Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) Clutch quit working completely today.

[Chace TX]

I was going down the road, and went to shift from 3rd to 4th. When I hit the clutch it went all the way to the floor without any pressure. I coasted into a parking spot at a restaurant, right across from a tire/repair shop. When I looked underneath the line from the slave cylinder to the operating rod had come loose completely. I still had one of the roll pins just kind of hanging there. I pulled it out and then tried to find the o-ring that goes on the conection, it was gone. Luckily the tire shop had an o ring that would get me by and a roll pin. I put it back together and then took the plastic pos loose from the belhousing and pushed the rod in a couple times to bleed off the air and it works fine now. I am going put a zip tie or something around that assembly, to keep those roll pins from falling out again. What a pain in the ass.

 

[bighammer]

I sort of remember a post about that same thing a while back. I meant to look at mine for preventive measures.

 

[Chace TX]

Still not right.

My clutch still has a lot of play at the top. I have bled it off 3 times and still does not feel right. I drove dad's 2002 5speed while ago, ours used to feel the same, now his has a lot more "feel" than mine does. I have been from one end of it to the other and cannot find any adjustments or any other way to bleed it. Any suggestions.

 

[John Berger]

You may be able to fix it, but chances are you are going to have to have it replaced. Usually runs around 300 bucks and I think it's a dealer only part. I remember a post on a possible fix, but that was a long time ago. Maybe somebody will remember it. Good luck

 

[Spaceace]

I feel your pain!

I feel your pain... but mine is not so obvious!!



http://216.235.147.117/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=54115

 

[Texas Diesel]

$185 at the dealer

 

[willyslover]

do some searches... a while back some guys used a napa part with very good success... . and about 1/2 half of the stealers $$

 

[Chace TX]

My clutch still works.

If I cannot get it to "feel" right, I am going to NAPA.

 

[Texas Diesel]

Here is the text from that post:



Simply incredible,I can't believe it!!! I am so happy with the results! You probably saw my recent post about blowing out the clutch slave cylinder. Just so you know,I put a hi-perf clutch (to remain nameless) in my truck that had such a stiff pedal,it took a gorilla leg to operate it(well,pretty close to it). Since it seems very few of these actually break,mine must have been a weak one,then combined with a strong clutch,well you know the rest.



I called up Napa to see if they stock just a replacement slave cylinder. They didn't have one listed for a '00 6spd,so I told him to give me one for a '96-'98 5spd... Napa United P/N 360-051.



With the help of jmbrowning,we took out the original cylinder and compared it to the new one. The Napa cylinder is made my the same company that makes the Dodge one! All the markings are the same,and made in the USA. There is one BIG difference... the NAPA one is about twice the diameter as the original,while keeping the same bolt spacing. The install went easy,but had one small snag for the 6spd. The hole where the hydraulic line fits in needed to be reamed just slightly. I'm sure the 5spds don't need to modify this. Everything bolted up perfectly and bleeding the line was easy.



Now for the big suprise... .

I was shocked to discover that I now have one of the softest clutch pedals I've ever felt! It's softer than a stock ETH pedal. I love it! No more gorilla pedal! Also the clutch engages more toward the floor rather than at the top of pedal travel. Since this cylinder is twice the size,that means there is more volume of fluid to actuate the clutch... meaning less pressure. I didn't know this would happen,but I like how it turned out. Now let's just hope it lasts!

 

[metal tech]

I read about this happening to someone shortly after I got my truck. What I did was run safetywire thru the roll pin and the hole on the other side. There is no way the pin can come out unless someone cuts the wire. If need be it can be quickly removed. Hope this helps.



Al