1987 Van 5 speed manual won’t go into gear.

[Cedric-the-Van]

Hi there, new to the site so here we go. Just after sitting for a week after driving perfectly fine my van decided that it doesn’t want to go into gear. It starts just fine with the clutch in, and barely goes into reverse but there is awful grinding when it’s in reverse. I heard the the power steering reservoir is used for the transmission as well? I know the res leaks and I would assume it is a fluid issue as a week ago there were no problems. Whatever this is too on the transmission was leaking really bad once I pulled the rubber off. Let me know if anybody has had a similar problem or can help! Also is this rubber supposed to be attached to the transmission? 10663

[Burntboot]

Power steering has nothing to do with transmission.
An auto transmission will use the same fluid as the steering, but thats all.

The boot you have pulled back is the bellows that seals off the throw-out arm, it is supposed to be removable but it should not be oily in there.
Either the rear main engine seal has failed or the transmission input seal has.
Smelling the mess will usually identify the culprit (gear oil has a rather distinctive and nasty type of smell)
Once its all apart you can clean the living daylights out of it and make sure nothing else is compromised.
You will need to address all the outstanding issues in order to make your ride reliable.

If it were me, I would be planning on a complete clutch with all the bearings (throw out and pilot) and both seals.
I'd also want to have at least a slave cylinder on hand.

You may also want to get up close and personal with the search function as it will lead you thru all the above repairs.
BB

[Cedric-the-Van]

Hi there, thank you! The liquid coming out of the tranny is most definitely oil. Very dark and doesn’t have that that tinny gross smell to it. I did eventually get it to drive, I waited a while and the oil soaked clutch must have heated up enough to make solid contact with the flywheel. Do you have part numbers for all the repairs listed? And would all of that be necessary? I’ll be tackling the project myself to keep costs down. Thank you!

[Burntboot]

If the oil doesn't stink then its probably the rear main thats leaking

I don't have any numbers handy, but I do tend to be a but of a crank when it comes to OEM parts, but they are getting harder to find.
I don't do "rebuilt/remanned" clutches as I have had too many problems in the past, YMMV
New aftermarket is the way I would likely go, if the factory stuff is gone.

Read the relevant posts, all the info you need is in there.
The clutch isn't a hard job, I did mine in the driveway, its mostly grunt work.
Just make sure you mark everything and take lots of pictures.
It is amazing how after a few days, what seemed SO clear at the time, can turn to smoke, pics are good memory joggers.

[Burntboot]

This isnt the repair you want to take short cuts on, unless you like pulling transmissions.
Its heavy and awkward and you really only want to do it once.

Count on pressure plate, disc, release bearing and rear main seal, at the very least.
I'd be replacing the pilot bearing too, might be okay but it only adds 15min and less than $20 and avoids gobs of potential grief.

A couple of cans of brake clean will come in handy too, given how wet things look in the pic, you can expect a nasty mess in the bell housing and it needs to be clean and dry before reassembly.

[Cedric-the-Van]

That’s probably for the best, just replacing suspect parts (that have obviously had too much contact with oil) while I’m in there. I sadly don’t have anybody I know with a lift, but do you think it’s possible in the driveway with high jacks? And luckily my local parts stores have tons of Toyota oem stuff which was a surprise and a relief.

[Burntboot]

You dont need a lift, it makes things easier but certainly not required.
I did mine in the driveway.

Having quality jack stands is key, never crawl under anything that isn't well supported.
You might even get way with a good set of ramps (4 req'd)

Also a good idea to mark the propshaft to flanges orientation, just so it goes back together the same way.
Nothing quite so much fun as skipping that part, doing the job then having a nasty vibration that you mistakenly blame on the parts when its really just the phasing of the driveshaft (BTDT2)

[Diy2k]

DONT FORGET TO CHANGE THE TRANSMISSION MOUNT!

[Cedric-the-Van]

Okay! So everything listed and is the transmission mount a defect? I’ve seen a few things about replacing it but never saw the reason. Also if anyone has a link to threads about the rear main seal/ transmission work in general that would be great.

[Burntboot]

Mounts are likely due for replacement (all 3) but that said, I'd inspect first, if money is tight.
Its external to the transmission and while easier to do while you're in there, it isn't a big deal to do it after the fact, so your call.

If you click on "Site Announcements" and scroll down a thread or 3 you'll find the definitive guide on how to successfully search threads.

