Hey all.

In reference to this thread:

https://www.ranger-forums.com/showth...ssion+grinding

I did everything by the book, followed every suggestion made, and went back through everything twice just to make sure...

STILL grinding!!

Today, I spent over an hour just bleeding the clutch slave cylinder according to the Ford Service Manual. It worked for 5 mins and then started grinding again.

Just to recap, it starts and runs perfect, has plenty of power... but the clutch pedal itself feels mushy and too low. It's even difficult to shift into gear.

This is the third clutch slave cylinder in this truck. I'm getting tired up pulling the tranny off. Hell, I even went to far as to tear off the transfer case, replaced all the gaskets, and gave it one hell of a lube job.

Anyway, the only thing I haven't replaced yet is the clutch master cylinder, but there doesn't appear to be anything wrong with it. This doesn't explain the lifeless clutch pedal, either.

Now, when I was bleeding the slave cylinder, as I cracked the bleeder, I could hear a squeaking noise come from inside the bell housing where the slave cylinder is. Is this normal? The squeaking sound coincided with air bubbles coming from the bleeder hose. I'm praying I don't have yet a third bad slave cylinder...

No matter. I'm going to replace the clutch master cylinder and if that doesn't fix the issue, I'm taking this mere 88K miles of a truck to the dealer (I know a guy who can cut me a deal).

Before I do this, however, does anyone have any last ditch effort suggestion?

Thanks in advance.

 

Sounds like you need a master and slave. That's your last ditch effort

 

I can understand a new master since it's OEM. But a fourth slave? I'm really not feeling it to tear that tranny off for a 5th time....

 

Ok sooo... first off, BUMP!!!

Secondly, I finally swallowed my pride and took my Ranger to a "professional". Yes... the dealer.

Well, I'm highly embarrassed to say that they've found the problem. It was RIGHT THERE in front of me, the whole time....

The quick disconnect where the check valve connects to the clutch slave cylinder was loose/bad They replaced it, bled the master and slave cylinders, and bam that fixed the groggy clutch issue. I'm HIGHLY disappointed in myself for not catching such a stupid and obvious problem.

The grinding issue, however, still remains. It had NOTHING to do with neither the clutch nor the clutch slave cylinder. They drained the transmission fluid and it was black and full of metal chunks. Long story short, I need either my current tranny rebuilt or find a working used one. LOL guess which is cheaper.

So, now that the solution to my problem has been found, both myself and the dealer are currently exploring different repair options.

Best case scenario: A "certified" rebuild tranny straight from Ford. It would have a 3 year/Unlimited Mileage warranty on it, but the dealer would have to install it. Obviously the most pricey.

Middle Scenario: A "used" tranny is installed that is sourced from a "reputable" used parts dealer. The dealer here works with 2 in-particular companies. I've used them both in the past with no complaints. 90 Limited Warranty. Still dealer installed, though.

Worst Case Scenario: I pay them for the work they've already done, source my own tranny and install it myself. Cheapest, but also the most time consuming and there is the likelihood of running into severe winter weather while I install myself (no garage). The only advantage here is that the part would still carry the 90 Limited Warranty.

Bottom line: This EFFING sux!

 

How’s this going, I find a rebuilt from a good shop works well enough.
Ford will Date Rape you and not think twice about it.

Ask some of your local shops, the ones with good reps, see who they use.

I had an Explorer Sport a while back the tranny went south at 50K, a local shop got me a rebuilt tranny with 24 month warranty, so I let them install it, cost me but it was done.

 

i say go with this option...yea it will be the most expensive but you have a pretty good warrenty with it...not to mention its right from Ford

 

Sorry I didn't keep up with this thread.

I ended up letting the dealer install a certified used tranny from a reputable parts source. There is a 30 day warranty (might as well NOT be a warranty!) on the tranny but it's been tested and certified to work correctly. There is a lifetime warranty on the labor and I'm getting a half decent deal on it.

I may have name-dropped to get a deal on it...

"New" tranny has 88K on it. Ironically, that's how many miles my Ranger has.

Anyway, the dealer promised to have it done by last Friday but the part never came in. Needless to say I was more than angry but I didn't take it out on Ford. I called the parts place as asked WTF!@#$??? They told me I have no idea what it takes to tear a tranny out and that I should leave it to the pros.

Uh... EXCUSE ME?!?!?

Since I called them AFTER the part finally came in, I basically told them they are worthless pieces of dog doo and to F OFF in the hardest way possible.

At any rate, I should very well have my truck back by tomorrow night. If not, I'm driving it home and putting it back together myself.

 

Alright guys,

For those of you that were actually paying attention to this thread, here is the final verdict.

Now that's nearly two weeks later, countless phone calls back and forth, and a whole lot of haggling and being pissed off...

I've FINALLY picked up my truck just tonight, to the tune of $2K in repairs ($800 for just the tranny).

Originally, they put the "new" tranny in and said it's still making noise, and that I'd be responsible for the cost of the labor to put yet another tranny in. BULL SH17 to that!!

Upon further inspection, the new noise wasn't coming from the new tranny. It was just an exhaust leak.

They also charged me labor and parts for a stud and bolt combo that THEY broke! BS!@#$

All in all, new tranny is in and they claimed to have correctly bled the clutch master and slave cylinders, however, the clutch pedal is still a little mushy. I'm going to replace and bleed the clutch master cylinder on my own (it's the ONLY part of the hydraulic clutch system that isn't brand new).

All I can say is I'm glad this truck is already paid off.....

 

Dealers/Shops tend to screw people more and more, just for the buck, greed…

The tranny is a lot of work but most people with the time and a little knowledge could handle it, funny the mechanic was an @ss thinking you couldn't do it.

As long as it is working, that is the main thing.

 

Oh I can indeed handle the job myself. The point being, however, that I was running out of time and thinking the dealer could get it done lickety split. Yeeeaahhhhh right!@$%

2 EFFING weeks later they get it done!

Uhhmmm anyway the CEL was on not even 2 hours after leaving the shop. I had the code ran and it was a stupid O2 sensor. I took a quick look down there and sure enough, a wire was broken. HELL if I was taking it back!@#$

Alright guys well I ended up driving over 150 miles just yesterday and some of it was at over 70 mph (NOT buy choice) so I guess we can call this one fixed and put this thread to bed.

 

Man, you truck sounds like Mine and Daves.
Heres the deal. you say you got a 30 day warranty on that trans?
Run the ever living **** out of it. and i mean it, make sure that the noise won't come back.
but it sounds like the Dealer broke a ton of stuff, it also sounds like they had crappy insurance.

 

I may have over reacted out of anger. The only thing they really broke was a stud off of the Y pipe. I still should NOT have had to pay for this but I just wanted my truck back.

The O2 sensor was all me. I remember that wire being frayed from before. I guess this job simply pushed it into giving up the ghost.

Meh, all is well that ends well.

Now, it's time to SCRUB the entire truck and start getting all the bells and whistles working again.