Over the past week or so, I've noticed it's been difficult to get into gear (3.2L, 4cyl 5 speed). Once or twice I've ground gears with the clutch *on the floor*. It comes and goes. If I can't get it into gear, I let the clutch up, then press it to the floor again and it generally goes in.

What is going on here?

(Can't find anything by searching other then it MAY be the slave cylinder.)

 

Slave! it happened to me and lord of war both last december. they are not fun on the pocket book or to install

 

Definately sounds like a slave issue. It's not that hard to swap out......i'm on #4 right now!

Be sure to check out the master cyl as well, that could also be a culprit.

And don't forget to get a new clutch installed as well while you already have the trans out. $50-80 for the slave. Clutch kits usually run in the $150-200 range. Install....$?????.

 

Oh great! I don't have a shop full of tools, the knowhow or the intuition to change that out! So much for replacing the electrical box in the house...

 

Anyone in the northern Indiana area willing to help me out with this one? I have almost no tools and definitely no shop. Willing to throw in some beer or other compensation for helping a fellow ranger-owner out.

 

Figured I would give this a friendly bump as its a fellow ranger owner in a pretty big need... clutch installs through a shop are dang expensive...

If I lived anywhere closer I wouldnt mind packing up some tools and hitting the road for a day... Never done a clutch before, but as logn as the tools are there and theres a Hayes manual it shouldnt be too hard to do.... Sadly I live way on the west coast area though..

 

try not to grind it alot i had my clutch go out like 2 miles from my house and decided to drive it home and messed up my syncros so be careful

 

^^^Then shift it without the clutch! I did that for as long as i could(5 days) to and from work. Only vehicle running at the time, lol. Plus, i was totally broke. I ran it until i had NO hardness on the pedal.....got to about 1/2" off the floor is when it started to have pressure, lol. Only stated using clutch, after that, even downshifting, I shifted her clutchless.

 

i have never done a clutch before but i am not too far away from you....

think you can drive it to columbia city? if you buy gas i could prolly haul it here.

 

i know what you mean it sucks ive done it twice now probably gettin close for #4 soon. im gettin alot better with it now i can tell you that

 

Got her done last time in a little more than 6hrs. lol.

 

It's still drivable, and doesn't grind but once or twice a day. But still, it's that impending doom thing. I think I could make it there, lol.

That is, IF it holds out until next weekend. Working straight through this weekend, and nobody to cover for me. So I'm stuck with it for now.

Again, main things for me are: lack of tools, lack of shop space (garage would work but is a bit small for dropping the tranny I think), and lack of mechanical skill. I've been in my own place for about 4 months now (before I was in an apartment, no real need for tools) so I'm still getting on my feet.

I have yet to even call around and get prices to have someone do it... been so freaking busy. If you're confident enough we could muddle through it I'd be willing to pick up the parts, a 6-pack and head out that way. And thanks for the offer!

 

ha no beer man. just buy food. i dont drink

anyway im sure we can do it. i have a decent amount of tools dod a SAS dropped my trans and have done some gear installs im sure we can get it done.

idk let me know via pm

 

For the past day and a half, it's been driving perfectly fine... ?

For those of you who've been through this... how intermittent is intermittent failure for these things? If it ain't broke I don't want to try and fix it, but then again my confidence has been shaken with it.

 

bump someone key in that has had the issue!

 

ive never had that problem when mine goes out you know it. the clutch will go to the floor with no play. you might be haivng problems with your slave clynider or pressure plate or something like that. but mine has never went out and then came back. Maybe you just got some air in there somehow or something. do you know how to bleed it?

 

Nope, I'm clueless as to bleeding the clutch system. I've driven it for over 40k with no problems... and how would air suddenly be getting into the system?

I finally have a day off so I'm going to get under there and see what the pedal links to. Perhaps that link is wearing out?

 

whens the last time you put fluid in it? have you noticed it going down at all?

 

Never had to put fluid in it. That was the first thing I checked when it first started acting up, fluid level is fine I think.

It *is* the little reservoir on the rear driver's side, not too far from the brake fluid reservoir, right? It's just a little white can with a hose going down in the general direction of the transmission.

 

hahh ya something like that. do you have a hanes manual?

 

this is out of the Hayne manual just shortend up some for bleeding the slave cylinder just incase its not a linkage problem i would try this:

2) Fill master cyl to the top with new brake fluid conforming with DOT 3 specifications.

4) Remove dust cap from bleeder and push a clear tube over bleeder. The other end of the hose into a container, bottle of sorts. (Ed.. I didn't do this....felt as though there was no need, I knew I was gonna get covered with brake fluid anyway)

5) Open bleeder valve. Fluid will run from master cyl, down the hydraulic line, into the release cyl and out through the clear plastic tube. Let fluid run out until it is free of bubbles. (Ed. DON'T LET FLUID RUN OUT OF MASTER CYL!!!)

6) Close bleeder valve.

7) Have an assistant slowly depress the clutch pedal and hold it. Open the bleeder valve on the release cyl, allowing fluid to flow through the clear plastic hose. Close the bleeder valve when the flow stops. Once closed, have the assistant release the pedal.

8) Slowly press and release the pedal five times, waiting for two seconds each time the pedal is released.

9) Fill the fluid reservoir to the step.

10) The clutch should now be completely bled. If it isn't, repete steps 5 through 9.

11) Continue process until all air is evacuated from the system, indicated by solid stream of fluid being ejected from te bleeder valve each time with no air bubbles in the hose or container.

12) Install dust cap. Check carefully for peoper operation before placing the vehicle in normal service. Check the fluid level.

 

and some times they can be a pain in the **** to bleed so patience is key and a buddy or two to help you. i did mine myself by using a 2x4 inbetween the seat and pedal when needed.

 

Sorry, I've been MIA the past week or so. Anyway...

I haven't tried to bleed the system yet as I wouldn't know where to begin (did I mention I'm mechanically retarded?)

I did just discover something odd with the fluid reservoir... come to find out, there's a rubber insert that makes it LOOK like there's fluid in there when there actually isn't. So I just put in a few ounces of DOT3... probably just enough to fill up the hose up to the reservoir. What's that rubber thing for, anyway?

Anyway, the rough shifting has still been on and off lately. It seems that when it's acting rough, I have to press REALLY hard on the clutch to keep it from grinding. Yet, when in gear and no brake is applied, it doesn't pull forward.

 

The rubber insert is to keep air out of the system in case the fluid level in the resiviour drops too low. You'll also notice a very tiny hole in the resi cap. When you fill the resi, you need to take the rubber insert out, then put a couple ounces of fluid in. You can then replace the insert (some fluid may overflow, but that's fine).

 

Ok, makes sense to me. I should be going into town this evening, we'll see if it makes a difference. (Sidenote: the flu sucks!). Guess it may have not registered with the last person to "top off" the tranny fluid... they put brake fluid in the rubber cap, hence my initial confusion!