My clutch master went out last fall and my repair manual said that you can't replace the mater on its own. It said that I had to get a full pre-bled system from the master to the slave. But that part isn't made any more. The dealership even showed it as being discontinued.

I got a replacement master cylinder from AutoZone and was able to bench bleed it even though the slave doesn't have a bleeder screw.

That worked until about a month ago when I was on a roadtrip and my clutch went out. I had to get a ride over 100 miles to the nearest auto parts store and then back to my truck so I just got a new master (under warranty) and a new slave just in case that was the problem so I didn't have to go another 100 miles to the auto parts store if it wasn't the master.

I replaced the master and tried to bleed it by pumping the slave, but it wasn't building pressure. So I replaced the slave, and still couldn't get it to build pressure. After 2 days of screwing with it I broke down and paid a mechanic for the first time in my life. He was able to get it bled and all was well for about a month.

But this weekend I took the truck up to the mountains and after about an hour of driving the clutch started to go out again. It only seems to do it after I've been driving for a while. And once the truck sits for a while the clutch engages and disengages normally.

I have replaced everything but the reservoir and the hard line between the master and slave. The reservoir is staying full and I don't see any leaks on the hard line.

Any ideas? Could it be sucking air from a pinhole leak in the hard line? Could the master or slave be bad already? Something else?

I'm tired of throwing parts at this truck.

 

Great question lucky me my clutch master has never gone out but I was interested in knowing the answer as my Dakota is 14 years old and has never been changed out.

I posted the Q on here last year and the best answer I got was to jack up the front of your Dakota kind of high then tap on the system every hour to dislodge any air so it will float up and out the system that is how I was told to bleed a system that can’t be blead let gravity pull the air out

I was also told this may take a day or two remember to go under the truck every hour and tap everything to dislodge the air.

I cannot honestly say this works but that was the answer I received by someone that has done it.

Like this post https://dodgeforum.com/forum/1st-gen-dakota/192458-bleeding-the-clutch.html

 

My dad's Ford Ranger (Yes i know its a Ford but its the same general concept) thought his clutch kept going out.. and the actual problem was the throw out bearing was shot causing the Clutch to go on the fritz.

Just something to look at. Not saying it's your problem.

 

I agree something different may be going on I dont see how air is getting in the system unless you did take it apart

 

it is a b!@#$ to bleed the master cylinder. i found the answer on the forum last winter after beating my head in the wall.

https://dodgeforum.com/forum/3rd-gen...discussion/293.... (i printed it out so that i didn't have to look in up again. this may not be the full address.)

however. it worked on my 97 dak. what you need to do is. take the master cylinder off the firewall. leave hoses hooked up. (it is pointing down while it is on the firewall)
fish it thru a few things so that you can turn it up side down. ( now the master cylinder should be pointing up. which will allow air to escape to your reservoir)
disconnect the slave cylinder so that you can hand pump it slowly.

if you have a friend help. that will make easier, so that you don't have to get up and down very often.

 

https://dodgeforum.com/forum/3rd-gen...utch-assy.html

here is the full link.

 

What would be the symptoms of a bad throw out bearing?

I'm going to take the master and slave out tomorrow and try to bench bleed it and I'll try turning the master upsidedown like Vladek suggested.

 

A bad throwout bearing is usually noisy when you press the pedal in. It shouldn't affect the master or slave cylinder.

Any chance someone put the wrong fluid in the clutch fluid reservoir? That'll destroy the seals quick.

 

Nope, no noise while shifting...

I took the whole hydraulic assembly out and tried to bench bleed it. But the slave won't depress at all. When I push in on the master the slave moves out, but I only did this once and not too far because I can't get the slave to compress like it should and I didn't want to break it.

I've pushed on the rod in the slave as hard as I can and it's won't budge at all.