[Cedric-the-Van]

Okay perfect! How difficult are the mounts? Money is tight but that’s why I’m planning to do it myself, parts aren’t really a concern as long as I find them

[boogieman]

not sure it was mentioned, the flywheel should be inspected and likely machined...also from the 1st post , you couldnt get the transmission into gear or once in gear the van wouldnt go?

[Cedric-the-Van]

Well it wouldn’t go into gear at all when first turned on. I assume the oil had hardened inside of the transmission, preventing the clutch from making a solid connection with the flywheel. After it was warm, just idling in neutral, the drip out of the transmission increased and it was able to get into gear and drive no problem. I have know that the rear main seal is broken and is the main culprit for this and the oil loss over time. How do I inspect the flywheel once I’m in there? Planning to get started this weekend. Would any local shop machine it for me? Thanks guys!

[Burntboot]

Your looking to see the condition of the mating surface on the flywheel.

It should be flat and smooth or if there is surface checking (lotsa little cracks interwoven) it needs resurfacing.
(Same principal as new or machined rotors with fresh pads, you want the best mating surface you can get.)
Oil contamination causes clutches to overheat and increases the odds of it needing resurfacing.
It takes a bit of an experienced eye to know what you can get away with but if you can feel any of the ridges with your fingernail thats as good a sign as any.
One thing to mention to the machinist is that its a stepped flywheel, so its 2 cuts instead of one.
It is important to maintain the height differential between the disc mating surface and the pressure plate mounting surface.

Given your mode of failure I would expect that its the combination of clutch dust and engine oil contaminating the splines where the disc slides. When you get it apart you may well find that it appears to have lots of disc life left and you may be tempted to try cleaning it.
Once the material has been exposed to oil you will never be able to sufficiently clean it.
I only had to make that mistake once!

Experience is the only teacher I know of, that will guide you thru what parts can be reused and what cant, without that knowledge (and willingness to do things twice) its often better to replace as much as you can afford to, while you're in there.

Mounts are inspected visually first.
Tears, deformations and separations are top of mind.

The trans mount is a bushing style mount and you should be able to gently pry it from either side while watching for movement, it should give a little as the rubber stretches but there shouldn't be any unrestrained movement.

Engine mounts are compression type and one would need to lift the engine and watch for movement.
Personally, I would just plan on replacing them.
Even if they aren't separated (very common failure on LS) they will be compressed, so unless they appear new, put it on the to-do list.

[Cedric-the-Van]

Perfect thank you, and found out the shop right up the street will machine there flywheel for me! As far as taking out the transmission, should I disconnect the shifter cables at that boot on the picture? Not I are what the easiest way to do that is.

[Burntboot]

The cables attach to the transmission shift levers on the side of the trans with little ball joints.
There should be flats on the stud for a wrench to hold it while you remove the nuts, you may have to push the rubber boots back to clearly see the flats. Then you remove the U-clips that retain the cables to the brackets at the bell housing then pull the cables off to the side and tie them off.

[Burntboot]

In your pic, all you can see is the clip that holds the cable to the bracket.
The rubber boots in your picture are only protecting the inner cable and are NOT the boots I am talking about.
Follow the cables to the very end and you'll see the little ball joints.

PS: Those ball joints are NOT available separately. They came with the cable assemblies, which of course are NLA

[Cedric-the-Van]

Sweet! Even found a few videos online of how to drop it.

[Cedric-the-Van]

UPDATE: Yay! 2 jack stands, half a can of bolt blaster, and 2 impact gun batteries later the transmission is out. Just as suspected oil is everywhere, I could even make out the lines of caked oil that had been spun off of the pressure plate. I have found a clutch kit (disk, pressure plate, throwout bearing, and pilot bearing), rear main seal (seal and paper gasket for the rear seal "shroud"). Both transmission mounts are on the way as well. The flywheel is currently getting looked at but it was pretty beat up and I might need a new one. Just wondering in the first picture below; what is the plate going into the tranny? and does that need to be re-sealed? Also on the rear of the tranny, what is that bearing and should it be replaced as well? One last thing, there was a plastic piece that snapped off the was connected behind the flywheel and connected to a small hole on the plate surrounding the rear main. What is that called and will I need another? thanks- Kelby


10685
10686
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[Burntboot]

No idea on the broken bit and I can't picture anything in my mind, maybe snap a pic and see what the hordes say?

Under that plate on the trans is the input bearing and seal, among a host of other things.
If you're SURE all the leakage was from the rear main, awesome, but it is not uncommon for the seal on the input shaft to leak as well.
Up to you wether you go after it or not.
What was the engine side of the flywheel like when you took it off? What does the input shaft look like
(If its all munged up on the tranny side of the splines and further in, its a good bet the input seal is also leaking.)

