manual trans shifting problem...sometimes

[Dexx]

Two days ago I was driving on the freeway for about 20 minutes and started hearing a subtle whining sound coming somewhere from outside the car. To quickly narrow it down to the engine, a wheel or the drive train, I pushed the clutch in, took it out of 5th and waited for the RPMs to drop. Then I hit some noisy rough asphalt and couldn't tell. Oh, well.

Here's the first big clue. When I shifted back into 5th, the gear shifter went into gear with no problem, but the clutch would not re-engage despite the pedal returning to its normal position.

Here's the second clue. Since I couldn't get the clutch to re-engage I decided to try one more data-gathering action. I turned the engine off (still coasting at 70 mph) and tried to restart. It would not restart, exactly as if I had not depressed the clutch pedal. So, I coasted for as long as I could and then walked the remaining 1.5 miles for help. (Silly me left my phone at home.)

Here's the third clue. When I got back to my car about an hour later I tried to start it again. No joy, but then I heard a click underneath the car when I released the clutch pedal. I tried once again and it started. I drove the remaining 1.5 miles to the exit and started to notice the clutch appearing to stick for a second and then suddenly release. When I got to the gas station where I was before, it was done, just like on the freeway. Again, the gear shifter and the clutch pedal operated totally fine, but it seemed that the business end of the clutch would not re-engage until it cooled off. After it cools off, everything seems to work just fine.

So:

1999 Explorer Sport
4L V6 OHV
5-speed manual
196,000 miles

Any ideas? What should I check?

 

[rb142]

It's most likely a failed slave cylinder, but it hardly matters as it all needs to come out for the repair and you can confirm for sure when it is apart. You could start by bleeding the clutch line first to see if that helps. But if it does, you have a leak, which is most surely in the slave cylinder and it still has to come apart for the repair. While you are in there, replace everything: clutch, pressure plate, slave cylinder, pilot bearing, check the condition of your flywheel and trans input seal. If you have a lot of miles you should think hard about changing the rear main engine seal too.

What doesn't fit is your second symptom, with the no start. The interlock switch is in the plastic device on the clutch push rod at the top of the pedal. If the pedal is moving normally, the clutch interlock should be working too, unless there is something different failing there.

 

[Dexx]

The part about not starting confused me as well. But if the whole thing has to come out to do much of anything anyway, then I'll have to take it to a transmission person. I've never even seen the insides of any transmission. It was worth a shot. Thanks for the assist.