I posted this in the miscellaneous threads, but I thought I might get a response here:

94 Ranger, 170,000 miles, 2.3 L

I replaced my clutch, pressure plate, slave cylinder, and had my flywheel resurfaced. I bled my slave cylinder twice following Haynes instructions, and I'm still having problems which I don't even think stem from my new clutch.

I cannot shift gears at all, with the truck NOT running, or with the truck running. I have inspected the throw out bearing push against the pressure plate, from underneath the truck (through the inspection port under the bell housing) and I can see it move against the pressure plate. This tends to make me think I correctly installed the new clutch kit and slave.

But what really makes me curious is the fact that even when the truck is not running at all, I cannot shift out of neutral into any gear with or without pushing the clutch pedal down. This issue should not be connected to the clutch at all because the truck is not even on and I'm not even engaging or disengaging the clutch. It makes me feel as though there is now something wrong with my transmission, but it was fine before.

Here's another kicker! After I start the truck, if I take my foot off the clutch pedal, the truck stalls!

Any suggestions...thanks in advance.
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sychronizers inside the transmission are locked in place and unable to move. Did you do anything to the trans when you took it out? Well take it out again and crack it open and loosen the binding, then reassemble it correctly. Don't use a Haynes manual, get a real manual if you want to sucessful perform this level of DIY.

 

I did nothing to the transmission other than lay it aside for a couple of weeks while I finished the clutch slowly but surely. The transmission was not handled roughly at all, but I did do this job by myself so there were times I was trying to force the transmission on the engine and it got a little hairy.

Would loosening the sychro's be a hard job, and is there anything wrong with them or are they just bound? How do you "crack" a transmission "open"? Are you tralking about taking the compartment off at the top where the shifter enters the transmission?

Would having stuck sychro's also cause the other symptoms such as when I take my foot off the clutch, the truck stalls?

Also, what's a "real manual" and where could I get one? I thought Haynes was pretty good?

Thanks for your response!

 

i believe it still needs bled. This system is the hardest to bleed. also here's link to also check https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/9...l-bracket.html

 

here are great videos YouTube - Removal and Servicing of Clutch Master Cylinder to Slave Cylinder Connections

YouTube - Ford Ranger & Mazda B-Series Pickup Clutch Hydraulic Release System Bleeding Procedures

 

Thank you very much for your response, and from the link, I noticed this advice on the 2nd page of posts:

"Hard Shifting:
Inspect the fluid level in the clutch master cylinder resiervoir
Is the fluid with the MAX and MIN level marks
If no add the brake fluid and check for leaks

If yes: With the engine off
Depress the clutch pedal
Shift the transmission
Does the transmission shift smoothly?
If no Inspect the fluid level in the transmission
Is the fluid level at the specified level?
If no FILL the transmission to specified level

If yes Check the transmission top cover by:
Remove the transmission
Remove the top cover
Shift the transmission through all gears
Does the top cover shift smoothly?
If no REPAIR and REPLACE the top cover as necessary

If yes then check Transmission Internal Components by:
Visually inspect the internal transmission components for indications of excessive wear or damage, REPAIR and REPLACE as needed."

I bolded and underlined the part that applies to me. I put about 3 quarts in the tranny after I did the clutch, but maybe it wants a little more.

I still wouldn't think that being a little low on tranny fluid would inhibit changing gears when the truck is OFF!

Thank you again!
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The clutch is working, because you can start the truck with the clutch engaged.
So the issue has to be with the transmission. Have you tried turning the transmission from underneath with the driveline while the clutch was engaged? So you have to have the rear wheels off the ground then engage the clutch and try to turn the driveshaft by hand. See if that does anything.

There might have been a problem with the trans and that's why the clutch went bad?


Given your decription of the transmission and my 1999 Service Manual troubleshooting guide, I can tell you that the solution is to drop the transmission, take the top cover off and inspect internal function, replace top, replace transmission and that should fix the problem.

you're right that being a little low on fluid would not cause it to lock up.
If you want to experiment out side the box you could try turning the transmission from the driveline side of the transmission while the clutch was engaged. See if that turns it.

 

Have you drained and replaced the transmission fluid every 60,000 miles?

 

The "real manual" referenced in an earlier response refers to the Ford Factory Truck Shop Manual. You may be able to get one through Helm Inc. or from E Bay. It may run you somewhere between $40 and $60, but it is really worth while. There have been times that I have taken mine along to the dealer to show them how to do something.

 

[QUOTE]
This sounds like a good idea! I will do it in a little bit and report back. What you are saying is if that the driveshaft will not turn with the rear wheels off the ground, then I have an issue with the transmission, right? Of course this is assuming the clutch is disengaged, which allows the transmission to move seperately from the engine.

This is a good idea.

Its possible, but the truck was always fairly easy to shift, and I never suspected an issue with the transmission.

Yeah, I dont feel as comfortable with this as I have never dealt with the internal components of the transmission. I really wouldn't know what to look for.

 

It might be just the shifter lever in the cab that's binding up. If so that pretty easy to fix. The shifter lever is in neutral now but the transmission might be in gear so the lever is not pushing on the transmission forks in the correct direction to shift the transmission.

Also when the rear wheels are up, try letting the clutch out with the engine running and see if the tires turn, if so then the problem is probably with the shift lever.

 

These are great videos. I have bled the system twice, but maybe that's not good enough. I would hate to do this, but maybe I need to remove the clutch master cylinder and resovoir and bleed seperately like on the video.

I felt confident that I had bled the system good enough until I saw this video. Now I am not so sure seeing how hard it is to get bled. And I am wondering if this is why my truck is stalling when I start it up, and when I let off the clutch pedal, the truck stalls.

 

Okay, now you really got my brain warmed up. If the shift lever is in neutral, "but the transmision might be in gear", then that may explain why the truck stalls after I start it and let up on the clutch pedal. If the transmission is in a gear, then it would stall when I let up on the clutch pedal.

I think its time to stop talking about this and put your ideas into action.

 

disconnect the line from the transmission and then push on the clutch pedal with your hand and see how far the pedal goes down. It shouldn't go more the 3/16 to 1/4 inch before your feel it engaging and report back

 

I will do this as soon as I can get my shifter issue worked out. I cannot shift into any gear while the truck is off. I feel this trumps any possible issues with the clutch and slave. I believe those issues are separate and not involved with the inability to shift into any gear while the truck is off. I think the shifter is bound, and maybe possibly, the transmission in presently in gear, without intending it to be.

Thanks for your ideas, and those videos were great!