I asked this once before but have made a new discovery since. I drove my XJ to the deer lease, pulled a plow in low 4x4, drove the 75 miles home and parked it (yes I took it out of 4 wheel drive before driving home). The next day I could not get the thing outta first gear. I have now discovered that my master cylinder is dry. Can this keep the manual tranny in gear?

 

If you mean the Clutch master cylinder (not the brake master cylinder...) then yes, Not enough fluid = clutch won't release = transmission won't go out of gear (if it has any torque load on it at all, like if you are parked even on a slight incline)
Top up the fluid (use brake fluid), you'll probably need to bleed it also.

 

Thank you very much Big H. While it has been sitting I put a 2" lift and bigger tires on it hoping that this "stuck in gear thing" would not be a bigger problem. Climbed under again today and saw that the rubber part of the hose going to the slaver cylinder has been leaking. I will bleed it once to make sure this is the problem and then replace the hose. Again, thanks for your help!!!