Clutch pedal sticking to the floor

[StacyAdams]

Hello...

I have the dreaded clutch pedal sticking to the floor problem. My 2019 ST has 14K miles on it. Bummer. Anyway, it is the master cylinder attached to the clutch pedal and I have ordered and received a new master from Ford parts along with the forked clip removal tool.

Problem: I cannot get my hand in with the tool with sufficient room for leverage to push the clip back and release the line. I note there is a hole in the tool. There must be a rod that attaches to the tool to position it to enable the leverage to push the clip back. I'm trying to find a rod with a threaded end to attach it via a screw which essentially would be that tool.

Question: Does anyone know what that tool is and where to get one (or how you have removed the clip)?

Any help and advice youse guys can supply is appreciated.

 

[Sprinkle_Star]

very well could be a bad slave cylinder

 

[StacyAdams]

Thanks. It is the master. It is leaking internally, losing pressure. Just thought I'd ask if anyone has done this repair and can shed insight - specifically... I'll cobble together a rod.

 

[TyphoonFiST]

Hello...

I have the dreaded clutch pedal sticking to the floor problem. My 2019 ST has 14K miles on it. Bummer. Anyway, it is the master cylinder attached to the clutch pedal and I have ordered and received a new master from Ford parts along with the forked clip removal tool.

Problem: I cannot get my hand in with the tool with sufficient room for leverage to push the clip back and release the line. I note there is a hole in the tool. There must be a rod that attaches to the tool to position it to enable the leverage to push the clip back. I'm trying to find a rod with a threaded end to attach it via a screw which essentially would be that tool.

Question: Does anyone know what that tool is and where to get one (or how you have removed the clip)?

Any help and advice youse guys can supply is appreciated.

Bleed the Clutch system first* either Fomoco Reverse style bleed or Motive pressure bleeder* Before you go replacing parts all willy nilly.

 

[StacyAdams]

Thanks! Was done as part of diagnostics/isolation. The master is losing pressure internally. I see others have had this problem and my research indicates this is not unique. Not sure by how much as some of the posts were ambiguous on this point and none contained the procedure or trick to get that clip off the pressure side of the pump. Ford was less than transparent for obvious reasons on both counts. I'll await a few more responses to see if there is a tool or I cobble one together (which seems like the best option at this point).

 

[TyphoonFiST]

Thanks! Was done as part of diagnostics/isolation. The master is losing pressure internally. I see others have had this problem and my research indicates this is not unique. Not sure by how much as some of the posts were ambiguous on this point and none contained the procedure or trick to get that clip off the pressure side of the pump. Ford was less than transparent for obvious reasons on both counts. I'll await a few more responses to see if there is a tool or I cobble one together (which seems like the best option at this point).

Clutch Master* Not the Master Cylinder itself * correct? The clutch Master is a part of the clutch pedal itself. People get the nomenclature mixed up quite often and that can be a big mistake if you replace the Master Cylinder instead of the clutch Master.

 

[StacyAdams]

Yes, the clutch master pedal assembly. From what I can gather and all testing indicates this is the culprit. The clutch master's in/out ports stick through the firewall and the top one is held by a plastic clip that is impossible to access. That's why I was asking if anyone has performed this operation and how they did it. Once I get that off, it is a straight forward process.

14K miles and this....

 

[TyphoonFiST]

Yes, the clutch master pedal assembly. From what I can gather and all testing indicates this is the culprit. The clutch master's in/out ports stick through the firewall and the top one is held by a plastic clip that is impossible to access. That's why I was asking if anyone has performed this operation and how they did it. Once I get that off, it is a straight forward process.

14K miles and this....

Ive done mine* it wasn't bad at all. Had to remove it from the Clutch pedal. Here is a great video.

View: https://youtu.be/-1AGBuwuzVg?si=2kzVSlptgutTFHes

 

[StacyAdams]

Yes, thank you very much, indeed! I saw that video.

