No 3rd/4th

[DiscoJen]

Well, let's hope it's the flex line.

Following your instructions, what I found is that when the slave bleeder is opened, I can depress the pedal. Clear, clean fluid comes out of the bleeder. After doing it twice the pedal got really hard again. Checked the resevoir and the fluid is clear and light colored, no plastic bits floating around...but, there are tons of very small goblets of dark fluid "globs."

The clutch master was replaced right before I got the truck, but I don't know if the flex line was included in the overhaul by the PO. The clutch worked perfectly before I took the gearbox out. Ya think the flex line is still the culprit?

 

[JAKD-UP]

Well if this problem isn't annoying enough, I thought I'd go check out the clutch. Pedal hard as a rock and won't even budge.

Anyone want to buy a Series?!?!?!?!?!?!!??! :banghead: :banghead: :banghead:

How much

 

[JackW]

You can also look in through the opening (covered by the triangular shaped piece of sheet metal just forward of the shift lever) with a flashlight to see if the throwout bearing is extending and pushing the clutch pressure plate forward.

 

[DiscoJen]

I'll be honest...I have no idea what part is the throw out bearing. Is this the same thing is the "clutch withdrawal sleeve" on page 60-c of the bible?

That is the only thing that I can see when I look through the triangle. It was pushed forward but I can easily move it back and forth with a long screw driver. I just went out and cracked the bleeder on the slave so I could depress the clutch pedal again...the sleeve thingy didn't move...It stayed pressed backwards toward the gearbox where I left it.

I remember when I had the gearbox out, that the sleeve slid in and out very easily. The entire clutch withdrawal unit came off the bellhousing in one piece, was never broken down, and was put back on as one piece. None of the internals of it was ever messed with.

 

[apg]

While the IIa-style throw-out bearing is more robust than the plastic, Series III style, it does have more bits and pieces - some of which that could be an issue. Unfortunately, you'll probably have to pull the 'box again to see, but the little trick of using guide rails really does make re-installation a breeze. Make sure the shaft and bushing for the yoke hasn't seized up from rust or funk. From your description, it sounds like the shaft and bushing has to be cleaned and lubed. When the clutch is out of its oil-rich, protected environment in the bellhousing, the disk and pressure plate can rust to the flywheel quicker than you'd think. But that wouldn't make the pedal rock hard....

 

[DiscoJen]

What is your guide rail trick? I don't want to have to wrestle this thing again, so sliding rear to check out the clutch, then sliding back when I'm finished sounds like heaven to my back.

 

[apg]

See #34 above....

It's a way to get the 'box to align perfectly with the bellhousing the first time. No fiddlin' or fussin' with bolts or a box not quite in alignment. Mind you, don't hang too much weight on these guides: they're there for alignment, not to support the weight of the gearbox.

Cheers

 

[DiscoJen]

Ahhh, duh. I tried that before but I had a hard time getting the right size thread and pitch. I ended up sticking 1/4" extensions in the holes. LOL

 

[JackW]

I usually have the entire seatbox out of my Rover when I remove the gearbox - that makes it easy to stick the crane arm in through the passenger door and lift the transmission in and out using some tie down straps wrapped around the gearbox and the transfer case. In the days before I acquired a crane we used the patented "bwana pole" method with the transmission suspended beneath a long pole like an early explorer on his way to the cooking pot. There would be two willing helpers who would hold the ends of the pole on either side of the Rover while one of us inside the vehicle would guide the transmission into place. We'd pass the pole in through the passenger door to get the transmission into the right neighborhood and then wiggle it in. With practice you can get the transmission in the truck in under five minutes using a "bwana pole" but it takes three people do it properly.

The absolutely easiest way to yank the gearbox is if the roof is off the truck and you have access to a chain hoist. It just makes eveything so simple.

 

[DiscoJen]

I used a method similar to what you are talking about going through the roof of the truck. I balanced a 2x4 across the dash and over the seat wall/tub and used a scissor jack to act like a hoist.

So I'm gonna take the slave cylinder off as I think I have the problem narrowed down to that. Replacing the flex line as well. I already dread trying to undo the rusty linkage, especially that damn clevis.

What are some tips or concerns I need to have?
- am I going to risk moisture getting into my hard line and the master?
- anything else to worry about?

 

[apg]

Ahhh, duh. I tried that before but I had a hard time getting the right size thread and pitch. I ended up sticking 1/4" extensions in the holes. LOL

I forget what the size is - 3/8"? 7/16"? - but the thread is SAE, standard coarse, as opposed to fine-threaded. Any hardware store on this continent should have 'em.

 

[DiscoJen]

Well, it looks like the slave and the flex line are not the cause of the problem. Guess I'll start working on sliding the gearbox back out to do more investigating. :banghead:

 

[JAKD-UP]

I'll buy it off ya

 

[DiscoJen]

I love my truckie too much, even when I am tired and mad, I just can't quit him. He completes me. :rofl:

 

[JAKD-UP]

well let me know if you need me to come over and help ya get it running...i promise not to steal and use your plate

 

[DiscoJen]

I might as well give you the other plate! lol

Update:
Took the slave off and checked it out. Had a few guys at work look at it as well. We cleaned it up, and it seems just fine. You can move the piston by hand so nothing is binding up inside. Blew air through the flex tube and the piston pops right back out again.

Got home tonight and tried to move the clutch connecting tube (that part that goes into the side of the bellhousing) to make sure it didn't freely move. It only moved a small amount like free play.

While I was down there dorking around, the front driveshaft kept falling and getting in my way. Then it hit me, how stupid would it be if my driveshaft had wedged under the clutch operating lever and that was why I could press the clutch pedal down.

So I put the slave back on. Yay, the clutch pedal depresses. But I can't get the thing to bleed so I have no pressure. I barely get a little spittle out of the bleeder when I crack it.

Any ideas, maybe I'm just not letting it bleed enough. I've been at it a few minutes and figured it'd bleed by now.

 

[DiscoJen]

Stop the presses! I have clutch! So far everything seems to be working properly.

Will put more back together over the weekend and see what I got. Cross your collective Dweb fingers!!!