Clutch Problems, PLEASE HELP!!!!!

OK guys here is the deal. I have an 88 cherokee with a 4.0 and 5 speed, I just got the jeep about a month ago and was told that the clutch was screwed up and would not go into gear and the previous owner had just had a new clutch cylinder installed. I took the jeep for a test drive and everything was just fine. I drove the jeep around for a couple of weeks and never had problem. Today I was driving it and all of the sudden the tranny would not go into gear. I shut the jeep off and fiddled with the clutch a little bit and it worked just fine for about a mile, then we came to a stop and the tranny would not go into gear again. What would make this thing have an intermittent problem like that? I have checked the clutch cylinder and it was full of fluid, I think I am goint to try and bleed the clutch, do you think that could have something to do with it? I am at a loss.

Could just need a bleeding. Drive it around and when it happens try and pump it up (like pumping the brakes) before putting into gear and see if that works. Did they replace the master?

Well the master cylinder was replaced but I was just reading and people were saying that you have to replace the master and the slave at the same time? Is that correct? And what are they calling the Slave cylinder? I was reading in a chilton manual and it is referring to the master and a release cylinder, is the release cylinder the same as the slave? I will try bleading and see if that helps. Maybe i just need to swap in a auto.

Yes, the release cylinder is the same as the slave cylinder, it's just a more PC description.

I'm having the same problem with my 94 4.0 AX-15. I want to bleed the clutch system, but I cannot find the bleeder screw or bolt on the slave cylinder. I have been searching online for a good picture of this external style slave cylinder without any luck. The piston housing seems to be plastic. Perhaps the bleeder "screw" is broken off? Does anyone have any knowledge, experience, or pictures of this cylinder?

KRIVRAQ said:

I'm having the same problem with my 94 4.0 AX-15. I want to bleed the clutch system, but I cannot find the bleeder screw or bolt on the slave cylinder. I have been searching online for a good picture of this external style slave cylinder without any luck. The piston housing seems to be plastic. Perhaps the bleeder "screw" is broken off? Does anyone have any knowledge, experience, or pictures of this cylinder?

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i had the same prob on my 94. if you are getting air in the system you have a leak somewhere and need to fix that. bleeding wont help. these systems are designed to be a closed system and not need fluid to be added even with clutch wear. i could not find a bleeder screw when i looked. i replaced my slave and master at the same time. i bought it as one unit pre-bled and filled with fluid. bolt right in. When i took my old slave out the piston fell out onto the ground.

i looked at the new one to try and find the bleeder on the slave and there was a threaded hole where it looks like they bled it from the factory but had no bleeder screw on it

to the op..i think the 88's have the internal slave and i dont have any experience with those.

Your 88 has an internal slave, the t/c and tranny have to come off to replace it. I would go dealer on this one, afer market ones tend to not last. If you really want to go whole hog for the long term replace the bell housing with a 96 or newer and convert to the external slave. If you are having it done the labor should be the same, just the cost of the external parts.
An external slave is a 30 minute replacement in the driveway.
The internal slave is about the size of a short beer can, 3 tabs, 1 mounting tab and two fluid fittings, with a boot on it and it slides in and out. I just grabbed one off the shelf, it's a new one that we bought for our YJ before looking and found out the YJ had already been converted to external. Just never took it back. For the external I have no problem with after market, they are easy to replace.
On second thought just to cover all the bases, get under there and look at your bell housing, if you see an assembly there about the size of kingsize cigar with a line running into it thats an external. I know, bad description, if possible get under a newer 5speed TJ or XJ and compare.

Check the condition of your line. You should have the internal slave. If there any cracks on the line replace it.

On my 88, the line rotted, so I replaced it. all was fine.

Then the Master was leaking on my fuses and my left foot, replaced it all was fine.

Then my slave pooped out, new clutch kit and slave cyl. later all was fine.

Moral of the story, replace the systed before it's too late.

I'd try to find a 94-96 bellhousing with AX15 and swap the whole thing, and like Rich said, you get the easy maitenecne Master/Slave.

When mine did that, it turned out to be a nuked pilot bearing. It destroyed the end of the input shaft and took out the input bearing on the tranny. It was intermittently not releasing and you could hear a whining sound getting louder over time, which was probably the input bearing going.

jrsmith_80 said:

DO you have to replace the slave and master cylinder at the same time? I know I have a new master cylinder but the slave cylinder was not replaced. I found a hole in the line and I replaced it. How do you go about bleeding the system?

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If you're talking about an 88, which has the internal slave, there should be a bleeder down by the tranny for bleeding the air out. Should be right next to where you attached the new line. The internal slave unit is usually ordered as a seperate item for the internal setup.