Before you begin ANY repair:
* Consult a repair manual: A Haynes or Chilton manual specific to your year, make, and model of Ford is crucial. It will provide diagrams, torque specifications, and crucial steps you'll miss in a generic answer.
* Safety First: Disconnect the negative battery terminal before starting any work on the electrical system. Wear safety glasses and gloves.
* Gather tools: You'll likely need wrenches (metric and possibly standard), sockets, a drain pan for brake fluid, a brake fluid bleeder kit, possibly a clutch alignment tool, and possibly a pry bar. Your repair manual will list the specific tools.
General Steps (Highly Model Dependent):
The basic process usually involves these steps, but the specifics are crucial and vary widely:
1. Jack up and support the vehicle: Securely support the vehicle on jack stands. Never work under a vehicle supported only by a jack.
2. Locate the slave cylinder: This is usually near the transmission where the clutch fork interacts with the transmission. The repair manual is essential for this step.
3. Drain the clutch fluid: This often involves opening a bleeder valve on the slave cylinder line or the clutch master cylinder line. Catch the fluid in a container.
4. Disconnect the slave cylinder: This involves disconnecting the hydraulic line (carefully! Brake fluid is corrosive). There are likely bolts holding the slave cylinder to the transmission. You might need to unbolt items that obstruct access.
5. Remove the slave cylinder: This may require some maneuvering and potentially using a pry bar (carefully!).
6. Install the new slave cylinder: Ensure it is properly aligned, lubricate the seals as necessary (refer to your repair manual). Tighten the bolts to the correct torque specification (found in your repair manual).
7. Reconnect the hydraulic line: Ensure a tight connection to prevent leaks.
8. Bleed the clutch system: This is crucial to remove air from the system. Use a bleeder kit. One person should press and hold the clutch pedal while the other opens and closes the bleeder valve to release air bubbles. Repeat until you get a firm, consistent pedal.
9. Lower the vehicle: Once everything is tightened and bled, slowly lower the vehicle.
10. Test the clutch: Start the engine and test the clutch operation. If the clutch pedal feels spongy or the clutch doesn't engage properly, you likely still have air in the system and need to bleed it further.
Again, this is a general outline. The exact steps and tools needed will vary significantly based on your specific Ford model. Do not attempt this repair without a repair manual specific to your vehicle. If you're uncomfortable with the task, take it to a qualified mechanic. Improper repair can lead to damage to your clutch system and potentially injury.
