Ranger clutch bleeding?
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Aug 2016
Posts: 317
Likes: 42
Ranger clutch bleeding?
I did the Ranger clutch fluid method today for changing the fluid. The stuff is really black and probably original {2003}. There was actualy some moisture on the top of the little bladder gadget under the cap also.
I did one drain and fill and pumped the pedal 25 times and checked it and it looked like nothing had changed colorwise. I pumped it another 60 times and I still can't see it did anything and I know there has to be a lot more dirty fluid in there. I'm gonna drive it a little and keep pumping it and checking but it looks like to me this is just a waste of time at this point and will probably be going underneath to bleed it.
Is it possible to install that remote bleeder option with just the tunnel cover off or do you actualy have to pull the trans and clutch.
I just want clean fluid
I did one drain and fill and pumped the pedal 25 times and checked it and it looked like nothing had changed colorwise. I pumped it another 60 times and I still can't see it did anything and I know there has to be a lot more dirty fluid in there. I'm gonna drive it a little and keep pumping it and checking but it looks like to me this is just a waste of time at this point and will probably be going underneath to bleed it.
Is it possible to install that remote bleeder option with just the tunnel cover off or do you actualy have to pull the trans and clutch.
I just want clean fluid
Pro
Joined: Feb 2013
Posts: 535
Likes: 92
From: Raleigh NC
Hmm, that's odd. I use the same method changing my clutch fluid. Siphon the old fluid out, refill with new, put the bladder and cap back on, pump pedal 50x, repeat. The first time i changed the fluid I had to do it probably 6 times to get clean fluid. I do it every track event now so it's clean after just 1-2 times.
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 18,236
Likes: 36
From: Haymarket VA
St. Jude Donor '05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10
Im doing it now on my 02 w/ 58k miles that I got a few weeks back.
It worked 1-2x pumping the clutch. Now I just drive it for the day and then go back and replace the clutch fluid. I couldnt get the fluid turned over enough by just pumping the pedal.
It worked 1-2x pumping the clutch. Now I just drive it for the day and then go back and replace the clutch fluid. I couldnt get the fluid turned over enough by just pumping the pedal.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Aug 2016
Posts: 317
Likes: 42
Does yours change change color some after driving, man I don't want to tear all that stuff out and possibly not get all the air out if I have to bleed it. I know how much of a pain in the *** that can be.
Instructor
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 142
Likes: 11
If you can bleed it with someone pumping the clutch, get a couple feet of clear tubing that will fit tightly on the nipple, loosen the valve slightly with your finger lightly over the end of the tube to create a "check valve" to let the crap fluid to be flushed out the line and no air to get pulled back in. With clean fluid in the lines and the valve closed, pump the pedal 10 or so times to dirty up the clean fluid and open to flush again. Maybe do this 3 to 5 times and keep an eye on your fluid from there.
Safety Car
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 3,956
Likes: 520
From: Da U.P.
I too found this method to be utterly worthless. I must have changed it 6x in 1 day, each time sucking out black fluid. Then I decided to change it 1x/day for a week and still no change. I bled it and it stayed clean for a couple weeks and just did regular fluid exchanges. Later when doing the clutch I threw in a new master and slave with a remote bleeder. Soooo much easier and can be done with a brake motive bleeder by yourself.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 2,491
Likes: 315
St. Jude Donor '15-'16-'17-'18-'19-'20-'21-'22
I did the Ranger clutch fluid method today for changing the fluid. The stuff is really black and probably original {2003}. There was actualy some moisture on the top of the little bladder gadget under the cap also.
I did one drain and fill and pumped the pedal 25 times and checked it and it looked like nothing had changed colorwise. I pumped it another 60 times and I still can't see it did anything and I know there has to be a lot more dirty fluid in there. I'm gonna drive it a little and keep pumping it and checking but it looks like to me this is just a waste of time at this point and will probably be going underneath to bleed it.
Is it possible to install that remote bleeder option with just the tunnel cover off or do you actualy have to pull the trans and clutch.
I just want clean fluid
I did one drain and fill and pumped the pedal 25 times and checked it and it looked like nothing had changed colorwise. I pumped it another 60 times and I still can't see it did anything and I know there has to be a lot more dirty fluid in there. I'm gonna drive it a little and keep pumping it and checking but it looks like to me this is just a waste of time at this point and will probably be going underneath to bleed it.
Is it possible to install that remote bleeder option with just the tunnel cover off or do you actualy have to pull the trans and clutch.
I just want clean fluid
I have not installed the Tick remote clutch bleeder but many who have seem to be satisfied.
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...h-bleeder.html
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Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Aug 2016
Posts: 317
Likes: 42
good to see others finally speaking up about it not working very well as this method is spread like the gospel... you can do it right and bleed it once from the slave or do it a hundred plus times trying to change the fluid in the reservoir and still have it get nasty... if you ever do a clutch make sure to install a remote bleeder and you will never have to deal with this issue again
I think from all the pumping it would take in one day to get everything out of the whole system you would most likely have to replace the master cyl. and possibly slave too from the excess wear just placed on it. Wouldn't that suck!
At least at that point a person would know they have fresh fluid now though.
Again this is just based on my "No Vette Experience" but have worked on vehicles for over 50 years.
But please if there are any of the {Experienced} people out there that have been doing this and know for sure this Ranger thing eventualy works please chime in and tell me because I really don't want to do it the hard way. But at this point common sense just tells me it doesn't from just the first 2 attempts I've already done like this.
