1988 f150 clutch pedal low

[timberwolf1955]

what would cause my clutch pedal being low when master is full be caused by on my 1988 f150

[carriedi]

low in the at rest position or low to engage the trans... Tell me what is different from what would be normal for your truck.

fords have a rubber diaphragm in the clutch master that as soon as you take the cap off you would just pour in the fluid. But, it's not. After you take the cap off look at the master. Is there a rubber seal sitting on the rim of the master? You might have put brake fluid into the back of the diaphragm. Every one else just uses a rubber seal in the top of the cap for their seal but ford's seal goes way down into the master cylinder.

[timberwolf1955]

low in at rest, have to toe tap it to bring it up

[carriedi]

Low pedal at rest means that there is not enough pressure at the clutch end to push the pedal past the fulcrum to return. Do you have an adjustable pushrod on the master cylinder? If you do you should see if you can adjust it to remove excessive free play at the top of the pedal movement. free play specs vary from different sources but generally 1/2 to 1 inch to insure that there is full engagement when you release the pedal. Some specs say 1/4 to 1/2 inches. you just want to make sure that the clutch if fully released and you feel comfortable with your pedal travel.

Now if you are able to adjust you free play out and you get a good returning pedal remember that it will also move where the clutch now engages. It will be higher up from the floor. so try it a few times to get used to where it will engage afterward.

[Guest]

What would cause this same problem but with a master cylinder

[carriedi]

make sure your clutch master has enough fluid in it. If it's ok, your slave cylinder might be hanging up a little bit. When the system is working normally, the pressure plate pushes the release bearing back to push your pedal back up. Some times the slave cylinder or release bearing gets worn and can have just a little too much drag or misaligned. Air in the system can cause a reduction in the pressure in the system.

how much free play do you have before your clutch pedal feels like it is engaging?