Clutch or Transmission

[DMosher]

Question for you. Been having a problem with getting the truck into gear but only when stopped. This does not happen every time that I stop about every 4th or so. When it does I shift up into 5th then it goes right into 2nd. I don't use first since it is a granny gear. So is this a clutch problem or a transmission problem. I am running the gertag with an extra quart of Redline in it. It gets old in rush hour traffic having to shift into 5th to get into 2nd to get going.



Doug

 

[1stgen4evr]

clutch or- - - -

Need a bit more trouble info. Certainly could be the clutch but usually the clutch will be consistent with a fault. By 'won't go in gear' are you saying it grates, just won't slide in, won't go in any gear except fifth. Usually the clutch will cause a problem that is correctable by shifting into any gear thereby stopping motion in the transmission shafts allowing the low gear shift. (Up to the point that it won't shift at all. )



Any assosciated noise or other symptoms? Possible noise from a throwout going bad? Does the pedal feel normal.



1stgen4evr

James

 

[MMiller]

Like james asked is it grinding, or just won't slide into gear?



If its not grinding then its probably just the synchro not lining up right. Mine won't always go into reverse. Always been that way. I you watch me manuver my truck you will notice I almost always go to 5th before dropping it into reverse. It is just habit after driving it for most of its 210,000 miles.



The next time driving it, slide it into second just before the truck stops rolling, or when stopped ease the clutch out a little to get the input shaft turning, and then it will drop into gear. I don't let stuff like this bother me, I have driven a large varaiety of heavy trucks, semi trucks ect.



If it is grinding to go into gear, then the clutch is not disengaging or maybe the pilot bearing is junk, and it is hanging up and spinning the input shaft.



Let us know.



Michael

 

[DMosher]

There is now grinding or any other noise, it just does not want to slide into gear. I'll be at a stop, depress the clutch go to shift into 2nd and it does not want to go in. So I slide it up into 5th and then it goes into 2nd with no problems. Also your right I won't go into any other gear but into 5th. The pedal seems to be normal to me.



Thank you for the quick reply's.



Doug

 

[1stgen4evr]

Well- - - -

Still not too sure but I would lean toward the transmission on that last info. 100k miles on a 4x4. Not a lot of miles but from all the other post on the subject, you may be approaching the service life of the getrag in that application. It could be the pilot bearing, or syncros if it has been shifted hard most of its life. But 'won't go into any gear'- - - - Hard call. Based on how far from home you drive, you may want to go ahead and tear into it. It is repairable for a good deal less now than it will be if it is run to destruction or broken on the road. Lots of stuff to take out on the 4x4. Still just nuts and bolts. And you will need a good transmission jack. Or very husky friends.



But try Michaels method to see if you can get it to go smoothly. It may run lots longer. As I said 'Hard call'.



1stgen4evr

James

 

[MMiller]

Kinda weird, it won't go into any gear but 5th. Now thats a little perplexing. No grinding indicates clutch is releasing, input shaft is not turning. I have never had it not go into any of the gears but 5th. I woundn't think that 5 of the 6 gears in the trans teeth woundn't line up all at the same time. Anybody else got any ideas?



Michael

 

[dpuckett]

I'd say it sounds like the clutch isnt the culprit. My Getrag (and this aint the first one this way) doesnt really like to go into reverse, so I drop it in 4th at a stop, then go into reverse. I also have times it wont go into 2nd at a complete stop, but I try to downshift to keep it in the gear somewhat correspondent to road speed. So, it sounds like synchros to me. If you can, try letting the clutch out a little bit, until the stick will slide right into gear. I have done that with trannies near their deaths.



On a side note, my father's 92 puked its Getrag at 75K. He said he never abused it. But then I rode with him one time, and he was in 5th gear by 35mph!!!! , w/3. 54s. I told him to wrap it out a little more and his transmission would last longer, but I dont think he listened. I come by my hard headedness honestly.



Daniel

 

[Demon Dodge]

For what it is worth. The Getrag in my 92 was always a beast to downshift. Then one day I totally lost reverse. Pulled the top off the trans found the roll pins in the shift forks bent or broken. I replaced the roll pins now it shifts like a hot knife through butter.

 

[Paychk]

I would check the clutch pedal where it hooks to the clutch master cylinder rod. There is a nylon bushing that is supposed to get lubricate & gets forgotten a lot. When this happens the rod wears almost in two and it gets very hard to put the transmission in some gears, because the clutch isn't totally dis-engaged.

 

[dpuckett]

I didnt think about that, as he didnt mention the pedal being halfway to the floor. I had a post that made it into the magazine (issue 43 or 44) about filling in the wear with a welder and getting a new bushing. Dodge has them for about $1. 79; no auto parts stores here have them, but then again, no one around here likes to shift anything.



Daniel

 

[DMosher]

The clutch peddle is sitting where it needs to be, up even with the other peddle's. But I want to thank all of you for the input on this. I wil check the things that were mentioned from you.



Doug