Clutch pedal return

[Nero]

Good morning everyone, looks like I could use a little help on this, my two brain cells bouncing off each other this morning are struggling.

Yesterday morning I started having issues with my clutch disengaging. Had to push it hard to the floor.

Last night I replaced the master cylinder. Veririfed clutch pedal bushings all good, no firewall flex. Felt good on a quick road test.

Hop in this morning, same issue. Got to work. Found that the clutch pedal isn't fully returning all the way up on its own. If I grab the pedal and pull it, it has another full 2 inches of travel. Once it's up, it'll stay up, then the clutch works fine for one press. Then gets stuck again.

This is a weird one for me, sign of clutch slave going out? Bad return spring on the pedal?

 

[FrozenMerc]

I would definitely start at the slave, make sure it is functioning smoothly, is in good alignment with the throw-out arm, and not binding. Then pop the bellhousing cover off, and make sure the throw-out bearing is not getting hung up, and allowing the clutch to fully engage.

 

[Nero]

On lunch I pulled er in and had someone help me check it out.
If I manually push the clutch fork in, it retracts quite a bit, and leaves thr fork loose. No obvious binding of the release bearing. Then takes two pumps to get the slave cylinder reset, and pedal is back where it was before.

I saw somewhere on ford trucks forums that you can take the 19mm nut off and move thr clutch pivot one tooth over, Andy advice against doing that?

 

[Nero]

Well, I tried it anyways since I have some downtime at work. Here's the weird part, before I adjusted it, to get the master cylinder rod to align with the clutch pedal, I had to push the pedal down half an inch to align them. I moved the pivot bit over one tooth, now I had to compress the master rod a quarter of an inch to align it.

Pumped the clutch a few times, opened the bleeder screw to relieve pressure when clutch released, now it feels rock solid. I also cannot compress the slave cylinder by hand anymore.

So tell me, did I just make things worse? Gonna drive home and see how it all feels.

 

[hacked89]

When you put a new clutch swing arm on or do a Heim joint mod you adjust the swing arm to take any slack out of the clutch master rod to pedal assembly. It sounds like your describing trying to compensate for a different issue using that. What I’m understanding from your posts is you have a hydraulic issue either air / one of the cylinders.

There’s not much else that comes to mind that requires “pump”’ to create pedal return. Mechanical issues are more static.

 

[Nero]

I know its a fairly simple system, and it's not supposed to be adjusted, but the symptoms dont pan out to leaking hydraulics or worn bushings.
While I was under there I shook down the linkage again to verify the pedal bushings are fine still.

Maybe I need to get an adjustable push rod like ive read some people do to snug up the play.

In the meantime, my clutch engagement is now a little bit more than half a full press, and when I let it go completely I can still grab the release fork and jiggle it, so its not keeping constant tension on the bearing at least...

 

[IDIBRONCO]

I saw somewhere on ford trucks forums that you can take the 19mm nut off and move thr clutch pivot one tooth over, Andy advice against doing that?

I haven't had any food luck with doing that. Either it's too far or not far enough, depending on which way you move it, from my experience.

What I’m understanding from your posts is you have a hydraulic issue either air / one of the cylinders.

I'll strongly second this. I really think it sounds like you're got air in the system somewhere. I haven't seen a clutch pedal not return with no air in the system.

 

[Nero]

I'll try bleeding it again. The drive home was definitely unpleasant, I prefer the clutch disengagement to be closer to the floor, but not AT the floor.

Another solution I have, I found that the 1985 6.9 idi came with an adjustable push rod for the clutch master cylinder. I could get that to drop in for now too.

 

[hacked89]

I'll try bleeding it again. The drive home was definitely unpleasant, I prefer the clutch disengagement to be closer to the floor, but not AT the floor.

Another solution I have, I found that the 1985 6.9 idi came with an adjustable push rod for the clutch master cylinder. I could get that to drop in for now too.

What’s your thoughts on why you’re not buying a pre-bled kit & heim conversion? It’s relatively low cost compared to other things on your truck but I understand if budget is done.

 

[Nero]

What’s your thoughts on why you’re not buying a pre-bled kit & heim conversion? It’s relatively low cost compared to other things on your truck but I understand if budget is done.

Budget isn't the problem, its my timeframe, my trip, we head out Sunday and its 150 round trip, then immediately after we get back I head out to another trip that is 120 round trip, so won't have time to do a 'correct' repair.

I also could use a link as to what the heim conversion is....



Wait, is this all it is?????

Clutch pedal Heim Joint Mod Complete!

Finally got tired of pushing the clutch pedal thru the floorboard to shift and got off my keister and got the mod done.:Whatever: While digging around under the dash I found that the firewall had the TSB done for the structural weakness. Well for a grand total of $5.67 and 1 1/2 hrs of knuckle...

www.oilburners.net

 

[hacked89]

Budget isn't the problem, its my timeframe, my trip, we head out Sunday and its 150 round trip, then immediately after we get back I head out to another trip that is 120 round trip, so won't have time to do a 'correct' repair.

I also could use a link as to what the heim conversion is....



Wait, is this all it is?????

Clutch pedal Heim Joint Mod Complete!

Finally got tired of pushing the clutch pedal thru the floorboard to shift and got off my keister and got the mod done.:Whatever: While digging around under the dash I found that the firewall had the TSB done for the structural weakness. Well for a grand total of $5.67 and 1 1/2 hrs of knuckle...

www.oilburners.net

Got you. I use these kits: https://store.dieselhub.com/products/heim-joint-mod I also do bushings (OEM ford) and new clutch swing arm

 

[Nero]

I'll bookmark that for now,

In the meantime i just went down to the hardware store. Can't believe how easy that was. I spent more time trying to get the shaft out of the master cylinder.

I did cut threads on the shaft, 3/8 x 24 nf, got a threaded heim, and adjusted it until all the play was just barely taken out, then locked it with a lock nut.

Took er forfor a quick spin, its so much better now. Cost was about $22 but the heim is longer so bye bye clutch safety switch. I do like having it in there so maybe I'll swap it back later.

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[Nero]

Just did 40 miles round trip helping someone move some stuff,
Holy cow why did I not do this mod sooner, clutch is practically perfect now.

 

[hacked89]

Just did 40 miles round trip helping someone move some stuff,
Holy cow why did I not do this mod sooner, clutch is practically perfect now.

Nice your plastic bushing must have been pretty messed up

 

[Old Goat]

Using the threaded Heim Joint is a more secure set up than most
of the write up cutting off the ring end and slipping it into a joint
with set screw. Mine has the set screw, and red lock tite.

I had a Peddle assy from PNP out of an 85 I had sitting round for
several years. Bought the new Plastic bushing`s from the Ford Dealer
and took the thing apart to clean it up and paint it. With it apart, sure
made it easier with the Clutch lever in a Vice to grind off the weld, and
punch out the pin. That thing wasn`t too bad, but the assy off the 86
was worn 1/2 way through. The Heim Joint took out all the slop and made
a nice tight clutch throw.


Goat