...before I'm going to need a new tranny?
I have a 1997 Ranger 4-cyl (2wd), 5-speed stick with 219,000 (mostly highway) miles. The clutch and tranny have been giving me some trouble (for a while, actually) and I'm just wondering how long before I need to do something about it. The fluid level is fine, the plugs are not leaking.
The problems are as follows: it is difficult to shift into first at a stop (seems worse in the rain), I cannot downshift to second gear without double clutching, I cannot downshift to third gear above 40 mph without double clutching, when I drive a long distance on the highway, it is very "stiff" feeling when I downshift to fourth (double clutching doesn't make any difference), and (the wierd one) if the truck sits for several days, the first few (4-5, maybe) upshifts the truck seems to buck/almost die when I engage the clutch, unless I gun the engine and slip the clutch as though starting from a stop. I believe this is what's known as clutch chatter. (Right?)

History of these systems: original clutch replaced by a well-respected Ford dealer at 181,000, including slave cylinder. When I got the truck (from a good friend, the original owner) at 203,000, the clutch reservoir was empty. I refilled it and the dealership bled it and replaced the transmission fluid.

I think that there are two problems- the slave is leaking slightly onto the clutch disc, and causing the chatter and some of the difficulty shifting into first. I also think that the synchros in the trans are pretty well worn, accounting for the other problems, and the rest of the difficulty shifting into first.

So, my questions are:
1. is a leaking slave a reasonable diagnosis for the "chatter"?
2. if I want to fix it, should I just replace the clutch parts and wait for the tranny to get worse before I do something about that, or if the tranny is going to be coming out anyway should I replace/rebuild it?
3. how hard is it to repair the transmission I have? Is it worth it?
4. how likely am I to have a major problem in the next 4,000 miles? (I'd either have to do it over Christmas break or after spring semester, and I don't have a heated garage...)

It's quite drivable now (I just look like I don't know how to drive when I leave the parking lot...), and I really don't mind double clutching. Anyone have any input on the best thing to do?

Thanks,
Ian

(and sorry for writing a book...)

 

When my trans went out a little over a year ago, it started to leak from the plugs and made a "werrrrrrrrr" when you drive it. So I feel your pain in not knowing how long you can go. When it finally gave out it just happened with out warning. The only gear I had left was 4th, and I was still 3 miles from home. That was fun.

Your assumptions sound reasonable about the leaking slave cyl causing some slippage. If you have ever dropped a trans then you should know what a Royal PITA it is. Under "ideal" circumstances you should replace everything you can while it is down. I would recommend dropping the trans and getting a rebuilt unit, replacing the clutch, PP, release bearing, pilot bearing and slave cyl. Not to mention have the flywheel resurfaced. If you don't mind doing the labor, then just replace everything but the trans and wait for it to give up. It is possible all of your problems stem from the leaky slave and worn clutch.

As far as how long do you have????? There is no way to tell. Just know that you are on burrowed time as it is. Baby it as much as possible and you might make it to spring. I wish it could be narrowed down, but I would say you have a couple positive things going: it is not leaking, there is no noise coming from it, and it is "drivable".

 

Sounds very familiar. I have a 96 with almost the same symptoms. The first thing I would do is bleed the clutch. That's all I do when it gets very difficult to drive. The first time I did it, I got a bunch of white looking paste out. This is what the fluid does when it gets moisture.
It's probably the easiest thing to do, and if you already have the brake fluid and a buddy to help, cheap. Try it first, and if it helps get you thru, you might find it actually fixes the problem.
Can't believe the clutch would be going and the slave cylinder in only 20,000 miles. So would start with bleeding.

 

They have rebuilt Tranny's on Ebay for $700. Go ahead and get one.

 

Thanks for the suggestion, I'll definately try that. When you bleed it, do you just use the gravity bleed procedure in the Haynes manual?

I have no signs of clutch failure, other than the chatter; if there are any failed parts in there, I think it is just the slave (and/or lines to it), which were probably defective to begin with or damaged when installed. But, I really don't know, I'm just guessing.

EDIT: It does NOT make any unusual noises, either.

 

Bleeding the clutch is incredibly difficult. Give it a shot and see what happens.

 

I usually bleed mine with a vacumn pump. Same one you'd use for bleeding brakes. I've also found bleeding with an extra person pumping the clutch works, but not as well. Just make sure you keep the master cylinder full, it's not real big and real easy to run out of fluid and put more air back into the system. That's why I went to a pump, while I bleed, I have another person continuing to fill the master as it needs it.

Mine did the same thing. No extra noises, just hard to shift, hard to get into gear, a lot of the times double clutching helped between gears. Mine clunked hard going into reverse. Some mornings the clutch would start off great, then as I drove, it seemed to get worse, my guess was the air bubbles were compressed because of being cold, then expanded as they warmed. Right after bleeding, it was like it should be. Seems that getting all that air out is a bit of a chore.

 

how the heck did you get the vac pump to work? mine kept sucking air at the elbow that hooks onto the bleeder screw no matter how much sealing grease i used. could not get it to work.

 

Didn't use the elbow or that connection. For some reason, mine fit just using the clear hose directly connected to the bleeder screw. A little extra pressure on the hose to keep it on tight with my left hand while I pumped with my right.