5 Speed Manual Won't Shift
 

Newbie here. Tried searches, but always got 500 pages of threads.

The battery on my 1995 F-150 300 CI six with 5 speed manual went dead when I tried starting it two months ago in really cold weather, so I let it sit. I jumped it the other day and it started fine. But the transmission is stuck in neutral. I can move the shifter to all positions, but it won't go into any gear. I just has the slave cylinder replaced a couple of years ago and I know what it was like when that started to go. That was gradual. This was all of a sudden.

Could just sitting for a couple of months cause something like this? Does anyone know what this could be?

Thanks,

Mike

I told a friend's brother about my problem and he said sometimes the clutch will adhere to the flywheel. He said hos old truck did this when it sat too long. Maybe it can be affected by moisture (I live in Western Washington and we do have rainy winters)?

He said I might be able to remove the bell housing pan and pry it loose. I haven't looked under there yet to see if it has such a pan. I hope I don't have to drop the tranny.

Has anyone else had this happen and have a good way to un-seize the clutch plate?

Thanks,

Mike

i have had it happen, but not on a truck, this was on a tractor, the best thing you can do is hook another truck to it and give it a pull, but being since it is stuck in neutral this might not work since mine was stuck in gear, this means you may have to tear it down to get it unstuck. a little advice is that if you are planning on having it sit for awhile put it in gear not neutral so you can break the clutch loose next time OR every now and then start the dam thing and drive it up and down the driveway, even moving it 20 feet and back will prevent the clutch from freezing, leave em long enough and they get rusted then you have a real problem

Will it go into gear with the truck off?

That sounds like something is broken with the shift linkages inside the transmission.

If the clutch disc was stuck to the flywheel, you would be able to start the truck in neutral, but when you tried to shift into gear it would be just like you forgot to push the clutch pedal down. In other words you would get a grinding, the truck would lunge forward or you would kill the engine. This is assuming everything else was working as it should.

You need to get a correct diagnosis here.

Good Advice
 

Thanks guys.

The guy I talked to said he used to have his truck pushed to unstick it, but that was with the tranny in gear. Makes sense; it would be jarred loose.

Also makes sense that if the shift linkage is okay, you'd get a grinding when trying to put it in gear.

Jeez, I hope it's not that the linkage is broken. Don't know how it would get that way from just sitting.

I'm just going to have to get into it and find out.

Thanks for the advice and I've learned never to leave it in neutral when sitting. Usually don't, but was on level ground.

Mike

Is this a 4wheel drive model? if so transfer case in neutral?

make sure there is nothing in front or behind of the vehicle.
with engine off, put the trans in gear. step down on the clutch and start engine and be ready to shut it rite off. if the truck moves, the problem is in the clutch. if it does not move, the ptoblem is in the trans or transfer case if a 4 wheel drive.

It's not 4X4. I'll give that a try if it will go into gear with ignition in off position. Your idea sound like it might just put some torque on the clutch and jar it loose.

Thanks,

Mike

that is the idea. my 66 7 litre does not get out too often, and after sitting for more than around 10-11 months the clutch disc "sticks" to the flywheel.
starting in gear with the clutch pedal depressed works great. it usually does not move at all, or only a foot or so before it breaks loose.

I had something similar happen to me and my 1993 F250. I had let the truck sit for several days and it was real cold out (Around 0F). when I got in to it to go to a Fire call and could not shift or stop with out shutting the truck down. so I just ground gears until I got to the Fire House then Just shut down the truck. After I got back to the Fire house I started to check it out and found that my master cylinder was shot. I replaced the master and bled the air out. it worked fine for a couple of days then get real cold again and I had more issues. so I bled it again but this time i put a whole bottle of brake fluid through it and it has been working great since.

My suggestion is to check the Resivor for the clutch Make sure you have fluid, Bleed the clutch and try again.

It Worked!
 

I tried Tom's suggestion and it worked like a charm. I found that it would go into gear with the engine not started. I put it in first, stepped on the clutch pedal and turned the ignition key. The truck started to lurch forward and I turned the key off. One more time and it broke loose. Thanks Tom!

Mike

no problem!!!

glad it worked and i could help.

would this make help even if I can drive it by starting it in gear? My 87 f250 won't go in gear when I push the clutch in its like it's not pushing far enough I've bleed the system over and over replaced master and slave cylinder and can't figure nothing out I'm trying to ask someone else before I take it to the shop