88 Grinds when clutch peddle pressed - no does shift

kgillette · 09-29-2009, 02:03 PM

Summary:
Left work, it was a hard shift into first, drove about a mile down the road and went to down shift and the heep started making grinding any time I pressed down on the clutch. If I coasted with the clutch pressed in I would hear the grinding sound, if I put her in neutral and coasted then there was no grinding. It got worse, but I had to get home.. about a 1/2 mile from my house I stopped at a stop light, and vola!! no more shifting and the clutch just dropped to the floor (no pressure). I turned it off and shifted into first, started it and drove the last bit to my house at 10-15mph with the hazards on.

Some things I am going to check:
- Clutch fluid level
- Clutch leaks (just replaced lines and flushed a whole bottle through)

Wondering if it could be any of the following:
- transfer case (I've been hearing clunking as I shift, mainly into 3rd)
- the clutch itself

and advise or thoughts would be greatly appreciated

EDIT: Just realized I typed the title to fast. Sorry.

idaholtby · 09-29-2009, 02:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kgillette

Summary:
Left work, it was a hard shift into first, drove about a mile down the road and went to down shift and the heep started making grinding any time I pressed down on the clutch. If I coasted with the clutch pressed in I would hear the grinding sound, if I put her in neutral and coasted then there was no grinding. It got worse, but I had to get home.. about a 1/2 mile from my house I stopped at a stop light, and vola!! no more shifting and the clutch just dropped to the floor (no pressure). I turned it off and shifted into first, started it and drove the last bit to my house at 10-15mph with the hazards on.

Some things I am going to check:
- Clutch fluid level
- Clutch leaks (just replaced lines and flushed a whole bottle through)

Wondering if it could be any of the following:
- transfer case (I've been hearing clunking as I shift, mainly into 3rd)
- the clutch itself

and advise or thoughts would be greatly appreciated

EDIT: Just realized I typed the title to fast. Sorry.

If you lost clutch pressure, then either the slave or master is bad, or there is a leak in the line between the two. The clunking you describe is likely unrelated and probably a bad u-joint somewhere in the driveline.
Look at the firewall under the dash and see if you see clutch fluid, if so, the master went sour. If fluid is leaking from the bell housing, then the slave is bad.

BC Jeep · 09-29-2009, 02:49 PM

If your clutch grinds when you depress the clutch pedle in, the throw out bearing retaining springs could have rusted off and allowed the throw out bearing to rotate and slip down into the throwout fork. Same thing happened to me on my 98 TJ. Strangest thing that I ever saw. Had to get a new fork. Either way,,your going to need to seperate the bell housing and you might as well replace the clutch disk, pressure plate, and throwout bearing and pilot brg.

kgillette · 09-29-2009, 03:10 PM

Its not the master, I replaced that when i did the line... so it could be the slave or as BC suggested the through out bearing.... lucky i don't have to drive it till next Monday, unfortunately i have only Sunday to fix it... well and tonight. so to the garage I will be going.

**Mean Max** · 09-29-2009, 03:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BC Jeep

If your clutch grinds when you depress the clutch pedle in, the throw out bearing retaining springs could have rusted off and allowed the throw out bearing to rotate and slip down into the throwout fork. Same thing happened to me on my 98 TJ. Strangest thing that I ever saw. Had to get a new fork. Either way,,your going to need to seperate the bell housing and you might as well replace the clutch disk, pressure plate, and throwout bearing and pilot brg.

No clutch fork on an '88 YJ, it has the internal slave/throwout bearing unit.

All the same, it sounds as though it is indeed the throwout bearing that is bad.

Max

idaholtby · 09-29-2009, 03:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mean Max

No clutch fork on an '88 YJ, it has the internal slave/throwout bearing unit.

All the same, it sounds as though it is indeed the throwout bearing that is bad.

Max

So true on the throwout bearing making noise, but he also stated that he has lost all clutch pressure, so possibly the slave unit with the bearing went belly up.

kgillette · 09-29-2009, 04:03 PM

So I might as well just replace the clutch and related parts... that way I get all the old crap out of the way and start nice and fresh.

**Mean Max** · 09-29-2009, 04:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by idaholtby

So true on the throwout bearing making noise, but he also stated that he has lost all clutch pressure, so possibly the slave unit with the bearing went belly up.
Exactly what I was thinking.

Quote:

Originally Posted by kgillette

So I might as well just replace the clutch and related parts... that way I get all the old crap out of the way and start nice and fresh.
IMO, use a Luk brand clutch kit. It comes with the disc, pressure plate, throwout bearing/slave unit, pilot bearing, and clutch alignment tool. As far as I'm concerned, the Luk clutch is the best available. You can get one on eBay from a seller called "motherclutcherz" cheaper than you can buy most any crappy parts store remanufactured junk.

Max

**4.7stroker** · 09-29-2009, 06:32 PM

OK here is the cure, take that Pug tranny and sell it for scrap, take that money and go to a local u pull it and buy an AX15 tranny from a 96 n up Cherokee, take the clutch slave/master and anything else they will let you have. Install the AX15 with external slave and don't look back.

Dwayne

**yjjason** · 09-29-2009, 07:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4.7stroker

OK here is the cure, take that Pug tranny and sell it for scrap, take that money and go to a local u pull it and buy an AX15 tranny from a 96 n up Cherokee, take the clutch slave/master and anything else they will let you have. Install the AX15 with external slave and don't look back.

Dwayne

might have to change transfer case also (i did splines are diff.?)

tclaremont · 09-29-2009, 07:34 PM

But with that new valve cover, you can use the money you are saving on motor oil!

kgillette · 10-04-2009, 02:33 PM

I fixed a leaky fitting. Solved the clutch pressure issue. However the grinding is still there.

Im thinking of getting a new tranny, but I found a new-to-me clutch for $25, and thats more bank friendly at the moment

kgillette · 10-04-2009, 02:37 PM

the new valve cover saves me from the nasty looks i get from my clients as I pull out of their parking lots leaving huge oil spots (well not anymore)

kgillette · 10-06-2009, 03:33 PM

Whats involved in swapping out the bearing and clutch? drop trans, pull and replace? anything i should be worried about?

bigh20rnr · 10-06-2009, 05:03 PM

I would recommend renting or borrowing a pilot bearing puller. I tried the other two common techniques, filling the cavity with grease or cutting the bearing with a dremel, and they both are way harder then necessary. I ended up borrowing a pilot puller at the O'reillys down the street through their tool loaner program. Using the puller it came out within 5 minutes. Getting at the top two bolts on the bellhousing can also be difficult and I found that lowering the transmission slightly gave me a bit more room, however, do not lower it to much as it can cause your fan to make contact with the radiator.

Rick