Hard to get 5spd in gear - slave cyl or tranny?

[srvblues00]

Ok, my 94 X Sport has the 5spd mazda tranny and there's 148,x.. miles on the engine and tranny. Over the last year, it has gotten harder to get it into 1st gear from neutral when I'm stopped. If the X is rolling, even slightly, it'll go into 1st pretty easily. Also, if I move it up almost into 3rd, then it'll go into 1st a bit easier. Also, somtimes while I'm driving, it's hard to get it into 4th, but not all the time. Usually when any of this happens, if I push the clutch all the way to the floor, it helps a bit. However, it should go into any gear with the clutch depressed only 3/4 of the way.

Does it sound like my slave cyl is on its way out, or is it more serious as in tranny wear?

 

[RiverRat]

Sounds like a clutch issue. If it isn't fixed soon then you will have bigger, $$$ tranny problems.

 

[srvblues00]

Thx.. just also remembered that sometimes on what appears to be flat ground, the X will roll very slightly with the clutch in. However, I'm not sure the ground is 100% flat when that happens, so I'm not sure. I need to quit being lazy and put the rear on jack stands and do a few tests.

Thanks for the reply.

 

[RangerX]

If it isn't fixed soon then you will have bigger, $$$ tranny problems.

RR, can you elaborate on this?

Also, here's my thread on the same subject. http://www.explorerforum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=119868

 

[RiverRat]

What I mean is that grinding gears, forcing the transmission to shift isn't good for the internals. You can wear out synchros, break teeth off gears, etc.

Don't drive too long with a bad clutch. It's dangerous too. Having to shut off the engine at every stop light to get it into 1st gear isn't fun. That happened to me :thumbdwn: before I went 4R70W.

 

[Doug]

Sounds like your slave cylinder is leaking, it's a common problem expecially when you have that many miles. Try bleeding the clutch and see if that makes a difference. If it does and the problem comes back it's the slave cylinder.

 

[srvblues00]

Can a slave cylinder be going bad without leaking fluid? My fluid level is great, but sometimes it seems like it doesn't fully disengage at stop lights, etc.

 

[Doug]

Mine didn't leak enough to change the level in the resivour but air was getting into the slave cylinder.

 

[tweakedlogic]

I've learned that the first gen Xs have an issue with the slaves. over time the slave will not push the piston as far as it used to. so the clutch will not fully disengauge. You need to buy a new slave and throwout bearing and install them. the slave is $80 and the bearing is about $40. while you have the tranny off you may as well switch the clutch, it'll go out soon enough with those miles. I'm in the same position. it just so happens that my slave and clutch failed pretty close to each other. I NEED both.
The thing is that Ford, for some reason, put the slave cylinder inside the bell housing. so you have to drop the tranny to replace it.
good luck

 

[srvblues00]

I have heard from several sources that the slave cyls typically go bad, so I'm not very surprised. Mine's not yet to the point of having to do the job this week, but it will be soon. I have decided to keep my X for at least one more year, so I'm going to fix it soon. In about a month, I should have a few days off that I can put in the new stuff.