a friend to put it on the lift. Tore it apart and looky there the pressure plate fingers were uneven. Thank Peter for leading me down the path, he suggested not to put another slave/master in if it pulsated, and it did, until I checked it. Looking closer one bolt had backed out and the other snapped off on one side of the pressure plate to the flywheel. (explanes the crack in the bellhousing) When they replaced the clutch last time, and it wasnt very old, they used the old bolts. Bad Idea!!!! My new Luk clutch came with new bolts. After a lot of milling and new clutch we got her up and running. I didnt think a clutch could feel so good. Smooth, easy and slides right into any gear I want. Thank you guys for all the help. This also explanes the slight vibration and knock I had between 1500 and 2000 rpm. Thanks again all, man I love this site. !!!!

Mac

 

[tony597fitter]

Glad to hear your all back together.

Peter sure is good at what he does.