Clutch job interesting find..

Just in case you or anyone else runs across the utter despair that is bleeding a freshly installed internal slave cylinder in the future:

A few years ago I ran into the same issue after installing a clutch and slave in a mid-90's Saab 9-3. After fighting with it, I came across a procedure on some Saab forum that worked like a treat! It basically goes like this:

Attach a hose from the LF brake bleeder to the slave nipple

Open both bleeders

GENTLY press down on the brake pedal, causing brake fluid to be pushed backwards through the slave (along with any trapped air) out and up to the reservoir.

Close the clutch bleeder, then the caliper bleeder

Pump the clutch 5-10 times SLOWLY

Repeat the above one or two more times

I've used that trick on several clutch jobs since, and while it doesn't always work it has proven to be handy in a pinch.
Reverse bleeding. Can do with a 50cc syringe too...
 
I know some of the shortcuts Mazda takes on some of their transaxles (e.g. having the speedgears run on splines with a lubricant feed hole in one of the spline teeth "roots" versus what Aisin and others do... speedgears on needle bearings)... and I also know that generally ZF makes good transmissions... but generally, what has led to your comment re Mazda gearboxes?
For starters that transmission doesn't belong in a light truck. It has an internal slave cylinder, and the bell housing is part of the transmission making for a more difficult job replacing a clutch, or a slave cylinder, which is a weak link in the system to begin with. A ZF transmission would have been a much better choice. And I don't like Mazda products from that era.
 
The M5OD has a questionable service record in full-size trucks. I couldn't cite specific components as I've not been in one but in general it seemed barely adequate for light duty 1/2 ton use.

Ford never trusted it enough to put it behind a 351 -- only the 300 and 302 and even those engines weren't exactly powerhouses in stock trim.
 
For starters that transmission doesn't belong in a light truck. It has an internal slave cylinder, and the bell housing is part of the transmission making for a more difficult job replacing a clutch, or a slave cylinder, which is a weak link in the system to begin with. A ZF transmission would have been a much better choice. And I don't like Mazda products from that era.
Fair enough re accessibility of the slave cyl; no argument there. As to Mazda products (manual transaxles in particular) ... the current Skyactiv era products have been pared-down in weight. The synchro-splines of the gears have been made "small module" or "low module" (which means many small-sized synchro-spline teeth for the diameter of "gear" wheel)... and the axial engagement depths have been reduced. Though (used for light duty applications) they will go the distance, the changes made don't bode well for rough and tumble durability.

As to durability of the transmission the OP speaks of, I have no info re that one.
 
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The M5OD has a questionable service record in full-size trucks. I couldn't cite specific components as I've not been in one but in general it seemed barely adequate for light duty 1/2 ton use.

Ford never trusted it enough to put it behind a 351 -- only the 300 and 302 and even those engines weren't exactly powerhouses in stock trim.
You pretty much backed up my point. The transmission had no business in a light duty PU or van. I was lucky with mine, having the top cover off [which made getting the transmission out and back in again a lot easier], I had a look inside, everything looked great, including the amount of metal on the drain plug magnet. I've seen them with half the miles and three times the metal on the magnet. All in all it did well, but that still doesn't change my opinion of Mazda.
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