clutch and slave

Hey everyone. I am having clutch problems. I have bled clutch (slave) 3 times and it is ok for a day or 3 then gradually keeps getting deeper and deeper. Must push all the way to floor to disengage. I am trying to diagnose problem- don't want to spend $$ on the wrong thing. Also hear large "clunk" under shifter when I start up. That has me worried. One shop guessed my clutch fingers were bent and needed new clutch pckg. I have 25k on clutch- is this nearing the end of its life? Or is my slave letting air in somehow? I dont see any leaks. If I replace slave, do I need to open up the bellhousing, (its the external slave) and does anyone have a link on how to do this? What is an appropriate price for a shop to do a clutch pckg, or the clutch hydro system? I have read all previous posts I believe. '91 sport 4.0 5sp. Thanks so much for any info... - TJ

25k on a clutch is barely broken in.

Wait a minute.... a 91 5spd with an external slave? I thought the internals were used until 93? The external slave is a long cylinder that hangs off the driver's side of the bell housing. A couple inches in diameter and several inches long.

You don't need to open up the bellhousing to replace an external slave, but you'll be replacing the master, lines and slave together as they're only available as a set. If it's an internal slave, yes, you do need to drop the transmission, but you can get just the internal. Seems that most folks here with the internals have better luck with the real D/C part.

OK- great if I can rule out the clutch itself. I'm pretty sure its the external slave. Down by my bellhousing there is a brake-line like tube coming out of a rubber gasket (which is somewhat thrashed-coupla cuts, etc.) which goes into about a 4 inch long cylinder, comes out, loops around and goes up to the master cylinder. Also coming out of the gasket is another line with a bleed screw on the end, where I bled the clutch. I assume this is the external setup. Could my gasket be the problem? - TJ

truckeejeeper said:

OK- great if I can rule out the clutch itself. I'm pretty sure its the external slave. Down by my bellhousing there is a brake-line like tube coming out of a rubber gasket (which is somewhat thrashed-coupla cuts, etc.) which goes into about a 4 inch long cylinder, comes out, loops around and goes up to the master cylinder. Also coming out of the gasket is another line with a bleed screw on the end, where I bled the clutch. I assume this is the external setup. Could my gasket be the problem? - TJ

Click to expand...

Uh-oh.....that sounds like the external slave. But what looks like a bleeder screw really isn't, IIRC. Supposedly, you'll ruin the setup by opening that screw. The external slaves come as an assembled unit with master, lines and slave together. I can't speak from personal experience, my 94 with 215k on it still has the original cylinders, and the fluid has never dropped.

Stock 91s have an internal slave. The switch to external happened between 93 and 94. If you truly have an external, someone has changed the bellhousing, master and slaves, etc.

Something about your description doesn't ring right with an external. Let's try this description: It's on the driver's side, about 9:00 o'clock as viewed from behind. The slave cylinder is held in place by a pair of studs, one on top and one on the bottom.

Thanks for your help. But is that right?! The cylinder thing doesnt seems to be attached to anything but the line itself. So thats not the bleed screw? And I might have the internal slave? Now Im really lost. I'm just learning all this stuff so bear with me.Thanks guys. -TJ

I think my best advice now would be to go to http://techauthority.daimlerchrysler.com and get yourself a set of shop manuals. Not the Chiltons, not the Haynes. Get the real thing. It'll show you exactly what you have, and how to deal with it.

I've only taken a gander at an internal slave once, that was 4+ years ago, and beer was involved. I honestly don't remember what the line connections look like.

Maybe someone who has/does deal with the internal slave will chime in.

clutch problems eh?

i've dealt extensively with this problem and the above conversation was very confusing.

if, when looking from the back of the jeep, at the 9:00 position, you have a black cylinder about 5 inches long and 2.5 inches in diameter with one hose going into it at the back and one bleeder screw at the bottom of it, then you have the external slave.

if you have a rubber plug/gasket set in the bellhousing with two lines coming out of it, one with a hose attached, and one with a bleeder screw, but nothing else is apparent, you have the internal.

if its external, just replace it and hope it goes away. if internal, grit yer teeth and open 'er up :bawl:

hope this helps,
dan f.