My dilemma is specifically this: I cannot get that blue clamp off the hose to release the line. No leverage - no room. So, I bought the official Ford Hydraulic Clamp removal tool; but, I cannot get the tool and my hand in there to remove it. No leverage - no room.

Question: How did you do it?

The tool has a hole at the opposite end of the removal bit (the two prongs which push the blue clip off). I assume it is for a rod which would have an internally-threaded hole at the end such that I could attach it to the tool with a screw, stick the tool down by the clamp, and with my hand back and out of the way use leverage, inserting that forked end an push that pesky blue clamp off.

Any help from how you removed it or anyone else or any recommendations for that rod/tool alternative? (((( Help )))).

 

[TyphoonFiST]

Yes, thank you very much, indeed! I saw that video.

My dilemma is specifically this: I cannot get that blue clamp off the hose to release the line. No leverage - no room. So, I bought the official Ford Hydraulic Clamp removal tool; but, I cannot get the tool and my hand in there to remove it. No leverage - no room.

Question: How did you do it?

The tool has a hole at the opposite end of the removal bit (the two prongs which push the blue clip off). I assume it is for a rod which would have an internally-threaded hole at the end such that I could attach it to the tool with a screw, stick the tool down by the clamp, and with my hand back and out of the way use leverage, inserting that forked end an push that pesky blue clamp off.

Any help from how you removed it or anyone else or any recommendations for that rod/tool alternative? (((( Help )))).

Did you remove the battery and its tray? I removed those and the Cowl/assembly , Wipers and it really opens it all up.

 

[Sprinkle_Star]

I was reading the comments on that video, and I noticed that he responded to a question someone posed:

"How do you decide if it's the master or slave affecting the clutch pedal? Or just start with the master since it's easier?"

to which he replied:

"hey Kris i went for the master cylinder becasue its the easiest to check for first , the slave is in the transmission. in my case it was good for a minute then it went back to how it was. unfortunatly it turned to be the slave cylinder. :*("

 

[StacyAdams]

Did you remove the battery and its tray? I removed those and the Cowl/assembly , Wipers and it really opens it all up.

Thanks, I'll look into that.

 

[StacyAdams]

I was reading the comments on that video, and I noticed that he responded to a question someone posed:

"How do you decide if it's the master or slave affecting the clutch pedal? Or just start with the master since it's easier?"

to which he replied:

"hey Kris i went for the master cylinder becasue its the easiest to check for first , the slave is in the transmission. in my case it was good for a minute then it went back to how it was. unfortunatly it turned to be the slave cylinder. :*("

Thanks, that is more likely with a higher mileage car. Mine is only 14K. If it turns out to be the slave then I'll just sell the damned thing.

 

[scooter123]

If you try to sell an ST without a working clutch it will cost you at least 2K on the selling price. Unless you find a complete fool for a customer and in many states there are distinct penalties for failing to disclose a defect in a car you are selling. As for the mileage, my 2019 had 32K on it when the Slave cylinder was replaced under warranty in the middle of the Covid mess and I got stuck in a gutless
Nisson rental for 6 freaking weeks it took to get it replaced. Ever since then I keep the transmission in neutral when waiting for a light to change specifically to keep the dwell time on the throw out bearing as low as possible. Per the technician and my long experience of tweaking carburetors and cylinder head work the Failure sequence starts with a tiny little defect in the bearing itself which slowly causes wear at that defect point that then causes more heating and once the bearing generates enough heat it will melt the seals to the shaft of the slave cylinder.

One benefit of Trump's tariffs is that in the future we will be seeing a lot less Chinesium in new cars and that is a good thing. Ford, Stellantis, GM, Honda, and Toyota all require a failure rate at the production line of 1 under 1 million parts made for US based suppliers but Chinesium crap with failure rates as high as 50 in 10,000 is ignored. Guess where the slave cylinders for all of the manual transmission equipped 4 cylinder applications are made, yeah it's all Chinesium.

BTW I'm retired now but I spent 42 years as a Manufacturing Engineer in the Automotive sector and spent a lot of time tinkering with cars.