3rd Gear Shifting Woes – Magical Cure?

Shortly after replacing the clutch master cylinder and slave I noticed a certain difficulty shifting into 3rd. Needed to wait a second or two before trying to engage 3rd. I went back and forth adjusting the clutch pedal and had am sure the distance between the slave cylinder and the clutch lever are correct. But why would it start happening right around the time that I adjust something… doesn’t that seem fishy? Oh well, there are coincidences in real life.

Jeese! I consider myself pretty easy on synchros but this was getting to be truly difficult. I did a little research and reading and started to walk through the work that would be needed to replace the 3rd gear synchro. The good news is that a 3rd gear syncro for the H55F is relatively cheap, and hey the replacement looks involved by something I feel I can do. Definitely a learning experience for me. I’ll need some gear pullers!

Today I was working to reattach a wire to the brake switch and found that the clutch pedal return spring wasn’t connected to the clutch pedal. I hooked it up and the shifting into 3rd now seems a lot better. How can that be? Pedal return seemed fine to me and so did the clutch travel.

I dunno… could be magic, could be a temporary reprieve or something to do with lower temperatures. Could be that the pedal needs to fully retract to work is magic? I’ve got no explanation.

Clutch Hydraulics

Parts arrived and I got to work taking everything apart.

Factory service manual is terrific, everything is very clear. These are big metal parts that bolt onto other metal parts, simple and cave man style.

Once off its clear that I did indeed need a new master cylinder, the old one is heavily corroded:

Corrosion inside BJ60 Clutch Master Cylinder

1984 BJ60 Clutch Master Cylinder

1984 BJ60 Clutch Master Cylinder

1984 BJ60 Clutch Master Cylinder

So, that’s the good news I guess. The corrosion occurs because brake fluid absorbs water and the water corrodes the lines. This is what happens if you don’t bleed your hydraulics for 10-30 years.

For reference here are some snaps of the aftermarket unit I sourced from Steve at EBI

Reservoir has different shape.

Nice clean new cluch master cylinder.

Clutch Booster:

I also took off the Clutch Booster and was able to pour about 3 ounces of brake fluid out of it. Brake fluid was leaking from the clutch master cylinder and forced its way into the Clutch Booster. No doubt it looks bad inside but it looks to be beyond me to get that thing apart. The factory manual shows a special tool that compresses each side of the booster air tank, then twists them apart. So, brake fluid is neutralized with water, I put water into the booster through the narrow intake tube, shake it all around, the pour the water out. I let the booster dry in the sun a few days, then inside on the kitchen counter. Finally I zapped a little fluid film in there figuring something is better than nothing. Considering the difficulty in sourcing a new master cylinder, if the booster ever fails I’ll have a heck of time finding a new one.

Here’s a pic of the old booster and hose:

Note about clutch booster, you’ll need some long socket extensions to reach the bottom bolt. And look carefully before removing the bolt, there is an easier to reach one immediately below the one that mounts the booster. Don’t undo the wrong one!

Slave Cylinder:

I also took off the slave, came right off but hose end was quite corroded. Taking off the slave was surprisingly difficult. First the hose was really corroded where it met the slave, I couldn’t remove it. Disconnecting the hydraulic line was pretty difficult, I used a 17mm crows foot socket on an extension, and also a short 12mm wrench on the hard line. Very difficult to thread my hands in there from the bottom. Might be the best way to do this is from the top with the booster removed.

For the hydraulic line: I found a local source but it took some doing. I thought brake lines would be pretty common but made 3 stops before reaching Napa. Something is off here. Who is incentivized to have so many different parts? Why aren’t car engineers standardizing? I sense some game theory at play where part makers offer stupid low prices to car makers, in return they have exclusive rights on the parts supply.

Anyway: NAPA to the rescue! Debbie at Bellevue store spent 10 minutes entering codes from the brake hose book into the computer, she eventually found a compatible hose for connecting the clutch slave to the hard line that leads from the master cylinder, it was at the main warehouse 20 minutes away. Luckily she wrote the part number down because the people at the warehouse were not inclined to find it for me.

