Please help if you can, transmission problem

[cityside75]

Hi,

I just found this board while searching for an answer to my problem. My 95 Explorer with 5 speed has been giving me serious problems lately. Specifically, when I first go to drive it in the (cold) morning, I push the clutch all the way to the floor, but it still does not open, attempting to put the car in gear results in grinding. If I continue to pump the clutch, I can eventually get it to work however.

I checked the clutch fluid and the reservoir was empty. I put in some fluid, it didn't take too much though. This didn't really help the problem, I still have to pump the clutch, especially when its cold.

In researching the problem I found that the slave cylinders tend to go on these trucks, I called my Ford dealer and he estimated $1150 plus parts to change the slave cylinder!!! So I am really hoping that maybe the clutch lines just need to be bled. The truck only has 50,000 miles on it - is it possible that my slave cylinder is already bad??? Could the symptoms I described occur because of air in the lines?

My only optimism comes from the fact that pumping the clutch makes the situation better, and generally once the car has been driven for a while it behaves much better.

Please help if you can!

BTW - great board, I found a lot of good info here and will definitely be stopping by regularly.

Jim

 

[Triton46]

Maybe the fluid is the wrong viscosity? Once I had my transmission repaired and they replaced the fluid (automatic fluid for the manual) with 10W60 gear oil...ouch. It was winter and you really had to pull the shifter to get it in gear until it warmed up.

 

[cityside75]

Sorry if I wasn't clear about the fluid I was referring to, it is the hydraulic fluid for the clutch, which is DOT 3 brake fluid. It has not been flushed out at all, and I topped it off with DOT 3 from NAPA.

Thanks for the tip though.

 

[DOGMAN]

It could be the slave cylinder. Looks like you might need to have a new slave cylinder installed, or at least have an experienced pro check things out. 50K miles seems early to have this done. My 91 went 155K miles until I had to replace the slave cylinder and clutch. Thing is, if you have to replace the slave cylinder, you might as well install a new clutch and pressure plate, and have the flywheel resurfaced. This cost me $500 when I had it done. Unless you're rich, don't get it done at the Ford dealer.

Any good clutch or transmission specialist should be able to replace the clutch for you, including slave cylinder, pressure plate, and resurface the flywheel, for $500-600. When this is done, it will drive like new.

Of course there is the chance that there is something minor causing the problem. Have it checked by a pro. Good luck.

Oh yeah, WELCOME to THE BEST EXPLORER SITE ANYWHERE!

 

[Robert]

Originally posted by DOGMAN
It could be the slave cylinder. Looks like you might need to have a new slave cylinder installed, or at least have an experienced pro check things out. 50K miles seems early to have this done. My 91 went 155K miles until I had to replace the slave cylinder and clutch. Thing is, if you have to replace the slave cylinder, you might as well install a new clutch and pressure plate, and have the flywheel resurfaced. This cost me $500 when I had it done. Unless you're rich, don't get it done at the Ford dealer.

Any good clutch or transmission specialist should be able to replace the clutch for you, including slave cylinder, pressure plate, and resurface the flywheel, for $500-600. When this is done, it will drive like new.

Of course there is the chance that there is something minor causing the problem. Have it checked by a pro. Good luck.

Oh yeah, WELCOME to THE BEST EXPLORER SITE ANYWHERE!

With only 50K on it I wouldn't be too quick to replace the clutch along with the slave cylinder. Of course a lot depends on how he drives and if he tows, but at only 50K he probably has at least another 30-50K miles before he needs a clutch. It is possible that a contaminant made its way down to the slave cylinder and scratched up an o-ring. It would be unrelated to the life left in the clutch. Now my only experience with slave cylinders is from my '82 Toyota Pickup but I bought a rebuild kit for about $11. The slave cylinder came off in less than 30 minutes. I rebuilt it in 30 minutes, and reinstalled and bled it in about an hour. I have no idea how the slave cylinder is set up on an Explorer since mine is an automatic, but I would hope that it isn't $1100 worth of bad!

 

[Robert]

Originally posted by cityside75
Sorry if I wasn't clear about the fluid I was referring to, it is the hydraulic fluid for the clutch, which is DOT 3 brake fluid. It has not been flushed out at all, and I topped it off with DOT 3 from NAPA.

Thanks for the tip though.

He is referring to the fluid in your transmission, not your clutch reservoire. If someone put in gear oil and your transmission calls for automatic transmission fluid (most Fords do), then you will have symptoms like you are describing.

 

[rock883]

$1150 is way too much for the repair, take it somewhere else, I got mine done for about $550. Mine wouldn't go into gear, unless forced, and I mean forced. It may have gone bad because it got air into the system, which is usually bad for anyhting hydraulic.

 

[cityside75]

$1150 is way too much for the repair, take it somewhere else, I got mine done for about $550. Mine wouldn't go into gear, unless forced, and I mean forced. It may have gone bad because it got air into the system, which is usually bad for anyhting hydraulic.

Any good shops in the Chicago area that anyone would recommend? What about AAMCO?

Robert: I understand what Triton was referring to, but I have not had any fluids flushed or changed in the transmission. No one has messed with the gear oil or hydraulic clutch fluid.

The consensus seems to be the slave cylinder is bad. I am going to attempt to bleed the system today, just to be sure before I take it somewhere. I am definitely not going to the dealer though, they've already tried to screw me on another repair...it's good to hear that $1150 is out of line.

Thanks for all the responses!!!
Jim

 

[DOGMAN]

I wouldn't go to AAMCO, can't depend on their quality and probably too expensive. Stick with the small, independent shop that relies on the quality of its work for its reputation. Ask and call around, they're out there. I always get 3 or more bids before doing something like this, that way you'll get an idea of average price in your area, and you'll also weed out the gouger of the group. Also, have more than one company take a look at your rig, it's nice to get more than one opinion.