TOTAL SUDDEN clutch failure

[ogretheeternal]

Driving home from work yesterday. Went to shift from 2nd to 3rd, would not re-engage. I heard what sounded like a couple springs popping, but nothing else, and it will not go into ANY gear. Had to be towed the rest of the way home. The Master cylinder remains full of fluid. No new evidence of leakage, so I am NOT sure that it is the master or slave cylinder. I looked at the pedal assembly, there is a spring (or maybe two) that are severely stretched and/or broke under the dash, but I cannot tell where they should originally be attached. The clutch pedal now has a little more than two inches of free travel (maybe three inches that I can tell on the rod) before it begins to resist. I cannot get it into ANY gear while the engine is running. Reverse only grinds when selected. Weird part - once the pedal starts to engage, it actually feels stiffer than it did before.
So, my question - would the springs popping sound (and obviously breaking) have anything to do with it not being able to engage the throw-out bearing, or is it more likely that something else is going on? Hoping for a cheap and quick fix, because I cannot get to work AND it is between paydays.
ANY good tips would be appreciated. And of course, nothing is open on Sundays...

Unrelated, but also a problem - no reverse lights. Would this be some easily replaceable (and inexpensive, i hope) switch in the shift mechanism that isn't allowing them to illuminate? All fuses and relays are good, so the simplest fix has been ruled out.

 

[scotts90ranger]

It sounds like either your friction disc died or your slave cylinder died... I had a master that died but everything was silent and it just wouldn't re engage for like 30 seconds, I could row through all the gears fine... yours is staying engaged which is why you can't get into any gears...

On the reverse lights, simple enough to look at when the trans is down changing the clutch and slave cylinder, it's the only wire connector on the front of the transmission by the shifter, the one in the back is the speedometer. If you check continuity it should only have continuity between the two pins in reverse

 

[Uncle Gump]

If there is no fluid leakage... and the pedal gets stiff (which to me says the master and slave are functional) when depressed.

Kinda sounds like a mechanical failure of the pressure plate or slave cylinder.

Is the clutch switch functioning? Put it in gear... depress clutch... crank the engine. CAUTION... IF IT CRANKS THE TRUCK WILL LURCH FORWARD. Be CAREFUL!!!

 

[scotts90ranger]

Yeah, that, shift with engine off and start the engine, if it moves the transmission is fine and the clutch is screwed...

 

[Snoranger]

I had a damper spring break on the clutch disc in my 89 STX. It got jammed in between the disc and pressure plate. That caused the clutch to lock up and not be able to release.
I’d take a look in the bellhousing and see if there’s anything wrong.

 

[ogretheeternal]

Thanks for the guidance. Sounds like I am gonna have to pull the transmission regardless... lots of fun when in a rainy parking lot and armed only with a set of wrenches and quarter inch sockets LOL

i think the wisest move would be to plan on worst case scenario and just redo the whole works... plates, both cylinders, bearings, possibly new pedal assembly. I might as well make sure the forks are good while it's out. I guess we shall see. as for the the speedometer cable... that could actually be why the soeedo isn't registering correctly... i wonder how hard it would be to find a proper speed gear (or whatever it is called)... i'm thinking that that is why mine only registers between 20 and 40 regardless of speed ... the little plastic gear in there is probably trashed. At least, I THINK the speedometer is mechanical operated, being as I have an analog cluster... I just haven't yet figured out why the odometer won't turn... it's stuck at the turnover to 338000 miles...
I'm kind of getting afraid this is going to turn into a rather expensive restoration project, just doing necessary repairs to keep it on the road.

Amusing side note: since the last 3 of the VIN ends in 666 AND the build date was April 1 of 1995 (not kidding) and the excessively rough condition of this particularly challenging Ranger, I have decided to name the thing Lucifer, or possibly Abaddon. Not sure which one yet.

 

[scotts90ranger]

The pedal assembly isn't much of the clutch system like it is on the F series unless the pedal is floppy the linkage is directly on the pedal...

there's a speedo gear, they're like $10 online...

 

[Eddo Rogue]

that happened to me, turned out the clip snapped and linkage slipped off. I popped it back on and braided some safety wire around it. I do have a spare brand new clutch master cylinder now, I thought the push rod itself had snapped.

 

[SenorNoob]

Check the quick connect to the slave cylinder. Getting stiffer earlier make me thing it came apart.

 

[ogretheeternal]

Check the quick connect to the slave cylinder. Getting stiffer earlier make me thing it came apart.

It did, when the slave cylinder broke. That, along with parts of the friction plate and throw out bearing are in pieces inside the bell. Pulling it when all parts come in ... Probably Friday.