Generally speaking seals are easy to swap out, bearings not so much and I usually don't disturb them unless they were making noise prior, but that has to be weighed against what causes the seal to fail, if its due to excessive shaft movement then replacing the bearing is the right call.

Am pretty sure you could change the tail shaft seal but replacing the bearing would require digging in a lot deeper.

Glad you got it out!

[Cedric-the-Van]

It was just a mess of oil, nothing smelled or looked like trans fluid. That begin said if it’s just removing the plate and re sealing, I suppose I’ll do it. Is there a seal for that somewhere or should I use a tube of something to seal it? Also on the plate the holds the rear main seal in place, do I add any tube sealant to that when bolting it back on? Or do I just use the paper gasket it came with? I’ll see if I can find the little plastic bit. One last thing- I’ll top off the brake fluid so that the clutch will have proper fluid to it, but is there any adjusting I should do as well? With what you said about the bearing I think I’ll skip that one that goes to the driveshaft as I don’t remember any sort of noises.

[Burntboot]

When I hear the term "trans fluid" I think of ATF, just to be clear, the trans uses gear oil and when impregnated with clutch fibres can be hard to differentiate from engine oil but it should have that unmistakable smell of gear oil.

I avoid goop whenever possible the exception being Toyo Form-in-place gasket and if I were to apply it to a seal it would only be on the outer edge where it mounts in the housing, I also like to polish the shafts that go thru seals and pay attention to any ridges where the seal sits, sometimes its necessary to set the seal a titch further in (or out) to get past a wear groove.
There are proper seals for both the input and output shafts.

I generally install paper gaskets dry, but if I do use a sealant, it is just a very light skim.
Generally I would rub it into the paper on both sides with finger tips as opposed to applying a bead.

I think that (input housing) plate has a paper gasket under it, but again, that comes from my questionable memory.
Hopefully Tim will stop by and give the official "what & how"

As far as the clutch hydraulics go, it's "self adjusting" so, no adjustments should be required.
This would be a great time to flush the hydraulics and get fresh fluid in there, it should look like light coloured honey, if its any darker than that, flush it all out and seeing as the reservoir is shared, be a good idea to flush and bleed the brakes too, there's a couple of threads on bleeding and worth reading, mostly because of the 5th bleeder screw in the brake system.

[Cedric-the-Van]

This is all so helpful thank you truly. Just nice to have people that have experience around. Anyways I drained the oil, detached the seal plate, and wow it was brittle. I have a video with some questions, just for context. The little plastic bit I had mentioned it in pieces but I'll try to get them together it's snap a picture. How long is the video I was also wondering if I should apply anything to the bottom edge of the housing that contains the rear main seal, as there did seem to be some sort of sealant when I removed it. I also have the throwout bearing "stuck" inside of the housing that goes around the input shaft? Not super familiar with the transmission, but any way you guys know of getting these bearings out would be helpful. Also how do I get the actual main seal out? I'm really making sure the metal is not being damaged.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QqqdwJQLVYA

[Burntboot]

Haven't watched the vid yet, but in the meantime the pilot bearing is easy once you know how.

The pilot bearing mounts into a blind hole in the end of the crankshaft.
You want to pack grease into the recess behind the bearing (thru the hole where the input shaft fits)
Once full you need a round drift of appropriate diameter (just slightly smaller than the end of the input shaft) put your drift into the hole and tap with a mallet, it may take a few tries and you may have to pack more grease in as you go.
The grease wont compress, so as you hit the drift it forces the grease into the blind hole and with no where to go, its only recourse is to force the bearing out.
Once its out, clean up the mess then go have a beer, you've earned it :)

[Cedric-the-Van]

Will do, I thought that was the best way but I didn’t know what to use. Just a side note the tranny mounts that should be replaced are just the little rubber parts right? And when I do the main seal, I should grease the inside edge, but no the outer? Thanks

[Burntboot]

The housing for the rear main seal should indeed have sealant where it meets the oil pan.
Once you get it back on, you will want to clean the daylights out of the back of the engine.
Clean the mating surfaces of the engine and bell housing, be especially mindful around the dowels, you'd be amazed how a little dirt
can cause things to not draw up correctly, while your at it, now is also a good time to clean up all the bell housing bolts and once clean, give them a wipe of never-seize.

Yes, a wipe of grease on the rubber portion (where the shaft goes thru) is a good idea, dry seals are more easily damaged.

