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Stock XJ Cherokee Tech. All XJ Non-modified/stock questions go hereXJ (84-01)
All OEM related XJ specific tech. Examples, no start, general maintenance or anything that's stock.
Not a "clutch" issue, but a clutch hydraulics issue. Air in the lines, bad master or slave cylinder, etc. You'll know if the clutch master or slave cylinders are bad because they'll leak externally.
I'll be honest with you. I was an ASE master certified technician in 2005, so I've been doing this a while. So I don't really think it's that difficult to drop the transmission. Granted I haven't worked as a mechanic for some years now, so I resorted to removing/reinstalling it in my driveway, but still.
You DO have to drop the transmission, which can be challenging if you've never done it before. You will need an E12 socket (there are 2 external torx bolts at the top of the bell housing) and a torque wrench to put the clutch pressure plate back on. I would recommend changing the clutch while you're in there, but you don't have to if it's not giving you any problems. You will also need a pilot bearing puller to get the pilot bearing out, or look up the "bread trick". To realign the clutch, you'll need a clutch alignment tool, which usually comes with a new clutch kit. You can also buy them from parts stores for about $5-10. There are probably a few youtube videos on how to remove the transmission, but it's definitely not expensive by any means. We're talking like $10-20 for a new pilot bearing. It can easily be done over a weekend.
The noise was like a whirring or low pitched grinding noise. It would also jerk the whole vehicle when in gear at a stop once it got hot, sort of as if the clutch was grabbing. You'd try to put it in reverse and it would make an awful gear grind.
Thank you for your information. I would say it only grinds really bad in reverse and is challenging going into 1st gear but again only 50% of the time.
For someone who has never dropped a transmission before I am assuming this might be out of my pay grade. I will look up some youtube videos to see what I am getting myself into
Yes, correct. Just thought trying a bleed would be a better first step than dropping the tranny. Also I read a thread that some of the pre-bleed kits could be faulty which would be cheaper replacing that than dropping the tranny and seeing if it is something else.
With my mountain bike, I bleed brakes/dropper and will usually bleed it a second time if it doesn't fix the problem because of human error. This might not be the case for this bleed though.
Update:
Looked at the bell housing area and saw some fluid (maybe it is grease) coming out. Not sure if this could be the root of what I am feeling (bad flywheel, pilot bearing or throw-out bearing). If it is leaking could this be my target of diagnosis?
Last edited by jalvarado8; Aug 5, 2022 at 11:44 AM.
That is most likely a weeping rear main seal. Every jeep rear main weeps a little. It's nothing to be concerned about.
Try bleeding it. Clutch hydraulics are tricky to bleed properly. You really need a mityvac to do a pressure bleed. It essentially pushes fluid from the bleeder screw up to the master. Make sure you suck some fluid out of the reservoir.
