93' Cherokee Clutch Problem

dadystbird · Nov 28, 2005

Today I went to start my Jeep & the shifter would not move. This has happened a few times before but usually only when I had the Jeep parked on hill. In the past I just turned the engine off & manualy moved the shifter & everything was OK when I started up. This time the clutch pedel went floppy & would not work. The engine starts but no clutch. I'd appreciate anyones ideas. Is it bad clutch, linkage or?? - Thanks

summitlt · Nov 28, 2005

Lol, theres no linkage, its a hydraulic clutch. Check the fluid in that and bleed if nessessary. could be a bad slave cylinder also (a reason to lose all the fluid)

dadystbird · Nov 28, 2005

Thanks. I checked the fluid & it was low but not completely gone. Would the slave unit give out that quickly without notice?

summitlt · Nov 28, 2005

Not really sure, but how low is low? If it sucked air then it could be a tproblem. If the hill wa snig enough, and it was lowe enough that could have been the probelm.

otto · Nov 28, 2005

Try filling the clutch master cylinder resevoir to the fill line and pump the clutch pedal to see if you can regain pressure. If not, check under the Jeep, left side behind the bell housing for fluid leak. If you see fluid, the internal slaver cylinder is bad, and you'll have to drop the tranny to replace it. If no fluid is present, try bleeding the system with a 1/4" flare nut wrench on the slave bleeder nipple in the same location. If you're losing fluid from the master but can't find it coming from the slave, it's probably leaking through the firewall onto the fuse box, in which case the master is shot.

dadystbird · Nov 28, 2005

Thank for the good information. I tried pumping the pedal after I filled the resevor. No success. I have had two other Cherokee's that leaked fluid onto the fuse box so I'm familiar with that problem. This seems different. I will take a look under the vehicle tommorow. Thanks again for your help.

Eagle · Nov 28, 2005

dadystbird said:
Thanks. I checked the fluid & it was low but not completely gone. Would the slave unit give out that quickly without notice?

But you have had notice. You experienced similar behavior previously but didn't realize that it signaled a problem in the making.

Be sure to inspect the hose between the master and slave, too. If old, it can crack and allow pressure to bleed off.

dadystbird · Nov 28, 2005

Thank you for good advice!

87manche · Nov 28, 2005

Eagle said:
If old, it can crack and allow pressure to bleed off.

exactly what happened to me. The manifold flange gasket is shot and it was cooking the hose.
87 MJ 4.0 for me.

kooter · Nov 28, 2005

Great forums you guys have here...I've been lurking and figured out that I've got to wrestle the trans out of my '92 XJ w/5-speed to replace the internal slave cylinder for my lame clutch problem. Since the trans is coming out, is there anything else other than the clutch that you guys would recommend replacing while I'm in there? (like rear-main seal, or any bearings?) ANd it seems Centerforce is kinda the choice of clutches for Jeeps, do they make just one kind or is one better than another? Please help...my expectant wife is due next spring, and we can't share cars that long. =)
-peas out

dadystbird · Nov 28, 2005

87manche said:
exactly what happened to me. The manifold flange gasket is shot and it was cooking the hose.
87 MJ 4.0 for me.

Did you get by with only replaceing the hose?

otto · Nov 29, 2005

Great forums you guys have here...I've been lurking and figured out that I've got to wrestle the trans out of my '92 XJ w/5-speed to replace the internal slave cylinder for my lame clutch problem. Since the trans is coming out, is there anything else other than the clutch that you guys would recommend replacing while I'm in there?

Some people recommend replacing clutch slave and master together. New master cylinder cooked my old slave cylinder in no time.
Check your -U- joints to see if any need replacing as well as the condition of the tranny mount, and use new straps for the -U- bolts.
The job can be done with two floor jacks, jack stands and wood blocks for height. I removed my AX-15 with the TC attached, the combined unit isn't that heavy. Worst part of the job are the damn reverse torx head bolts at the top of the bell housing which require E-12 socket IIRC and a bunch of extensions to reach them from inside the Jeep.

Eagle · Nov 29, 2005

kooter said:
ANd it seems Centerforce is kinda the choice of clutches for Jeeps, do they make just one kind or is one better than another?

Centerforce is hardly the clutch of choice for Jeeps. I strongly advise you to go factory or Luks, but NOT Centerforce.

Why do so many people think a clutch designed to lock up at 6000+ RPM is a great idea in a vehicle that will seldom see more than 3000 RPM? I don't get it.

Dr. Dyno · Nov 29, 2005

dadystbird said:
Thanks. I checked the fluid & it was low but not completely gone. Would the slave unit give out that quickly without notice?

Yes. When the slave goes, it goes suddenly without notice. Likewise, if the plastic hose from the clutch master to the slave melts from the heat produced by the exhaust header (bad factory design), the same thing happens i.e. sudden loss of hydraulic pressure. That happened to me about four weeks ago and I patched up the hose by cutting off the bad section and replacing it with a section of steel brake pipe. I stuffed about 2" of brake pipe inside each cut end of the plastic pipe, secured it with two hose clamps on each end, and smeared some epoxy steel paste over the joints to prevent leakage.
Until now it's held up until I get a replacement part.

87manche · Nov 29, 2005

dadystbird said:
Did you get by with only replaceing the hose?

I did for a week, but the master cylinder was shot too. I think I damaged it when I tried using the clutch and the resovoir was dry because the hose leaked.

kooter · Nov 29, 2005

Eagle said:
Centerforce is hardly the clutch of choice for Jeeps. I strongly advise you to go factory or Luks, but NOT Centerforce.

Why do so many people think a clutch designed to lock up at 6000+ RPM is a great idea in a vehicle that will seldom see more than 3000 RPM? I don't get it.

Affirmative...thanks for the input... speaking of, so no other repairs while I"m soaked with trans fluid lying on my back under the belly of my beloved jeep? not even an input bearing or seal, or anyting else??

Jawol & thanks !

ajeeperwannabe · Feb 20, 2007

kooter said:
Affirmative...thanks for the input... speaking of, so no other repairs while I"m soaked with trans fluid lying on my back under the belly of my beloved jeep? not even an input bearing or seal, or anyting else??

Jawol & thanks !

Anyone to add to the what else to do while tranny is dropped?

87manche · Feb 20, 2007

clutch kit should have everything you need.
throwout bearing and clutch plates, don't have the flywheel machined, it's got a concave shape.

93' Cherokee Clutch Problem

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