Those brackets you reference in the video are called "stiffeners" and do exactly what their name would imply.
They do not seal anything and how they look is fine, other than they need a good cleaning.
To be honest, I usually remove the stiffeners as it can open things up and make working a lot easier.

Once you're ready to re-assemble there are a few items you need to be mindful of:
centring the disc, taking up the pressure plate, installing the trans..... but no point jumping ahead, just yet.

[Burntboot]

Can't really speak to the trans mount as I am only familiar with the 4WD version, that said I looked at your pic and RA and it would appear that the 2WD mounts are like mini engine mounts.
It should be a simple affair.

Basically its a rubber block with studs on either side, just remove the nuts and separate the brackets and swap out the mounts.
I would probably mark the big bracket (for ease of reassembly), remove it and swap the mounts on the bench.

Depending on how much room you have under there, you may want to reinstall the mounting plate after the trans is back in.
More often than not, once the trans is almost into place, you may find that in order to get the input shaft into the disc splines means rotating the shaft a little, as the trans is in neutral you can't just rotate the tail shaft and actually have to twist the whole case a little until they line up, then twist back to line the case up with the dowels, this is all done while trying to hold the trans up and pushing and not damaging anything, sometimes it can be a royal pita.
But not having that big bracket on top of the trans WILL make life a lot easier.
Once the trans is home, a couple of bell housing bolts finger tight will hold it there, along with a jack under the trans, then you can tilt the assemble down enough to weasel the bracket into place, then jack the trans back up and install the 4 top bolts.

[Cedric-the-Van]

Currently picking up some break clean and anti-seize for the bolts and mating surfaces. What would you recommend for the oil pan and rear main seal sealant? Sucks I have to wait a bit for the last part; found out that little plastic piece is called the transmission bell housing dust seal. On order!

[Burntboot]

I probably mis-read that sentence, but just in case, never-seize doesn't go on mating surfaces, only on the bolt threads.
I have on occasion been known to put a little under the head, depending on application but it is overkill.
And it only needs a light wipe, not goobered all over the place

The best thing to use sealant wise, is Toyota Form-In-Place gasket, I don't have the part number handy but its been mentioned numerous times across the forum, so should be easy to locate.

Waiting on parts always sucks but I don't think that bell housing dust seal will hold you up much.
The plate it attaches to should be one of the last things that goes back on, no?
IIRC, the seal mounts onto the plate and the plate is held in place by the stiffener bolts.
(and another great reason to get those brackets out of the way, for now)

[Cedric-the-Van]

Yes just getting the never-seize for the bolts there, and ill search around for that gasket! Might as well remove those brackets for now. I thing the flywheel shroud that covers the bottom of the bell housing will get in the way and prevent me just just slipping that cover on... there is a little plastic insert that that bracket will cover :wall:

[Burntboot]

Still cant picture it
Is it in this picture?





10708

Sorry, pic wont cooperate :(

Or maybe it will

[Cedric-the-Van]

Found it! Called Toyota and they got it. It is in that picture, on the upper right after the input shaft seal. I can’t read the part number... anyways I’ve been trying to get this darn pilot bearing out for about an hour and it is not budging. Even though I have a dowel that is about 1mm smaller than the hole, grease still seeps out of that gap. Going to have to fiddle with this a bit.

[Burntboot]

It has to be a tight fit or it will just squeeze out.
If you mic the tip of the input shaft you'll know what size you need.

In a pinch you could try a wrap of tape, I'd lean towards something like "aluminum" foil tape but anything is better than a sloppy fit.

[Cedric-the-Van]

Working on it more tomorrow, also I read a different forum about the hose of death? I feel like a noob even asking but what are these hoses and should I replace them? Also for lining up the throw out bearing, it seems to have some bracket on it? Do I just throw the new one on or is it detachable from the part that touches the fork? And can any grease be used for the internals here? I have wheel bearing grease and wondering if I need to pick more up.

[Burntboot]

Actually, I'm glad you brought it up as this is the PERFECT time to action the HoD, so much room in there now, you'll probably inly bust 2 knuckles instead 10 :)
Not sure if the factory hoses still exist but the existing threads will have all the info you're looking for.

As for location, on the back of the cylinder head, just about where the transmission bolts up.
My policy is I try to do everything I can while I have things apart cause sometimes its just the easiest way.
It can sometimes escalate the parts investment, but the time saved more than makes up for it.


The release bearing is an "assembly" consisting of the bearing and a sleeve.
The bearing needs to be pressed on and off, your machine shop will be helpful here.