Last edited by Rabbitman; Feb 8, 2017 at 09:29 PM.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Aug 2016
Posts: 317
Likes: 42
this is exactly it, the nasty crud is all the way down at the slave and changing the fluid out in the reservoir is not going to clear that crud out... the only way to get it out 100% is to do a proper bleed from the slave, once you do that the fluid should stay clean for a decent amount of time depending on your driving style... I guess changing the fluid out in the reservoir is better than nothing at all but I'm not the type of person to waste my time fiddling with something that I know will not fix the problem, I'd rather do it once and be done with it
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 24,160
Likes: 78
Sorry but the "ranger" method is completely idiotic. It doesn't work. It has never worked. It's a feel-good measure at best. If you want proof, take apart your master cylinder. You'll find the piston caked with black gunk. That is if you have a car where the fluid keeps getting dirty after a few days. Maybe after several hundred bottles of brake fluid and a few thousand fluid swaps you'll get it washed off well enough, OR alternatively you could just take the 10 minutes that it requires to swap out the $50 clutch master cylinder and be done with it. Then swap out the reservoir fluid a couple times a year to keep it from happening again.
No, even if you get the reservoir squeaky clean, the piston is still full of that crud.
this is exactly it, the nasty crud is all the way down at the slave and changing the fluid out in the reservoir is not going to clear that crud out... the only way to get it out 100% is to do a proper bleed from the slave, once you do that the fluid should stay clean for a decent amount of time depending on your driving style... I guess changing the fluid out in the reservoir is better than nothing at all but I'm not the type of person to waste my time fiddling with something that I know will not fix the problem, I'd rather do it once and be done with it
Last edited by wcsinx; Feb 9, 2017 at 09:08 AM.
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 16,028
Likes: 170
From: oregon
it's not a waste of time. change the fluid every tank of gas for the next year. you get little bits each time
a real bleed is more efficient yes but this car is hard to bleed because of the location of the slave
the ranger method does not work in a day which is what throws people. you need hundreds and hundreds of cycles and while driving. hot/cold/static/moving.
driving in rush hour traffic is great with so much stop and go. my car improved greatly after buying around 3000 miles later doing this every tank of gas after the initial
a real bleed is more efficient yes but this car is hard to bleed because of the location of the slave
the ranger method does not work in a day which is what throws people. you need hundreds and hundreds of cycles and while driving. hot/cold/static/moving.
driving in rush hour traffic is great with so much stop and go. my car improved greatly after buying around 3000 miles later doing this every tank of gas after the initial
Last edited by racebum; Feb 9, 2017 at 03:50 PM.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 24,160
Likes: 78
it's not a waste of time. change the fluid every tank of gas for the next year. you get little bits each time
a real bleed is more efficient yes but this car is hard to bleed because of the location of the slave
the ranger method does not work in a day which is what throws people. you need hundreds and hundreds of cycles and while driving. hot/cold/static/moving.
driving in rush hour traffic is great with so much stop and go. my car improved greatly after buying around 3000 miles later doing this every tank of gas after the initial
a real bleed is more efficient yes but this car is hard to bleed because of the location of the slave
the ranger method does not work in a day which is what throws people. you need hundreds and hundreds of cycles and while driving. hot/cold/static/moving.
driving in rush hour traffic is great with so much stop and go. my car improved greatly after buying around 3000 miles later doing this every tank of gas after the initial
Last edited by wcsinx; Feb 10, 2017 at 09:11 AM.
Racer
Joined: May 2016
Posts: 471
Likes: 83
From: Lafayette LA
Lol, if you're going to do this, at LEAST get a hose and shove fluid in from as deep as you can get it. You'll get a lot more trash out of it than just emptying the reservoir over and over. When I do mine, I go in from below and get way more than just by emptying the reservoir.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Aug 2016
Posts: 317
Likes: 42
there is also a lot of crap in the slave so I don't think just changing the master alone will get it staying clean but it is not a bad idea to replace it, I won't argue with that... I too find it a little ridiculous to swap the fluid out every time I get gas or hundreds of times on end, not only is that a waste of my time but also a waste of money especially if you are using fluid that costs $15 a pint... I respect racebum but I just have to disagree with him on this topic, but that's just my opinion
I read somewhere it said that fluid Circulates between the slave and the mcl, does it actualy circulate or is it just pushed in and out of the slave.
I haven't seen these pieces yet up close but can you actualy completely flush both parts together or even separately?
That's the part I am most concerned about because of the difficulty of changing it and my clutch is fine and with my driving style I doubt I'll probably never tear it up and I damn sure don't want to do it for just the slave cyl..
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 2,491
Likes: 315
St. Jude Donor '15-'16-'17-'18-'19-'20-'21-'22
A video would be welcome.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 24,160
Likes: 78
there is also a lot of crap in the slave so I don't think just changing the master alone will get it staying clean but it is not a bad idea to replace it, I won't argue with that... I too find it a little ridiculous to swap the fluid out every time I get gas or hundreds of times on end, not only is that a waste of my time but also a waste of money especially if you are using fluid that costs $15 a pint... I respect racebum but I just have to disagree with him on this topic, but that's just my opinion
Originally Posted by laurent_zo6
A video would be welcome.
1. Pop the end clip off the pivot rod that connects the MC piston rod to the pedal.
2. Push the pivot rod out.
3. Rotate the clutch MC 1/4 CCW (I think, going from memory here... you'll figure it out) to release it from the firewall
4. Push the release collar down on the pressure line's quick-connect and pop it apart from the slave line
And you're done! If you have strong fingers, you can actually do all of the above without tools. (mind blown, right?)
Optionally if you're replacing the reservoir, then unscrew it from the firewall or just pop the hose out of the MC if not.
Last edited by wcsinx; Feb 10, 2017 at 09:10 AM.