2001 B3000 clutch problem!

[AnthraxtheBand]

Please help! This truck only has 13,000 miles on it! I checked all fluid levels and they appear to be good. The clutch pedal is "squishy" and slack until it is pressed about half way down. Then it engages the gear. And getting it into gear, there seems to be more "friction" than normal. It still goes into gear OK, but slightly more effort is required, more so than the normal smoothe, easy shifting. Thanks alot in advance. Braking feels normal.

[AnthraxtheBand]

Well, I topped-off the fluids and I had a mechanic friend check the tiny brake reservoir(?) by the fusebox. He took the cap off and told me to pump the clutch. He said he saw some small bubbles coming up. He thought that this was not normal and suggested I may have a bad master cylinder. However, the next day my clutch is completely back to normal. I'm not sure if this was due to my topping off the fluids and my friend checking the brake resevoir(bubbles)(??). It's been 24hours and my clutch seems to be doing fine. Not sure what happened?!?!
It was acting funny for 3 days and now seems to be OK!! We'll see.........

[AnthraxtheBand]

Well, this weekend my intermittent clutch problem returned. Has anyone else seen or heard of this?????!!

[roofadoofalus]

id ask baldtrippy

[AnthraxtheBand]

I don't know how to ask an individual member a question. Thanks.

[steveb3]

dun dun dun dun dun NOT...

THE BAND

[bullgod96]

You may have a leak in the hydraulic system for the clutch (im assuming 3000s have an hydraulic clutch like my 4000) which might explain why your friend saw the bubbles, if he was looking in the hydraulic resevoir for the clutch and not the brakes...... but yeah, i dont think there should be bubbles in there. when you guys were topping it off, and you pumped the clutch, it may of released some air trapped in the system (hence the bubbles) and thats why it improved. but if its back again, there may be a leak letting air in, and air in hydraulics SERIOUSLY affects its performance. In cars, and in Flight Controls like on the aircraft I work on, heh.

[AnthraxtheBand]

Thanks for the reply! Where might I look to check for leaks? This does seem like a likely cause, as the problem comes and goes regularly. When I am experiencing the problem, if I "pump" the clutch pedal, it returns to normal "stiffness". Thanks again. This is a frustrating problem, as the truck is virtually new - only 13,000 miles, even though it's 3 years old. Thanks again.

[roofadoofalus]

mhp

[AnthraxtheBand]

mhp ????????????????????????