There should be 1 spring clip in either side of the fork and another (spring) holding the fork into the bell housing.
You should be able to pull the fork forwards and off the ball that it pivots on, then slide the fork/rel brg forward and off the snout.
Once in hand it will be clearer what need to be done.
Its always a good idea to pull the fork as it will need cleaning too.
Your mating shop should be able to re and re that bearing for you, a press makes it very simple, but not everybody has one.

Very little grease is involved in reassembly, only a light wipe on the business end of seals, a dab on the fork pivot and a very light smear on the snout where the release bearing rides and a similar wipe on the inside of the release bearing collar.
Clutches produce dust as they wear, grease attracts dust.
Wheel bearing grease will be fine.

[Burntboot]

And don't sweat it, we were all Noob's once.
The only stupid question is the one not asked.
It's always easier to correct things before hand.

Speaking of which, after you finally get that damned pilot bearing out, clean all the grease out of the blind hole it was mounted in
BEFORE installing the new pilot bearing.

I say that because on my first rodeo I didn't
(didn't know, didn't ask, didn't want to look stupid)
I spent hours trying to get the trans to slide in that last 1/4in and was getting extremely frustrated.
Fortunately all I lost was time that day, but came very close to doing damage.
I was about to pull it up with the bell housing bolts and if I had would likely have been looking for a new bell housing.
Grease doesn't compress

[Cedric-the-Van]

Perfect I’ll research those hoses then, and I totally understand I mean the whole car is take apart I should do anything that’s here really! Other than that I have to wait for the trans mounts and plastic dust cover so there is really no rush. If I can get that darn bearing out I’ll change out the seal today and put oil back in it, along with a new filter. Thanks

[Cedric-the-Van]

Got it out! Used bread and grease and a 5 pound hammer. Still took 20 minutes. Anyways that’s exiting, and the rear main will be back in with the new bearing, do I just throw it in there? And grease the inside edge? Also I took off the input shaft plate on the transmission, and i just wanted to confirm that this is the correct orientation of the seal, the side show in the picture is the side that mates with the input shaft itself. 10709

[Burntboot]

Yes, that is how seals go in, the "open" side faces what you're trying to hold back.
Thought of another way, as the fluid/grease goes into the recess it increases pressure on part of the seal that does the work.

Seals should go in dry or with some FiP on the outer edge.
A wipe of grease on the seals lip
Seals should be installed with something that spreads the load around the edge and you want to be pushing on the metal portion of the seal (not just the rubber bit) many things can be used you just have to find something that is the right diameter.
Smaller seals often line up with a socket and for bigger seals, a short length of pipe can be handy.
Using just a hammer can deform the metal edge of the seal and make things leak.
Seal depth is important too, improperly seated can lead to a failure mode that is best avoided.

The only other thing is to make sure you clean up all the old gasket material.
This is one place where that tired old phrase (cleanliness is next to godliness) is well applied.
Gasket mating surfaces have absolutely no sense of humour and while you in there cleaning, remember not to create any gouges or alter the flatness (excessive sanding in one spot).
I prefer to use a scraper for most of the work, sanding is only to give good key, not to remove material.

[Cedric-the-Van]

Alright! Update time, new input shaft oil seal has been installed, a pain to get seated all the way, but I found a flashlight that was the perfect diameter for the inside ring and didn’t touch the lips! New gasket also installed on the retainer plate, and sadly broke one of the bolts when tightening them down, one is on order. Trans mounts came and are installed, next punching out the rear main and throw it all back together! Should I put loctite on any of the bolts for re- installation?

[Burntboot]

No locktite
If you torque fasteners to the proper spec, there is no need.

[originalkwyjibo]

If you torque fasteners to the proper spec, there is no need.
Also helps to prevent broken fasteners.
Like Burntboot said, we were all noobs once and I broke plenty of fasteners before I learned to use my torque wrench more often. Experience eventually gave me a much better feel for tight enough on fasteners where specific torque was not as critical.
BTW, you're doing a bang up job on this for a rookie. I tell all my new employees I expect lots of questions during training. If you aren't asking questions, you aren't learning.
The best part is when you are all done, you can be proud that you did it yourself.

[Cedric-the-Van]

Hey thanks! I’m really trying and just exited to get this beast happy at last! It’s a really great van and every time I get in it nothing really matters and I just love going 35 mph everywhere with not a care in the world! I’m sure there will always be work to be done but it’s not very expensive and it’s all fun. Thank all you guys I legit would have broken so many things if it weren’t for this site!

