Never been so puzzled and frustrated

[bmerr98]

I don't know if your situation is anywhere near the same as this other, but have you checked this thread?

http://www.therangerstation.com/forums/showthread.php?t=144890

Dude's problem wasn't the hydraulics at all. Just a thought.

 

[old guy]

Are you sure you put the clutch in the correct way I see people put the clutch friction plate in backwards and have the same problem. Just something to think about. But it sounds like you still have air in the slave cylinder, my explorer took a while to get it bleed out and working properly. My Bronco II took no time at all and has been working great.

 

[UrbanRedneckKid]

Are you sure you put the clutch in the correct way I see people put the clutch friction plate in backwards and have the same problem. Just something to think about. But it sounds like you still have air in the slave cylinder, my explorer took a while to get it bleed out and working properly. My Bronco II took no time at all and has been working great.

Kinda what I've been thinking.
I would think it to be one of 2 things.
Clutch disc in backwards is the first.

Has the flywheel been resurfaced? How many times? Is there a shim between the flywheel and crank.
A hydraulic clutch is "self adjusting" but has it's limits. One quick way to check for this is to check and make sure the TOB hasn't blown the snap ring off the end of the slave.

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[enjr44]

My first thought when I read post one was you put the disk in backwards. They will go in backwards and the result is what you are getting.

I am no expert on this. Just a hack that has changed a bunch of clutches over the years.

Ed

 

[American1990]

I did a 4.0 swap with clutch, flywheel and all that a while ago and ran it like that for a good year. Then one day at a mudding spot I got stuck a a good mud hole, and bent my cross member for trans (I think that when it got bent) and lost the ability to use any gear but 5th after I was pulled out and got onto the road I regained all my gears. The next day I was driving top my buddies to replace parts and while at a red light lots all gears. I could start the truck in gear and accelerate but not shift into any other gears. Then I replaced Master cylinder, slave cylinder, TOB, Transmission (M5OD) and flywheel, clutch pressure plate and clutch disc. I Put the side of clutch disc that says to flywheel surface against the flywheel. I though maybe the slave wasn't bled right and pushing out as far as it should so i put washer behind the slave cylinder to shim it forward changed nothing, still could not put it in gear. With all drive shafts out I can shift into gear fine while at idle or with RPM's rising. Once I put the drive shafts in I can no longer shift into gear from idle and when I leave it in gear during cranking to takes off. If i lift the rear wheels off the ground I can shift into all gear as if I am accelerating on road. I am puzzled. I thought the cross member was the cause so I took it off and put a jack under the trans to hold it and still was unable to shift into gear.

 

[enjr44]

This off the wall; but, ...... you have an off the wall problem. Since it works with the rear drive shaft removed you can assume (with all the caution that ass-u-me means) your problem begins after the end of the trans.

When you lift the rear wheels off the ground and everything works are you putting the stands under the a rear axles or the frame? The reason I ask is if you are putting the jack stands under the frame you will be increasing the distance between the rear of the trans and the rear differential with the diff hanging on the springs. I don't know by how much. I just know the distance will be longer.

When you bent the cross member could you have shifted the engine and trans backward causing everything to bind up with weight on the wheels?

Like I said off the wall. But something happened when you wacked the cross member to start this problem. It didn't start with the clutch and trans.

About sixty years ago, my dad hit a ditch really hard with a Pontiac, busted the engine mounts and pushed the engine, trans and cross member back. Nothing worked until they got the stuff back where it belonged.

Ed

 

[American1990]

I use my Engine Hoist to lift from the frame, to lift the rear end off the ground. So no pressure pushing on the axle/tires other then the pressure of it just hanging. When I drop my cross member with only the trans connected the engine does drop a good bit, almost enough for the trans to rest on the bracket for the radius arms. Everything suspension wise is stock, So the engine mounts could be bad (Most likely they are). ALSO, if I leave the rear drive shaft out, and only have my front one in, with the transfer case set into 4 hi or 4 low I still cant put it into gear... BUT if I put the transfer case into neutral or 2 Hi I can shift into gears (With the rear drive shaft out)....

 

[American1990]

So any ideas? I need some crazy ideas... what can cause this other the air in slave? Bad mounts or bent cross member.

 

[UrbanRedneckKid]

Have you pulled the trans back out and flipped your clutch disc around yet?

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[American1990]

No, I am 100% sure the clutch disc is facing the right way...but if I put it in the other way (wrong way) maybe my problem would... be better?

 

[American1990]

So after countless times pulling the whole Drive line... I finally figured out what my enemy was...Anyone care to guess? Has nothing to do with hydraulic system/Air in system; everything int he drive-line was installed and working correctly. Something that apparently NEVER happens or people say is SUPER rare.

 

[bmerr98]

Don't leave us hanging!!!! What was it?!?!?

 

[UrbanRedneckKid]

The taillights were in upside down...


I'm out of guesses.

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[American1990]

Well somehow I over looked the fact that my motor mounts were....practically doing nothing. When I mean nothing I mean from all the abuse I give it, the countless times taking the engine out and putting it back in, and the fact they are 20+ years old has made the rubber liquid. So when the engine sitting in the engine bay it wanting to sag badly, so when i install the transmission and the trans cross member they are sitting in the correct location, making the engine have to be pulled up. The engine miss aligned with everything in drive train so it cause pressure to be put on the flywheel and clutch to stay in gear and make it hard to put/take out of gear. When I lift the rear end off ground (From frame so rear end hanging) it takes pressure off drive line so the engine has room to move and raise up to realign with rest of drive line to operate.

 

[bmerr98]

And there we have it! Wow. I wouldn't have guessed that ever. Maybe having seen the whole thing, but no way just reading the continuing saga. Glad you got it figured out! Happy motoring!