Archived Dealer can't get Napa clutch slave cylinder to work - Any ideas?

[rickhans]

'98 1/2 Ram 4x4 with 5 speed had shifting problems in low and reverse. Dealer (which knows trucks and is a good dealer) has determined that the cause is the slave cylinder on the clutch. I had them order a NAPA 360-085 instead of using a Dodge replacement but they can not get the air bled. They thought they had it but the next day the pedal went to the floor.



They said that Dodge only sells the complete matching set, master cylinder and slave, because they are pre-loaded with hydraulic fluid so they don't have to be bled. They don't have a pressure bleeder to use on this, although it might not do any good. It sounds like air is trapped in the slave cylinder, not in the line, or else the cylinder is defective.



I want this cylinder because of the good reports from others on TDR that have used it. It reduces the pedal pressure.



I told them to put the old one back on. The did say that the cylinder could probably be drilled and tapped and a bleeder valve put on it. However, if the cylinder is simply defective, this would void the warranty and I would be out the $112 for the cylinder plus the labor.



Someone who has had experience with this cylinder please respond and give me some advice. I have towing to do and have been without the truck for too long now.



P. S. Dodge does not warrant the clutch cylinders. It classifies them as "Clutch Parts" which are excluded from the warranty, at least from the Diesel Wrap Around policy.

 

[illflem]

I replaced the cylinder on a Dakota with a Napa one that did the same thing. Fix was easy, just removed the cylinder and held it so the line to the master was on the very top then compressed the cylinder by hand a couple of times, all the air vented out to the master. This trick is written up in the service manual for GMCs but not Dodges.

 

[EMD Diesel Power]

I second Illflem's post. Never did it personally, but have seen it done that way on other Dodges and GMC's. He just beat me to it.



Only slave cyl. problem I had was when I blew out the clutch facing on my '96 CTD. small piece dropped into the belleville (?) springs and jammed it. Cyl. kept bypassing like it should, dealer replaced that first and the problem was still there, they dropped the transmission and gee-whiz, the clutch was blown. They ate the cost of the cyl. and I paid for the clutch/work. Its nice to see prices have dropped in the last couple years. In 2000 that sucker would have cost ya 360 bucks.