Engine/Transmission (1998.5 - 2002) Clutch problem, Safe to drive?

[AC]

My transmission has gone from hard to shift to wont shift. There does appear to be a slight leak at the slave cylinder but the fluid level at the master cylinder looks good. The clutch engagement point however is at the floor. If I'm stopped I have to turn off the motor to put it in gear. . The truck does lunge a little with the starter but I can get it going. One other peculiar thing it does, when idling in neutral with the clutch depressed, when attempting to get the truck in gear it will start to move. I can actually rock it back and forth by attempting to put the truck in reverse and then first gears. I'm not even getting it in gear and it's moving Once moving the truck will shift OK.



What's happening? Can I drive it this way to the shop who put the clutch in ( 300 miles away) or should I just limp over to the local shop and cross my fingers?



Thanks, AC

 

[clong]

I would call a wrecker to come tow it. Not worth the danger to you and the other drivers on the road.

 

[B.G. Smith]

Originally posted by AC

My transmission has gone from hard to shift to wont shift. There does appear to be a slight leak at the slave cylinder but the fluid level at the master cylinder looks good. The clutch engagement point however is at the floor. If I'm stopped I have to turn off the motor to put it in gear. . The truck does lunge a little with the starter but I can get it going. One other peculiar thing it does, when idling in neutral with the clutch depressed, when attempting to get the truck in gear it will start to move. I can actually rock it back and forth by attempting to put the truck in reverse and then first gears. I'm not even getting it in gear and it's moving Once moving the truck will shift OK.



What's happening? Can I drive it this way to the shop who put the clutch in ( 300 miles away) or should I just limp over to the local shop and cross my fingers?



Thanks, AC

You are checking the fluid in the clutch master cyl. , right? The movement of truck while trying to get in gear is caused by the synchronizer clutches in the transmission, when the gears are forced toward engagement they synchronize the turning speed of the two gears to keep from grinding. It is pretty easy to shift without the clutch disengaging when moving as you have found, if the clutch gets to the point where it doesn't disengage any at all, the truck may keep going when you try to stop in gear. It probably won't hurt anything to drive the truck to the (300 miles) shop if you don't get hung up in heavy traffic but if traffic is a problem, might get it checked out locally. bg.

 

[Deezul1]

You can drive it to the shop just fine the way it is. I had a throwout fork break on another truck about 700 miles from home on a vacation and with a 11. 5 ft slide in camper onboard. By being careful approaching lights and shifting without using the clutch (which was non functional as far as the pedal was concerned) and when having to stop, shutting off the engine and restarting in granny gear when light turned green, We finished our vacation ok. Didnt hurt a thing, just a PITA.

 

[TboneMan]

This sounds exactly like what my truck was doing before I have the slave/master cylinder replace. This solved the problem.



A word of advice, double check the "O" clip that holds the slave cylinder piston/cable to the clutch pedal. Mine popped off the day after I picked my truck up from the shop that did the work.



It left me stranded and sitting in the middle of an intersection. I had to push the truck out of the intersection (thank God for a bit of down hiill slope).



THe shop sent their tow truck (a old F350). It was a depressing site to say the least.