hey guys, i have a 96 4x4 3.9 with a 5 speed with 163k, my baby. She has been acting up really badly for the last day or two, i have to force the transmission into gear VERY forcefully. When the truck is off I can move through the gears with no problem but when I start the truck it refuses to go into gear, with first and second taking tons of force, sometimes i cant even get it into first. When its in gear it drives fine with no strange noises or anything else odd. Just to clarify i do push the clutch down all the way, the clutch fluid is good, all electronics seem good, and other than this she hasnt given me any other problems in a long time. If anyone can give me some help it would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
mike

 

You may need to replace the clutch assy and release bearing.

 

When you are stoped and in gear while the clutch is in does the truck want to creep forward? If not when does it start creeping forward when you let out the clutch? If you let it out about 1/4 of pedal travel and it still does not creep forward then I would suspect the syncros in the tranny........

 

I just noticed today that when the truck is in first gear the truck gives a slight shudder and creaps foreward with the clutch all the way engaged. I am going to have to pay to send the truck to a shop soon. I have also noticed that the clutch is now grabbing right down near the bottom of the pedal where as when the truck was running properly it was in the top half to top third of the pedal movement. Only when the shifting problem showed up did the position of the clutch engagment show up. Again any help would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Mike

 

Did you check the fluid in the clutch master cylinder? The clutch relase system consists of a master cylinder and a slave cylinder. Unit is sold together attached to the fluid line. Good news is it can be replaced without removing the tranny and bell housing. I would bet this is the problem since it came on suddenly. I would check to see if you can get a rebuilt one.