cheddar

This is my first post here so my apologies for it being a 'help me with my problem type post'.

My wife has a 1991 Jeep Cherokee, it has around 244000 miles on it and it is here pride and joy. She loves the thing and drives it everyday to work.

Recently she has been having trouble shifting gears, there is very little pressure in the clutch and it's just VERY difficult to switch. It's still drive-able but it's just frustrating.

Living in West Virginia, there are a LOT of people who seem to think they are experts. With this in mind we asked around and ended up talking to a friends father who said he replace the whole clutch system. So we ended up buying this from Advanced Auto and paid the guy to put it in.

The trouble is that we are still having the same issue. Again speaking to a few people we were told that maybe we got a faulty slave cylinder from advanced auto and they supposedly have a bad reputation. So this leads us in a pickle not really knowing what to do next. We already paid to replace the clutch system so we are down money already.

I know next to nothing about cars so I am asking for some advice as to how to proceed next. What would be your advice?

Thanks in advance.

dave1123

Welcome to CF! It's nice to know there are still people out there who like to "stir a stick!"

It's possible your clutch master cylinder is at fault. It's the only thing left in the system. If the piston is bypassing fluid, it won't disengage the clutch fully. Either that or the slave cylinder is trash.

I'd take it back to the guy who installed it and TELL him to make it right. He shouldn't have given it back to you if it wasn't right. If he gives you a hassle, threaten him with a lawyer. Even if you don't go that far, it may change his mind.

JMHO.

cheddar

Thanks for the reply.

If it makes any difference, I know she can shift gears with no problem when the engine is off.

She also has a fuel leak somewhere but she has had that for a while, she is loosing anti-freeze and some oil. She has been told the head gasket has a leak and it was recommended to replace that and use some sort of head gasket sealer as a temporary fix.

cheddar

Just another point that maybe worth mentioning, she says the clutch doesn't have much pressure in it. I am sure that must have something to do with it 'lines didn't get bleed properly?'

Very frustrating at the moment.

dave1123

Okay, I'm going way back. There are a couple of reasons the clutch doesn't have much pressure. The pressure plate isn't the right one might be one. The slave cylinder is larger than it's supposed to be making it easier to press down but not traveling far enough is another. If the slave cylinder piston rod is adjustable, make sure it's not set too short and holding the throw-out bearing too far away from the clutch plate to fully disengage it. The major problem with hydraulic clutches is they usually don't give you the feel of how much clearance you have before the throw-out contacts the pressure plate.

I have to admit all of my experience with clutches is with mechanical linkages, but hydraulic clutches are simple. You've only got 2 elements, the master cylinder and the slave cylinder. It's very easy to bleed. There is a bleeder valve on the slave cylinder and you bleed it just like brakes.

There is another possibility. If there is oil on the friction plate, it could be sticking and dragging. Try this; start the engine and hold the clutch down for about 5 seconds. then try to slowly shift the transmission into gear. If it grinds, the clutch isn't disengaging fully.

Usually oil on the friction plate can get there in 2 ways; greasy hands on assembly or a leaking rear main seal. Also, if the bellhousing has a front or bottom cover, it can be blowing back from the motor.

Well, that's about all I've got. I hope it steers you in the right directions.

Coodoos to your wife! My wife complained "Why don't you buy something I can drive?" so I've bought automatics since then. I really miss powershifting my Camaro.

OH, wait! I almost forgot. If you're talking about a sealer you pour into the radiator, don't do it! You can plug up the heater and radiator cores. JMHO. Besides, it won't seal a head gasket leak.

I've always bought my parts from rock auto.com and they've never given me the wrong parts and always delivered on time. Again JMHO.

cheddar

Just a update here.

This is the kit that she gave to the guy to install, someone pointed out to me that it did not have a master cylinder so that maybe the issue she is having.

http://shop.advanceautoparts.com/p/p...m=clutch%20set

I think we will next try installing a new master cylinder and also making sure it's bleed properly before trying something else.

Thanks again.

dave1123

Bingo! That was my first thought, but I thought I'd cover all possibilities.