HiImElvis
Member
- Joined
- January 30, 2009
- Messages
- 25
- Reaction score
- 0
- City, State
- Denver, CO
- Year, Model & Trim Level
- 97 Sport4x4 & 97 XLTV8AWD
Hi everyone. I have been reading your posts about the terrors of the hydraulic clutch system used by Ford in these little trucks, but have some questions regarding mine. Every ranger/explorer I have driven with a 5 speed gets to be a huge pain to shift when warm (driven maybe 10 - 15 miles).
In my 97 Sport which has 98K miles, a new clutch and is on the second new slave cylinder in 10,000 miles, the 1-2 upshift is the worst, as is getting into 1 or R when the truck has been idiling in neutral (even for a few seconds as you wait for a light or cross-traffic). Up shifting from 2 on gets progressively smoother. I pulled the fill plug out of the tranny and got splashed with ATF, so it is surely full of OK looking fluid (it was changed out around 60K). It may be overfilled, can this be problematic? I know overfilling the differentials is bad, is it bad for manual trannies too?
As a commercial driver, I can double clutch quite competently. If the hydraulics are to blame as so many have pointed out, can anyone explain why:
1) UP shifting 1 - 2 is equally difficult whether you use the clutch or just feather the throttle to pop it out of 1 and try to slide it into 2 when the revs come down. Here the cluth is left 100% engaged the whole time. I can shift 2 - 3, 3 - 4, and 4 - 5 without ever putting my foot on the clutch and all is smooth and easy.
2)Why don't I lose clutch fluid? I agree, if the slave cylinder needs to be bled, then this makes sense, but my clutch feels good and the fluid level stays up. I get engagement of my clutch at about 40 - 50% of the pedal travel (so perhaps a home-made adjustable actuating rod will fix my problem)
3) Why does downshifting go so smooth? Are there separate syncros on the way up and the way down in the shift pattern? I can work down to 1 from 5 smooth and easy every time, but I don't want to wail on my pilot bearing sitting at lights and in traffic with my foot holding the clutch out so it's easier to shift into 1.
I bought some Mobil1 Synthetic ATF, and intend to flush/fill the tranny with that and maybe throw in some BG Multigear Concentrate. I'm pretty convinced my problem is hosed 1-2 syncros, but the fact that the downshifts are so smooth is really throwing me off. I sure would apprecieate any help. Thanks!!
In my 97 Sport which has 98K miles, a new clutch and is on the second new slave cylinder in 10,000 miles, the 1-2 upshift is the worst, as is getting into 1 or R when the truck has been idiling in neutral (even for a few seconds as you wait for a light or cross-traffic). Up shifting from 2 on gets progressively smoother. I pulled the fill plug out of the tranny and got splashed with ATF, so it is surely full of OK looking fluid (it was changed out around 60K). It may be overfilled, can this be problematic? I know overfilling the differentials is bad, is it bad for manual trannies too?
As a commercial driver, I can double clutch quite competently. If the hydraulics are to blame as so many have pointed out, can anyone explain why:
1) UP shifting 1 - 2 is equally difficult whether you use the clutch or just feather the throttle to pop it out of 1 and try to slide it into 2 when the revs come down. Here the cluth is left 100% engaged the whole time. I can shift 2 - 3, 3 - 4, and 4 - 5 without ever putting my foot on the clutch and all is smooth and easy.
2)Why don't I lose clutch fluid? I agree, if the slave cylinder needs to be bled, then this makes sense, but my clutch feels good and the fluid level stays up. I get engagement of my clutch at about 40 - 50% of the pedal travel (so perhaps a home-made adjustable actuating rod will fix my problem)
3) Why does downshifting go so smooth? Are there separate syncros on the way up and the way down in the shift pattern? I can work down to 1 from 5 smooth and easy every time, but I don't want to wail on my pilot bearing sitting at lights and in traffic with my foot holding the clutch out so it's easier to shift into 1.
I bought some Mobil1 Synthetic ATF, and intend to flush/fill the tranny with that and maybe throw in some BG Multigear Concentrate. I'm pretty convinced my problem is hosed 1-2 syncros, but the fact that the downshifts are so smooth is really throwing me off. I sure would apprecieate any help. Thanks!!
