shifting issue?

[vwtipeii]

Hi gang,

Been a while... I am happy to report that after 4 years, 4 different mechanics, 2 engine builders and over $25,000 later my Jeep finally runs cool, has plenty of power and made my first full trip up to 10,000 feet and back to sea level under her own power

That being said I am having an issue with my transmission/clutch/shifting... ummm sometimes. I have an ax15. The slave cylinder is external that year. I had it replaced in January after it cracked and i lost all my fluid. Ever since then when the Jeep gets hot... or I have been driving a while or in stop and go traffic... the Jeep gets harder and harder to shift into gear and reverse is almost impossible. it gets so bad that I sometimes have to shut the Jeep off in traffic just to put her into a gear and start her up again and go. I had the new slave bled. Jonah took it out and played with it and still seems to be the same. Finally I was told it has to be the clutch by several Jeepers... so $1,300 later with a brand new clutch (oh the 2nd last mech that had my engine out said the clutch was fine, of course it wasn't it was trashed one 1 side and like new on the other) and the Jeep still shifts the same. As I drove home in Hermosa after driving 5 hours home from Bishop...she shifted perfectly. However when I drove up to Bishop I could barely shift at all. On the trail I tried to keep her in just one gear because once I put her in neutral she just will not go back into another gear. Reverse? Just a horrible grinding. Normally I will have the clutch in and in 1st gear the Jeep will still try to creep forward.

i am being told it can't be the slave. I have a new clutch... new slave. I am going to have the slave swapped out one more time just to see.

Any ideas? I am 90% there with the rest of the Jeep...

Thanks,
B

[6spdYJ]

Brett,
Shifting issues can be as simple as changing the fluid or as bad as having to rebuild the transmission. I had two synchro keys broken in my AX-15 at 70K.
The slave being bad is doubtful. However, the masters in YJ's (BTDT) tend to have the return spring break & they don't draw enough fluid back in to fully extend the slave. I have had them go bad in as short as a year or last up to twelve.
If the spring broke very close to an end there is really no way to diagnose it without taking it apart. Does the clutch pedal ever feel like it comes to a stop just short of the floor? That's the best indicator.

[aw12345]

Does the clutch pedal feel funny when it's hard shifting Skeeter?

[vwtipeii]

feels the same all the time... a tad soft... doesn't take much effort to push it down. I haven't had them go through the master yet... dumb question..however should I have asked them to go through it while they were replacing the clutch?

[aw12345]

If pedal feel doesn't change then you can pretty much rule out the master and slave.

[6spdYJ]

The YJ pedal should come in firm about 1/2-3/4" from when you first start pressing. If it's soft & the clutch grabs almost right off the floor I would say 100% the master needs to be bench-bled. For whatever reason they just don't like to bleed conventionally. I've actually had to pull them out - and apart - and reassemble them with fluid already filling the piston bore. It's not a big or difficult job, but it's just not fun.
Also look at the firewall on both engine compartment side & by the pedals to see if the master may be leaking fluid (& letting air in).

[Lumpy Grits]

Ck the fluid level ASAP! Ck the t'case too........
When was the last time it was changed?
LG

[aw12345]

If pedal feel and position does not
change between shifting good and shifting bad then the master and slave are not the issue!

Start looking at gear oil on the clutch plate, the clutch plate sticking on the input shaft or a tight pilot bearing

[6spdYJ]

If pedal feel and position does not
change between shifting good and shifting bad then the master and slave are not the issue!

Start looking at gear oil on the clutch plate, the clutch plate sticking on the input shaft or a tight pilot bearing

My input wasn't intended to be an argument. I just saw that he said it was a bit soft. I only mentioned what I've experienced under his exact description to give a hint if it helps. And yes, it was intermittent. It acted like it was low on fluid, but when I pulled the cap the reservoir was full. After bench bleeding the master it worked fine. I just find it interesting that it happened after the slave cracked without any other noted issues.
.
With a broken spring you will definitely feel a random stop or binding in the pedal travel.

I'm not going to doubt you at all Art. I have learned a lot from you. Just trying to help a guy get his rig ironed out. No worries man.

[vwtipeii]

hi gang... it was the Master and the new slave...both replaced.. along with new clutch..shifts like a dream now...finally....

swapped out the belt...and now the alternator is turning properly and charging... Dare I say I am almost confident to take her out for a long trip...

B