Clutch Problems/MC Issues. Please help.

Does the clutch pedal have any force behind it? Can you start it in gear and drive it?

You need to check the fluid. 50/50 odds are it's the slave cylinder, not the MC.

It might just need fluid, but if it's low it leaked somewhere you need to find the leak....

On my Jeep, I can just put it in 2nd or 3rd gear and hit the starter. It will start right up in gear and go.

You 'might' have a clutch interlock on yours, so the clutch pedal might need to be down for the starter to turn, but same deal it will start in gear and drive ok.

Mike

86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

Scott wrote:

The bad news is you have an internal clutch slave cylinder that not only is prone to failure; it costs a LOT to replace or is a serious pain in the ass to do yourself.

The good news is it might only be the master cylinder or a leak in the line. Due to the pain in the ass/expensive factor, the MC and line should probably be replaced before messing with the slave.

One thing you can do is bleed the line. Trace it down from the MC and find where it enters the bell housing, there will be another line sticking out a few inches that ends in a tiny little (3/16th?) bleeder valve, these feel loose (the slave cyl. moves and the lines pivot).

If that works you're good to go for a little bit. If not you can start it in gear.

If you have to start it in gear there's a technique called "floating". Once you're moving you can get the shifter out of gear by revving high and letting off the gas suddenly, the shifter should slip out with light pressure, quickly (but not forcibly) get the shifter to the next gate and hold it there (light pressure, almost no force is needed). and when the gears are just right (synchronized with one another) the shifter should slip or "float" right into gear. If you miss (get some grinding) just take the shifter off the gate again, goose the gas pedal, and let the RPM's fall (it helps a lot if you slow the RPM drop with your foot still giving it gas) until it floats in. What you're basically doing is trying to get the output side gears and the gears of the input side to move at roughly the same RPM so they can mesh.

It's important to realize that this technique is ENTIRELY dependent on road speed and your RPM's... It's got nothing to do with "gear jamming" it's pure finesse. Once you get it down, you'll never be stranded by a clutch hydraulics related problem again.

Thanks for all of the reply's.

I did check the clutch fluid, and it looked to be fine. Since the MC should be fairly easy to replace, I am going to attempt that and bleed the system. I am keeping my fingers crossed that it may take care of the problem.

Again, this was an intermitten problem that just started happening. I am able to move into each gear with the engine off. It also does seem that pusing in the clutch is to 'easy', but I don't think I have noticed a significant change.

I am pretty sure I will be able to start it in gear, I will likley do that in order to get it to a nice warm garage to do the work.

Thanks again for everyone's input.

Regards,

Scott

Well, as if this isn't starting to become my own little project.

I replaced the Master Cylinder with no problems.....well, until I attempted to bleed the brakes. The rusty bleeder screw 'folded' under the least bit of pressure....so, that was the end of that.

I just found out that it is part of the slave cylinder, which means that needs to be replaced. Well, might as well replace the clutch too....Oh well, maybe the slave was bad anyhow.

Cheapest I found for replacement of all of the above, comes in at

700.00, which according to what I have read, and other quotes, I believe it is reasonable.

Any thing else recommended while the transmission is out and everything exposed?

Thanks again,

Scott