Explorer doesn't want to go into gear

[Flashflood]

When its cold out my 91 explorer doesn't want to shift until it warms up then the only gear I can get it in and that's only with grinding it is reverse. Then after that I really have to push it to get it into any other gear. What is wrong?

 

[RangerX]

Slave cylinder, assuming it's a manual trans.

 

[Flashflood]

Yes it is a manual transmission.

 

[RangerX]

I suggest you search for and read up on slave cyl issues here, and see if that sounds like what is going on with yours.
It's pretty much all that goes wrong with these m5ods.

 

[Bwana Bob]

Yes, I'd say the slave cylinder. Mine was getting hard to shift into 1st, then really hard, especially when cold. Look under the hood at the clutch fluid reservoir and see if it's low. I tried topping off the reservoir and bleeding the clutch, but that fix only lasted a couple of days. There is a rubber plug somewhere on the bell housing. You can pull that plug and stick your finger in an poke around (with the engine OFF, of course). If your finger comes out wet with clutch fluid, it's certain that the slave cylinder is leaking. I had my slave cylinder and clutch replaced 4 years ago and the trans shifted like new. The shop also found that the plastic bushing where the shift lever goes in on top of the trans had disintegrated, so they replaced that, too. The job cost me about $1200.

-Bob