Where's the slave cyl.on 2000 4cyl,5spd Ranger

[Bulas]

[font=arial][color=navy]What's the location of slave cylinder on 2000 Ranger,4cyl.,5sp.man,hydraulic clutch and where's bleeder valve&cap The clutch on my 4cyl.,2dr,5spd.man.w/hydraulic clutch goes straight to the floor. Will not shift into reverse (engine off of course) but will go into other gears.When trying to "rock" out of a mudhole, I was quickly shifting in between 1st & reverse, often slipping off the clutch due to mud. Smelled some burning brake fluid.Towed home.Checked master cylinder, no fluid at all. Poured fluid in and checked under vehicle. There's a 21/2"longx1/4"wide "observation" (I guess) hole cut just under where the clutch face is. Hydraulic (brake) fluid ran straight out this hole.(There's another one on top of the tranny, just behind the clutch and its open, too. Could these have been covered with a plug and I blew them out or ripped them off in the mudhole?
Clutch is still down to the floor and hydraulic system will not hold fluid, it all leaks directly out this hole that clearly is pre-cut but is definitely running out somewhere above it.According to my Haynes Ranger Repair Manual its one of 2 things: 1)Its the hydraulic system, so bleed the system, but I can't find the bleeder valve or the cap I'm supposed to take off of it to start. Is it on or behind the firewall or in the clutch housing? I can't bleed it if I can't find it. 2) manual says maybe a warped or damaged clutch plate, but if this is the case would the hydraulic fluid be draining so quickly or at all? Help [color=indigo]

[19Ranger98]

Well, sounds like you have a problem. The slave cylinder is a black plastic looking thing that slides over the imput shaft of your transmission, and bolts in front of the front seal of your tranny and behind your throw out bearing (clutch-release bearing). You can see it if you look inside that hole you are talking about, opposite your clutch.

The bleeder screw you are looking for it under a small rubber cap that is poking out the driver's side of the bell housing. It's small, (should take about an 8mm wrench to unscrew) and looks just like a brake line bleeder screw.

Your clutch fluid resivoir will be found in the engine compartment somewhere around your brake master cylinder resivoir. It's small in comparison to the brake fluid resivoir and also contains Dot 3 brake fluid.

The hydraulic slave cylinders on Rangers are notorious for leaking, and they are about an $80 part, plus installation, so have a blast.