[Cedric-the-Van]

Hey just a quick question, where would I find the Torque specifications for certain bolts? Thanks

[Cedric-the-Van]

Never mind I found a whole service manual! For the pilot bearing, it recommends a special tool, but could I just tap it in there?

[Burntboot]

The special tool is not required, just find a big socket that matches the diameter of the (outside) race, then just tap on the socket.
Go slow and make sure it goes in straight.

AVOID putting any force on the inner race.
Once its in, stick your finger into the pilot hole and make sure the bearing still turns nicely.
(if you check how it feels before hand, you'll know if it changed after install)

May seem silly to check it as it's a new bearing, but I only had to make that mistake once.
(saving 15 seconds, cost me 4 hours, just sayin')

[Cedric-the-Van]

Sounds great thanks

[Cedric-the-Van]

Hey it’s all back it in! Before I start it up, can anyone help me with the torque for the bell housing bolts? There are 2 different sized ones, some are 17mm and others are 14mm... 2 of them go through the starter and exhaust stiffening plate. In the manual it doesn’t list which one is which to torque. Thanks.

[Burntboot]

Well done.
Dont have my manual handy, but IIRC, at the end of the manual their should be a section where the list bolt diameter and associated torque spec.
That will get you close enough.
One thing to remember about bolts, they are sized by the shaft, not the head.

This is important as you can get 10mm bolts with either 14 or 17mm heads and a lot of A/M houses will only stock the "big head" bolts.
I try very hard not to use them, mostly because it keeps the tool selection easier, but there has also been times there just enough enough clearance to get that big head bolt into place and properly torqued.
If all your bolts are original (Japanese spec) then the 14mm head will be a 10mm bolt and the 17mm head will be a 12mm bolt.

[Burntboot]

Metric Bolt Head/Wrench Size

Print this page




Bolt Diameter
(mm)
Head/Wrench Size
(mm)


ANSI/ISO
DIN
JIS
DIN/ISO
Heavy Hex


4
7
7
7
-


5
8
8
8
-


6
10
10
10
-


7
-
11
-
-


8
13
13
12
-


10
16
17
14
-


12
18
19
17
22/21*


14
21
22
19
-


16
24
24
22
27


18
-
27
-
-


20
30
30
-
34/32*



ANSI - American National Standards Institute
ISO - International Organization for Standardisation
DIN - Deutsches Institut für Normung
JIS - Japanese Industrial Standard
* Indicates ISO standard.

[originalkwyjibo]

Here you go. All right there in the manual.

[originalkwyjibo]

Nevermind. That came out unbelievably fuzzy.
Page MT-36.
Transmission mounting bolts 53 ft lbs
Stiffener plate bolts 27 ft lbs.

[Cedric-the-Van]

Thank you. The stiffener bolts are only found on the bottom 2 on either side correct? I hope my rear tires are okay hahah I only left the front jacked up and on stands as I only have 2 stands.

[originalkwyjibo]

I believe so. They are the smaller diameter ones that Burntboot was referencing.

[Cedric-the-Van]

Well shoot. Van started up just fine but still won’t go into gear.... is there any adjusting on the clutch i need to do? Or could this not be going into gear really be caused buy low brake/ clutch fluid? I’m worn and running out of ideas here

[Burntboot]

Have you tried bleeding the slave?
Did you replace any hydraulics?

[Cedric-the-Van]

The master is new, but not I have not bled it yet. The fork seems to move quite a bit, but I’m sure bleeding it is a good start. It’s starting to rain now and I’ll town it to my mechanic and he will have that done in minutes

[Burntboot]

Theres a thread for that!

Master is usually bench bled first, then once installed, gravity bleed the system, then proceed to standard practices (helper pushing pedal)
If it hasn't been bled, it wont work.

[Cedric-the-Van]

Okay guys final last update! Bled and bled and bled the system with no luck. Finally I got tired enough to throw the van to my mechanic to figure it out. He proceeded to do everything in reverse (checking all of my work) taking the transmission off and inspecting. Turns out I did everything right! All thanks to these forums of course. Regardless he then bled and bled and bled the clutch with still no luck at having a pedal. He got so angry he threw the van outside for a few days and had one last idea; he removed the entire clutch line and shot super compressed air through it. After a tiny bit of sludge dribbled out of one side, the pedal came back!!! I guess this is the reason to clean the filter at the reservoir before filling it and in general to keep dirt, water, and anything that’s not supposed to be there out of any car fluids!