91 Ford F150 4x4 Transmission slave cylinder

dcain1963

I have a 91 Ford 150 4x4. The trans quit shifting while the engine is running. I took off the rubber plug on the side of the bell housing so I could look inside and I noticed that there is a bolt or threaded plug of some type missing from directly behind the slave cylinder line. I had thought that it was a problem with the slave cylinder itself but I was wondering if anyone could tell me if this could be the problem instead. Thanks.

Mr_Shiftright

Well if it's a mounting bolt for the slave cylinder and the cylinder is allowed to shift or move, then yes, that could be the issue. But I think you would be able to observe movement when someone pressed the clutch pedal while you were under the car (be CAREFUL and make sure the car is on jackstands or locked in gear with parking brake on and wheels chocked).

Of course you should also check the fluid level in the clutch master cylinder. Loss of fluid can also cause your symptom.

dcain1963

Thank you Mr_Shiftright for the answer. I have checked the fluid level and already tried bleeding but the petal still goes strait to the floor with no pressure at all. I haven't checked for movement although I don't believe that the bolt is connected to the slave cylinder at all. It is up under the line and while the slave cylinder sits facing front to back the bolt screws in toward the bottom of the trans. Do you know of anywhere I can go online to get a free schematic breakdown of the parts for this tranny ? Thanks again.

93tracker5spd

Hello! If I am picking up pieces of this puzzle correctly, you said you had checked the fluid level in the master cylinder and attempted to bleed, but were unable to obtain the pressure required to push fluid through the lines? And are still unable to obtain pressure? If the level is normal, and there are no visible leaks, then the fact that you cannot build pressure in the lines is one of three faults. Check the linkage attaching to the master cylinder from the pedal to be sure it is connected, and as Mr_Shiftright said, be sure there is no movement from the external body of the slave cylinder when the clutch pedal is depressed, if these two things are good, I would look at the master cylinder itself. There are seals in there that push fluid when the pedal is depressed, and if one or all of them have partially failed, the piston is swimming instead of creating resistance. You didn't say, but did this problem happen all at once, or did it come on over an amount of time? I was not able to locate the diagram you requested, but did find a diagram of a similar system showing the slave cylinder and its connection to the master cylinder. Oh, and there is a bleeder on the slave cylinder itself. Good luck.