Clutch pedal loose, not disengaging completely

Hi,



I’ve got an '83 F-250 6.9L V8 diesel. When I start the truck it’s easy to shift at first, but as it warms up it gets much harder to get it into and out of gear. I mash the clutch pedal all the way to the floorboard, and often it does not come back up on it’s own. It’s been like that since I’ve had the truck.



I’ve tried replacing the slave cylinder, but it’s doing the same thing. However, I wasn’t able to bleed the cylinder like normal. I followed the directions that came with it, but whenever I pumped the pedal a bunch of times and held it down with a stick then opened the bleed valve nothing came out, no air, no brake fluid, nothing. I manually pushed the rod in and out maybe 20-30 times and could hear the fluid up in the reservoir so I hope got the air out like that. The clutch is behaving exactly as it did before.



Thank you so much you for your time and wisdom oh gracious mechanic gurus of the internet.

Bleeding a clutch takes two people communicating with one another…When the slave is shot, the master can’t be far behind. Change them both. An '83?? if there is a rubber fluid hose in the system, change that too…What are you using for clutch fluid?

The hose is new, and it’s not losing fluid(I’m using DOT 3 brake fluid). I don’t see why I can’t pump the clutch myself and then wedge it down and open and close the bleed valve myself too. Is it losing pressure in the few seconds it takes me to get under there and open the valve?

Ok, so I should look at the master cylinder next then? If the clutch is going and the pressure plate is worn would it be doing the same thing?

It sounds like the master cylinder is by-passing. And if a piece of hose is fitted snugly on the bleeder and pointed upward the bleeder can be loosened and the pedal pumped repeatedly as long as the reservoir is not allowed to run dry. It is totally unnecessary to open and close the bleeder while someone pumps up and holds the pedal.

Ok, thanks guys. I’m going to try replacing the master cylinder. I appreciate the input.