Skip to Content

How to Bleed a Hydraulic Clutch in Ford F150?

How to Bleed a Hydraulic Clutch in Ford F150?

The bleeding of the hydraulic clutch is beneficial to maintain the performance of your Ford F150. However, if air remains entrapped in it, it can cause difficulty in the movement of the brake fluid. 

How to Bleed a Hydraulic Clutch in Ford F150? In general, you can bleed the hydraulic clutch in a Ford F150 by removing the brake fluid from the master cylinder. Then add the new to the slave cylinder now, and loose the bleeding valve. Finally, press the clutch several times to separate liquid and air. 

I recommended that it is better to cool the engine of your Ford F150 before bleeding of air from them.

How to Bleed a Hydraulic Clutch in Ford F150?

I have added 13 easy steps to bleed a hydraulic clutch in your Ford truck. This process takes around 2 to 3 hours to complete.

It will maintain the working of your clutch pedal and prevents them from dragging downward. 

Detachment of battery

When you start to bleed a clutch in your truck, first disconnect the negative terminal of your battery. It is better to detach because it is present near to slave cylinder.

The screw wrench can come near them and cause electric shocks. I recommended that you must turn off the engine for safer hydraulic clutch removal.

Jack up the truck

After removing the terminals, lift your truck by using jack stands.

The bleeder valve is present at the ending side of the slave cylinder. So jack them up to bleed the slave cylinder easily.

Location and working of Ford F150 brake master cylinder

It is present on the driver side, near the firewall, and on the lower side, where brake fluid is present.

On the side of the engine compartment, it has a reservoir and removable cap. Remove it to add and remove the fluid to the brake cylinder. In the lower part, the reservoir is present which, collects the liquid.

When you press your clutch, this part allows the fluid to move towards the slave cylinder for bleeding and removal of entrapped particles. You can also replace the brake master cylinder if it is not working properly.

The suction of brake fluid

After finding the master cylinder next, remove the piston from it and keep them aside.

You should use a turkey baster to suck the old brake fluid and replace them with new liquid. 

Filling of the clutch cylinder

The clutch cylinder is present next to your brake master cylinder and on the front side pedal of the Ford trucks. Next, open the cap to fill them with new fluid.

It is better that you should not use the old liquid and the mixture of old or new fluid.

If you use them, they readily get moistures and air in them. To prevent dust particles and outflow of oil, cover them with a piston carefully,

Location and working of slave cylinder

The slave cylinder is present on both the external or internal sides of the transmission. To find it, from the master cylinder, observe the hydraulic line and is present external to it.

The slave cylinder connects with the master cylinder in the hydraulic clutch system. It works with the master cylinder to change the gears of the truck.

When you press the clutch pedal, it moves the pressure plates and causes disengagement of the clutch. 

Find the bleeding valve

The bleeding valve is present on the passenger side just below the hydraulic line near to slave cylinder. You can use it to separate the liquid and air in the fluid of the clutch.

Attach the rubber tube

You should attach a small rubber tube of 2-5 feet with the bleeder valve. 

Use a rubber tube to prevents the leakage of liquid and its contact with other parts of the truck.

I always use a clear pipe that is new to see the air bubble’s formation easily.

Put a pan or a container on the other side of the tube to collect the fluid in it. 

Loose the valve

Now use a wrench to open a valve and open it slowly; When you open this fluid from the valves comes to the pan.

Allow it for 1 to 5 minutes to bleed the slave cylinder through gravity movement. I recommended that here you must observe the streamlined flow of fluid or air that comes with it. 

Take care that you should not drain brake fluid completely because air may enter them again.

Press the clutch to remove air

In the last step, to remove air from the liquid, you always need the help of your friend or coworker.

Press the clutch 10 to 15 times and then hold it down now, loose the valve and see the air bubbles in the fluid. If the brake fluid is not running smoothly, tighten the screws of the valve and press it again.

Pull and push the pedal several times until all the air bubbles remove from it.

Attachment of battery 

Now no air bubbles are present, and you can refill the cylinder with the liquid and remove the strands from your truck. 

You should check the efficiency of the hydraulic clutch system, attach them with the battery terminals and start your ford F150.

Your truck works accurately if no leakage from anywhere occurs and no resistance comes when applying brakes.

Use of vacuum pump to bleed a hydraulic clutch

Use the vacuum pump to bleed a hydraulic clutch in Ford F150, and we operate these pumps hand.

In this procedure, first, loose the clamps of the bleeder valve and find the slave cylinder. 

After finding the slave cylinder, you can attach the vacuum pump with it to remove air. 

On the other hand, you have opened the bleeder valve, no press the vacuum pump again and again.

When the fluid runs steadily, remove the vacuum pump and close the bleeding valve. Next, refill the brake fluid in the clutch master cylinder and test your truck performance. 

How often to bleed a Ford F150 hydraulic clutch?

The brakes and clutch are the most important to provide safety to you. Always check them regularly to prevent road accidents.

It is better to check the brake and clutch master cylinder fluids if they produce any noise.

Bleed the hydraulic clutch every 6 months to remove air so it can work smoothly. You should always check any tears in them because it can cause leakage of fluid.

It is necessary to remove air from the clutch and change the brake fluid. If you do no bleed it, the air may cause interruption when you start your Ford F150.

The pedal drags downward and sticks to the floor and, it is not easy to handle.

It can also cause difficulty in disengagement and engagement of the clutch and cause malfunctioning of the truck.

When air is present in the fluid, it becomes problematic for shifting the gears of the Ford F150.

Related Articles:

How do you replace the front brake caliper on a Ford F150?

Why should you install a block heater in your Ford F150?

Is it easy to install the Ford Navigation SD Card?

List of problems with F150 Hydraulic Clutch