Shifting getting tougher

[Number4]

A few years back, but just a few hundred miles or so, I replaced my entire clutch system.

Bench bled the master cylinder assembly before installing (at least eventually).

Now I’m having a hard time getting into gear. Have to put the pedal all the way to the floor (and it’s not like the pedal just flomps to the floor) and it’s still hard to get into gears. Once I’m in a gear, the vehicle drives just fine.

What’s the most likely cause.

If you have the stick shift, how far do you have to depress the clutch pedal to be able to shift?

 

[RangerX]

Most likely it’s the slave cylinder going out. Do you know what brand slave you put in a few years ago?

 

[Number4]

It was Luk.


Easier to pull engine or drop trans? At the time, the engine was pulled.

 

[Josh P]

Air pocket in the clutch master cylinder can cause this as well. There's videos on YouTube about this, no amount of bleeding seems to get that air out. You can pull the c clip and lift the rod up out of the master cylinder until fluid comes out then push the rod back in. Put a towel under it to catch the fluid. The clutch should release with the pedal about half way down.

 

[410Fortune]

Ha I wish if your 5 speed has worn synchros no amount of clutch will
Let you in gear

It could be your shift tower bushings
It could be worn synchros, drain and fill the trans have a look at the old fluid. I run Mercon iii dexron in the 5 speeds

Any loss of hydraulic fluid?
Any wet spot under the bellhousing/ slave cylinder?

The infamous air bubble trapped in the master cylinder can take time to develop… little tiny pin size air bubble all gather in that one location and eventually you have an air bubble the size of a pea that will completely stop the clutch from releasing

So it is worth a shot trying to get that air out you can pull the piston that is a for sure way to get it, just be ready to catch from brake fluid before it gets on the carpet
Or you can remove the master
Cyl and line from the truck and try bleeding it that way
YouTube videos for that

First check for loose/ worn shifter bushings and wet spot

Here is the shifter bushing rebuild kit

1998 FORD RANGER 4.0L V6 Shifter Repair Kit | Shop Now at RockAuto

Transmission-Manual Parts and More for Your 1998 FORD RANGER at Reliably Low Prices. Fast Online Catalog. DIY-Easy. Your Choice of Quality. Full Manufacturer Warranty.

www.rockauto.com

 

[410Fortune]

Here’s the piston removal procedure



Here is the best way to bleed the system imo

 

[Number4]

Here’s the piston removal procedure



Here is the best way to bleed the system imo

Good videos, don’t recall seeing them when I did the work. I wasted way too much time originally trying to bleed it on the car. Finally took the master cylinder back off and bled it out of the car, which was far easier. Hopefully it’s an easy bleeding issue.

 

[Number4]

Ha I wish if your 5 speed has worn synchros no amount of clutch will
Let you in gear

It could be your shift tower bushings
It could be worn synchros, drain and fill the trans have a look at the old fluid. I run Mercon iii dexron in the 5 speeds

Any loss of hydraulic fluid?
Any wet spot under the bellhousing/ slave cylinder?

The infamous air bubble trapped in the master cylinder can take time to develop… little tiny pin size air bubble all gather in that one location and eventually you have an air bubble the size of a pea that will completely stop the clutch from releasing

So it is worth a shot trying to get that air out you can pull the piston that is a for sure way to get it, just be ready to catch from brake fluid before it gets on the carpet
Or you can remove the master
Cyl and line from the truck and try bleeding it that way
YouTube videos for that

First check for loose/ worn shifter bushings and wet spot

Here is the shifter bushing rebuild kit

1998 FORD RANGER 4.0L V6 Shifter Repair Kit | Shop Now at RockAuto

Transmission-Manual Parts and More for Your 1998 FORD RANGER at Reliably Low Prices. Fast Online Catalog. DIY-Easy. Your Choice of Quality. Full Manufacturer Warranty.

www.rockauto.com

Currently sitting at 150k miles. This has been a back up vehicle and has sat a lot of its life. Hoping the trans is good for more miles than that!

 

[Josh P]

Currently sitting at 150k miles. This has been a back up vehicle and has sat a lot of its life. Hoping the trans is good for more miles than that!

I think cause of how much it sits, it is more likely an issue with air in the clutch system than something worn out.

 

[Number4]

Currently sitting at 150k miles. This has been a back up vehicle and has sat a lot of its life. Hoping the trans is good for more miles than that!

The more I think about it, I believe this is how it was shifting before the refresh. When I pulled the engine I replaced all the clutch parts hoping it would fix the specifically "hard 1st shift". So I believe it's acting the same as before the new parts....

@410Fortune

 

[410Fortune]

Shifter bushings
Check hydraulic fluid level and look for wetness under slave cylinder
Check condition of trans fluid

Go from there

 

[Number4]

I've yet to look into this more, as this is my only car ATM. Two other cars are down, daughter has the third. FML

wanted to update on the functionality of the clutch. From a stop, it's difficult to shift into 1st gear. If I'm rolling to a stop, I can down shift into all gears with ease, usually.
When coming to a stop in first gear, I only need to depress the clutch pedal half way to disengage 1st gear and not stall out. But in order to shift out or into any gear, I have to press the pedal all the way to the floor.

I don't know the functionality of this trans, or why half depression disengages but full depression is needed to shift.

It looks like the shift tower bushings is an easy repair, I will certainly try that.

But it seems to me I don't have an air in the lines issue based on the disengagement depression distance. Why shifting would require more depression, I don't know.

 

[RangerX]

First and reverse are the first gears to start having trouble shifting into.

 

[410Fortune]

There is an inspection cover you can actually measure the travel of the clutch
It’s either air trapped in the master cylinder or worn synchros in the Mazda trans or a combo of both

Can drain the fluid and capture some have a look at
Change the shifter bushings
Inspect the slave cylinder for any wetness or leaks
Measure / watch the clutch operate through the inspection cover

The best ranger clutch video on YouTube