$13.76: the napa part is:

“380992 UP”

The “UP” is important as it indicates the part line, without it you’ll find a thingy for an automatic transmission.

New clutch slave and my new Napa sourced hydraulic line. Whew!

 

Anyway, pushed that rubber ring pictured above up onto the female side of the hose, then threaded the hose down through the bracket on the body. Unfortunately the flange on the new hose is too large to fit through teh bracket, I had to file it down on two sides so it’d fit. Ok, not perfect but good enough. Threading the hose onto the hard line was actually pretty easy from the top of engine bay and let me use the torque wrench to get it correctly tight.

Attached hose to slave finger tight, then bolted slave onto frame. Then correctly torque hose to slave. Finally put my tubing onto the bleed nipple and into a jar and fill the reservoir. Crack the nipple and pump the clutch pedal with my hand, watch the reservoir drain. After about 4 slow pumps fluid started to exit the tubing. Didn’t take much fluid at all. Enlisted wife to pump, I got down and close the nipple. She holds pedal I open nipple, let out fluid then close. Repeat a few times and done. Finally attach spring onto slave. No air bubbles, no issues, took me about 1.5 hours altogether to install it all, that is including time waiting for my assistant.

Finally the big moment arrives. Start engine with trans in neutral and clutch pedal pressed. I should feel the clutch boost apply after a few seconds. Sure enough the pressure builds. I notice the clutch is now very light. Probably that corroded master was why the clutch was heavier before.

Short drive, wildly pump clutch, return and check for leaks. There’s none, done!

Something Amiss – Clutch Master Cylinder

Week long family trip to the San Juans and Squamish area of B.C. Mountain bikes on the back, dog, the full deal.

BJ60 just a mile or so north of the US border. Almost Back into the States from mighty British Columbia! Everything great after a week of driving.

Got to drive it on genuine B.C. logging roads, comfortable cruising the whole way there and back. Stop to see Steve at EBI, he has a used rear hatch I can use instead of the rusted one I’m using today. I also picked up a set of glow plugs since they’re difficult to source here in the states.

Anyway, the thing did great for the whole trip. Then coming off the freeway near our house the wife says: “hey, it won’t shift into first?” She pumps the clutch and it shifts ok…

Next day I notice the clutch engagement is near the floor, and the day after I can’t shift. Dang, a genuine problem with my truck.

In the case of my 1984 BJ60 the clutch pedal connects to a master cylinder which converts pedal motion into brake fluid pressure and movement through hydraulic lines. The lines terminate at a slave master cylinder that converts the hydraulic pressure back into mechanical motion which actually moves the clutch arm. Turns out mine is a little strange, it has a clutch brake booster that provides vacuum assist to the clutch master cylinder to reduce pressure needed to engage the clutch. That means an additional line into the clutch master cylinder, and makes my particular model fairly rare and expensive.

FWIW, the leak is between the clutch master and the booster. According to Steve at EBI this is a common place for them to start leaking.

Adding Brake Fluid to the Clutch Master Cyliner

I get out the FSM and follow the bleeding instructions. Draining out airbubbles and brake fluid with pedal presses from my trusty partner. First I notice how nasty, pure black the brake fluid is:

Blackest brake fluid I’ve ever seen. Supposed to be the color of honey. No doubt the rubber seals are toast.

Here is the clutch master cylinder, its attached to the clutch booster. I’ve managed to source a replacement from Steve at EBI.

Clutch Master Cylinder for BJ60 with Clutch Booster.

Wider view of engine showing clutch master cylinder from the other side of the motor.

Clutch master cylinder and booster for 1984 Toyota Land Cruiser BJ60. The master cylinder is the thing with the plastic reservoir sticking up, it bolts to the booster (the metal tank looking thing). The booster bolts to the rear of the engine bay and the piston that goes to the clutch pedal goes into the back of the booster.

Steve from EBI has mailed me a set of replacements, both the clutch master and slave. Once they arrive I’ll source hoses that fit the new units. Also I’ll need to clean out the booster and repaint the metal under the leak.