MrChuck2000
New Member
- Joined
- Sep 2, 2021
- Messages
- 12
- Reaction score
- 3
- Points
- 3
- Age
- 63
- Location
- 90039
- Vehicle Year
- 2004
- Make / Model
- Ford Ranger XLT
- Engine Type
- 3.0 V6
- Transmission
- Manual
- 2WD / 4WD
- 2WD
Howdy. Very new here, and though I am pretty handy in most areas, when it comes to auto repair, I'm just barely learning. My 2004 Ranger, 3.0l, 130,000mi., 5-speed is experie3ncing problems. I've had it for about 3 years now.
While driving recently, I noticed after each stop, when I accelerated again, the BRAKES light would come on briefly, then go off again, and that would happen at every stop. I checked my brake fluid and it was VERY low. Refilled it (Dot 3), and problem went away. 2 days later, I was just starting a drive, and suddenly I couldn't get the truck into 1st gear. It was so bad, I turned off the engine, got easily into 1st, then started the engine again with the clutch in, and did ok getting home. I believe there were a couple of other tough shifts into 1st at lights, and maybe also some difficulty getting into Reverse. It was late at night and I was getting home, so I just willed it home, not knwing if I was gonna crap out at some point.
I made it home, parked it and didn't drive it at all while I Googled as much as I could to figure out what the problem might be. I learned a lot (like, that I have a clutch fluid reservoir! That I have clutch fluid! That there is something called a slave cylinder! Etc.) Since then, I have wondered if I have air in the clutch system, learned about how it's a bitch to bleed, etc.
I'm taking it in this afternoon to a mechanic, but I don't know the guy and I trust you guys to know more abut this transmission than the average mechanic, who, these days, might not know that much about manual transmissions. (I talked to one guy who told me he had only had one manual auto in the last year.)
BTW, my brake line must have a leak; it is needing to be added to on a constant basis. The clutch, however, has been reasonably fine, with the exception of a bit of difficulty getting into 1st, but nothing dramatic. Granted, I've only driven about 20 mi. on it since the "incident". Is there any crossover between the brake system and the clutch? What would you guys recommend? What should I look out for today with the mechanic??
PS: I changed the transmission fluid a couple of years ago (I used Mercon ATF, as per FORD), so that should be ok.
While driving recently, I noticed after each stop, when I accelerated again, the BRAKES light would come on briefly, then go off again, and that would happen at every stop. I checked my brake fluid and it was VERY low. Refilled it (Dot 3), and problem went away. 2 days later, I was just starting a drive, and suddenly I couldn't get the truck into 1st gear. It was so bad, I turned off the engine, got easily into 1st, then started the engine again with the clutch in, and did ok getting home. I believe there were a couple of other tough shifts into 1st at lights, and maybe also some difficulty getting into Reverse. It was late at night and I was getting home, so I just willed it home, not knwing if I was gonna crap out at some point.
I made it home, parked it and didn't drive it at all while I Googled as much as I could to figure out what the problem might be. I learned a lot (like, that I have a clutch fluid reservoir! That I have clutch fluid! That there is something called a slave cylinder! Etc.) Since then, I have wondered if I have air in the clutch system, learned about how it's a bitch to bleed, etc.
I'm taking it in this afternoon to a mechanic, but I don't know the guy and I trust you guys to know more abut this transmission than the average mechanic, who, these days, might not know that much about manual transmissions. (I talked to one guy who told me he had only had one manual auto in the last year.)
BTW, my brake line must have a leak; it is needing to be added to on a constant basis. The clutch, however, has been reasonably fine, with the exception of a bit of difficulty getting into 1st, but nothing dramatic. Granted, I've only driven about 20 mi. on it since the "incident". Is there any crossover between the brake system and the clutch? What would you guys recommend? What should I look out for today with the mechanic??
PS: I changed the transmission fluid a couple of years ago (I used Mercon ATF, as per FORD), so that should be ok.