manual transmittion cluth failure need some insight.

need info · Jun 2, 2018

hello, I have a 2000 2.5 L, manual 4 cyl. engine. I have had this ranger sitting for about a month and just found out the engine was very low on oil. I went to start it and the clutch would not not press down. I gave a little force with my foot and the clutch went to the floor without doing anything. I crawled under and seen the cable that goes into the clutch popped out and spilled about a half of cup of oil to the pavement.
Can some one tell me in basic few words how the clutch operates? I am assuming the clutch is hydraulic? Can someone tell me what I am in store for in getting this repaired? A new hydraulic line and maybe freeing up the frozen clutch? would the low oil in the crankcase have anything to do with the clutch cable (line) blowing out like this? The engine starts up and runs good, although you can not shift the gears while the engine is running. I instinctively tried at the get go. When the engine is off I can shift through the gears. thanks a bunch for any Information.

adsm08 · Jun 2, 2018

So the system is pretty simple. As you surmised it is hydraulic.

There are three discs that are basically "stacked" on top of each other on the back of the engine. You have a fly wheel, which is bolted to the crankshaft, a friction disc, often called the "clutch" which is splined to the input shaft of your transmission, and a pressure plate, which is bolted to the flywheel and has a series of fingers that move and actuate the plate itself. The pressure plate is spring loaded and when your clutch pedal is up it sandwiches the clutch between itself and the flywheel, letting all three move as one, and spinning the input shaft of the trans.

When you push the clutch pedal down it moves a piston in the clutch master cylinder, which moves fluid, and moves the piston in the slave cylinder inside the trans bell housing, which acts on the pressure plate fingers and released the clutch disc, allowing it to stop spinning while the flywheel and pressure plate keep going. This effectively uncouples the transmission from the engine, allowing the gears inside to slow down and match their rotational speeds closely enough that you can shift smoothly into a gear, or come to a stop without forcing the engine to stop as well (stalling the engine).

This last part is why you can't shift into a gear with the engine running right now. The gears have to be moving at similar speeds to shift, with the engine running and the transmission input shaft engaged to the engine while the truck is sitting still the rest of the gears can't get moving fast enough to allow shifting into gear. With the engine off and the truck sitting still then all the gears are sitting still, and so you can shift easily.

There is not clutch cable on this vehicle. A cable clutch uses a braided or twisted metal cable from the clutch pedal to move an arm that sticks into the bell to do the same work I already described. Your clutch system uses a hydraulic line filled with brake fluid, not oil. If your line failed you need a new one. This is not a fun job to do, especially if it is your first time doing it. It gets easier after 5 or 6 rounds.

The engine being low on oil is not the cause of your current woes. Your truck uses a dry clutch, so it should not have any oil on it at all.

If you want to take a stab at fixing this yourself get a clutch kit, and a pre-bled master/slave set. That will greatly lessen your overall frustration.

ericbphoto · Jun 2, 2018

Yes, the clutch is hydraulic.
No. The oil in the crank case does not have anything to do with the clutch.

When you depress the clutch pedal, you are pushing a piston in a cylinder ( the clutch master cylinder). That piston displaces oil under pressure which applies force to a piston in the slave cylinder and causes it to move ( when everything is working properly).

Other more experienced clutch gurus will chime in here, I am sure. But it sounds to me like your slave cylinder is stuck or there is something wrong that is preventing the throw out bearing and pressure plate from moving. I'm not sure how to test that. If it were mine, I would plan on replacing the master cylinder, slave cylinder and fluid line between them, and the throw out bearing. Keep in mind that the rest of the clutch may need work also, depending on what is actually stuck.

It could just be the hydraulic parts. The hydraulic clutch uses brake fluid as its hydraulic fluid. Brake fluid absorbs moisture over time and therefore, the internal surfaces of the master and/or slave cylinders may be rusted. That's just my guess. And.... the transmission ( and transfer case, if 4x4) must be removed for this project.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

ericbphoto · Jun 2, 2018

adsm08 said:
So the system is pretty simple. As you surmised it is hydraulic.

There are three discs that are basically "stacked" on top of each other on the back of the engine. You have a fly wheel, which is bolted to the crankshaft, a friction disc, often called the "clutch" which is splined to the input shaft of your transmission, and a pressure plate, which is bolted to the flywheel and has a series of fingers that move and actuate the plate itself. The pressure plate is spring loaded and when your clutch pedal is up it sandwiches the clutch between itself and the flywheel, letting all three move as one, and spinning the input shaft of the trans.

When you push the clutch pedal down it moves a piston in the clutch master cylinder, which moves fluid, and moves the piston in the slave cylinder inside the trans bell housing, which acts on the pressure plate fingers and released the clutch disc, allowing it to stop spinning while the flywheel and pressure plate keep going. This effectively uncouples the transmission from the engine, allowing the gears inside to slow down and match their rotational speeds closely enough that you can shift smoothly into a gear, or come to a stop without forcing the engine to stop as well (stalling the engine).

This last part is why you can't shift into a gear with the engine running right now. The gears have to be moving at similar speeds to shift, with the engine running and the transmission input shaft engaged to the engine while the truck is sitting still the rest of the gears can't get moving fast enough to allow shifting into gear. With the engine off and the truck sitting still then all the gears are sitting still, and so you can shift easily.

There is not clutch cable on this vehicle. A cable clutch uses a braided or twisted metal cable from the clutch pedal to move an arm that sticks into the bell to do the same work I already described. Your clutch system uses a hydraulic line filled with brake fluid, not oil. If your line failed you need a new one. This is not a fun job to do, especially if it is your first time doing it. It gets easier after 5 or 6 rounds.

The engine being low on oil is not the cause of your current woes. Your truck uses a dry clutch, so it should not have any oil on it at all.

If you want to take a stab at fixing this yourself get a clutch kit, and a pre-bled master/slave set. That will greatly lessen your overall frustration.

I guess we were typing at the same time.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

need info · Jun 2, 2018

thanks to all to spend the time to help. I appreciate it very much. have a good night.

adsm08 · Jun 2, 2018

ericbphoto said:
I guess we were typing at the same time.

Sent from my SM-G960U using Tapatalk

I am the post ninja today.

manual transmittion cluth failure need some insight.

need info

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