clutch Q.

[volaredon]

On my 97 TJ; I am finishing up a frame replacement. Yeah lotta work. 4.0, AX 15, etc. all stock. only 87 K miles. I put a clutch in it at 60K, replaced with a Car Quest complete clutch kit; I don't remember whether it was a Sachs or a Luk; but it was the same brand as the OE one I replaced, I do remember that; at that time, T/O brg went, so the slave blew, fork nearly rubbed in 2 pcs against the pressure plate. (wife was driving, ha ha) enuf ancient history (I hope)
~2-3 weeks ago I pulled it all apart lifted body off, with 2 come a longs and set on sawhorses, while I located a replacement frame (due to RUST) and swapped the powertrain to the replacement.
Got the finishing touches on today, went to start and move it under its own power; clutch will not release! Worked fine 2-3 weeks ago! Pulled the slave and got in there with a deep wall socket and a prybar, put top stud and nut for slave back on, so the prybar would have something to "bite" on, and tried to manually disengage the clutch. Slave works as it should, the master is still full of fluid, no leaks. pedal feels like it always has. I had my son inside, and I jacked up the rear wheels, (so I didn't get run over) had him start it, and try to put it into gear; no go unless he shut the motor off. (he's driven this Jeep before) I was trying to work the clutch from underneath with the prybar and the socket pushing on where the slave pushes against..
I do have a new Centerforce pressure plate on the shelf (bought for something else that it didn't fit, but found out it was the right P/N for the Wrangler, so I hung onto it as a "spare") bought it for a 318 Dakota, seems they sent me a PP for a 3.9V6/4.0 instead of a V8. Would not mind puttin' that in, but the damn thing worked fine 2 weeks ago! I unbolted the master and zip tied it to the throtle cable bracket out of the way of getting "caught" on anything. I don't wanna pull this back apart unless I HAVE to at this time.

I remember seeing in some old service manuals, NOT to steam clean a manual trans vehicle and always wondered why. NO I did not steam clean it but I did powerwash the motor and transmission before swapping it to the other frame. Wimpy elec power washer, cold well water, and I used BH-38 degreaser, a butyl based degreaser on the engine. I never seperated the motor/trans/T case, pulled all 3 pieces as 1 large assembly and set them onto the new frame (went much easier w/o the body in the way)

Any way to "unstick" everything w/o pulling the transmission out? I'm thinking the power wash job had something to do with the problem. Motor fires right up, as it always did.

 

[SteelHeadz]

I've power washed my engine and transmission many times after slushing around on the mud pit and did not cause any issues nor have i've seen anything on the service manuals about the powerwash job on the transmission or steam cleaning it. The only thing you need to watch out for when you powerwash the trans. is the vent tube. Don't let any water in the tube or it will end up inside the transmission. As for the clutch issue, make sure that the slave cylinder rod is sitting on the indentation of the clutch fork for it to push the release bearing properly. I doubt that the clutch and pressure plate is already worn out after 27,000 miles but i could be wrong. Driver habits plays a big role in the longevity of the clutch disc, pressure plate and throw out bearing. Also, make sure that the plastic tip on the slave cylinder push rod is not missing. I would have to guess that your slave cylinder has failed.

 

[volaredon]

Thanks. What I dont get is that it was fine before I swapped frames. How would that kill a slave cylinder?? I made damn sure to rig my lift chain to not touch the slave. this one has that silly a$$ed plastic one piece master-line-slave setup that has to be replaced in one chunk. Thats what I was thinking the clutch can't be gone already; the way it worked before swapping frames, vs now, should be proof of that in itself!
It definitely feels like the fork is maybe "flexing" instead of pushing down the diaphragm spring when I try to operate it manually with the prybar. (but the bellhousing isn't exactly "transparent", so I can't see whats going on inside there for sure)
and yeah, I've powerwashed many an engine before too; but cant remember doing one that was not either run immediately after the powerwash or even left running during the process even, OR powerwashed to cleanup for a teardown. Not powerwashed a non running engine then let it sit a week before trying to start it.

On the water in the transmission issue I made sure to prevent that I put a vacuum cap on the vent nipple as soon as I pulled the vent hose off on pulling everything apart. but good point there. Yes the vent hose is back in place.
The slave appears to be working as I hold it out of the bell and have someone push the chutch pedal in with their hand. No leakage; master is full, Ive never had to add fluid here;
the reason I pulled the slave in the 1st place, was because I thought I heard fluid squirting out, much as you do with a busted brake line but it was bone dry in there.

I think I'm gonna (ugh) put the slave back in its hole, continue to top off the radiator (I have not yet run it long enuf to open the T stat since getting it going on the new frame) start it in gear and take it around the block to see if it breaks loose. Being it worked fine before the frame swap I am at a loss, as to why it isn't now. If this were a mechanical linkage clutch I could see possible things that could be different; (one frame tweaked, different yr frame putting bellcrank mount in a slightly different spot, etc but they are all moot on this application.

IF I have to pull it down, 27K or not, it will be gettin replaced again; I have a Centerforce "1 step over stock" PP, but whose disc would be a good one to go with it???? Stock replacement or something else?

 

[volaredon]

OK problem solved (I think) It always worries me when a problem "fixes itself"; Started it in 2nd and let it crawl, felt it release by the time I got to the corner; it seems to be working again like it used to.