Bad clutch or hydraulic cylinder?

Any experience would be helpful! Little long post but has the details.

2000 volvo, Rockwell, Eaton clutch, hydraulic. This will sound very naive, but I’ve went years not knowing this was a hydraulic assist clutch on the oem side. It’s got a Master cylinder & slave cylinder! I didn’t know any big trucks had hydraulic clutchs?? I always wondered why there was a reservoir asking for dot-4 brake fluid, didn’t ask no questions and kept it topped of regardless.

Well I manually adjusted the clutch internally in February, With a 1/2 in fork measurement tool because I was starting to grind a bit shifting from neutral to low gears. That adjustment did great. Yesterday I start getting the grinding’ness again. I hop under the truck measure the gap with a 1/2 extension since my other tool is at home, and the gap between the brake and throw out still seems good at 1/2 in.

So then I wondered about clutch linkage. After a couple hours of research I find literature and find out, I have a hydraulic system. So, no 1.5in-2in free play and 1-1.5 clutch brake. It’s a different tolerance system. My free play is very little. But I guess in spec.

I got a brand new Eaton EZ pedal in the truck with me I bought on sale in town, but don’t want to change it unless it absolutely necessary.********** What in the world is going on if I got 1/2 clearance already? I see some extra grease around there, but of course the flying J I’m at 2night sells no BRAKE CLEANER?? And I used mine up and hadn’t restocked. Probably could get some shop towel in there at least. But I thought about getting that grease off to help the stop brake. And I found literature on adjusting the hydraulic “linkage” I might try to make a measuring tool tomorrow and adjust it... or is my clutch just toast? Thanks to the trucking elders and the knowers

 

I don’t know. I topped of the fluid earlier, it was a tid’ bit low. And I pumped the clutch pedal down about 10 times, but hadn’t powered the truck back on to test it.

I think they’re asking about $200 for the master cylinder, don’t know about the slave. Then got to bleed it out right with a pump of some kind I guess. But still better than a clutch job if that’s the case. I did start to feel a little resistance/sticking since yesterday, not when I press the pedal down, but when I let it return.

 

Ten4. when that happened, the cracked reservoir, what was the symptom? Just wondering if maybe it wouldn’t let you shift from neutral

 

So, after doing the paper test you mentioned, and if it holds the paper... that will tell me that the clutch is in adjustment? Meaning the clutch is bad? Or....?

I haven’t found anyone yet to help me press the clutch down. I’m over the road at the moment. So I haven’t done the paper test or watched the linkage. I do know where everything is now, the master & slave cylinder, & the hydraulic line.