Help! Issues after ACT Clutch install.

[Punknhed]

i have been following this thread since it started. Holy fuck am i glad i dumped my 6 speed. There is NO repeat NO way that all these issues should be going on. I have driven a stick since i was 15. Had a GTO i put a clutch in (previous owner wasnt the best driver lol) .. bleed it, and drove it. NEVER once was there an issue with "i have to hold the stick at a 20degree angle, while waiting for peter pan to fly across the sky for it to go into any gear. For the record i shifted that car HARD. not one issue. I put about 50k miles on it, sold it to ironically buy my jeep. There needs to be a fucking class action suit against jeep for this fiasco. Yall are much more patient then i would be..... Yes i know this post doesnt help anyone....

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[notthenewguy]

i have been following this thread since it started. Holy fuck am i glad i dumped my 6 speed. There is NO repeat NO way that all these issues should be going on. I have driven a stick since i was 15. Had a GTO i put a clutch in (previous owner wasnt the best driver lol) .. bleed it, and drove it. NEVER once was there an issue with "i have to hold the stick at a 20degree angle, while waiting for peter pan to fly across the sky for it to go into any gear. For the record i shifted that car HARD. not one issue. I put about 50k miles on it, sold it to ironically buy my jeep. There needs to be a fucking class action suit against jeep for this fiasco. Yall are much more patient then i would be..... Yes i know this post doesnt help anyone....

that Peter Pan line got me lol yeah I’m pretty much ready to sell mine but the used car market value for these JLs is in the gutter. So I gotta keep waiting for Peter Pan to fly by and pray that 4th doesn’t grind. But according to the techs who’ve driven my car, it’s all normal.

had a 6spd jku before this and as much crap as that transmission gets for being a crappy, truck feeling transmission (which was fine with me) it never gave me issues with shifting it. Should’ve kept it but sold it cause it was a 4 door and I wanted a 2 door. SMH at myself for that stupid move.

 

[Punknhed]

that Peter Pan line got me lol yeah I’m pretty much ready to sell mine but the used car market value for these JLs is in the gutter. So I gotta keep waiting for Peter Pan to fly by and pray that 4th doesn’t grind. But according to the techs who’ve driven my car, it’s all normal.

had a 6spd jku before this and as much crap as that transmission gets for being a crappy, truck feeling transmission (which was fine with me) it never gave me issues with shifting it. Should’ve kept it but sold it cause it was a 4 door and I wanted a 2 door. SMH at myself for that stupid move.

mine was a 19, and i sold it in 22 to buy my 23. so thankful. i didnt have my clutch in the jeep replaced, or issues thankfully. but i definitely feel bad for the people that are. and um, sorry but no a trans should not be grinding or having issues like that. thinking about it now, most likely is an internal trans issue.

 

[fspalt]

My question is on step 4. It says once shifter is in in desired position lock the tab. How to you know what is the desired position? I’d like to try this but I’m worried that I will just make things worse if this isn’t the issue.

https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/fo...able-adjustments-shift-cable-jl-2-pdf.667425/

https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/fo...oval-and-i-llation-shift-cable-jl-pdf.667426/

These are the two procedures posted. I know you said you’ve seen the bulletin but posting these here for anyone who hasn’t so you don’t have to dig around for them.

if I adjust my shifter the way it says to do so in these PDFs, I can barely get into first. What I do, instead, is, with the neutral gate cable (the one on the right side of the shifter with the yellow tab) unlocked, from neutral, I push the stick slightly to the right while watching the neutral gate cable until the green markings line up. This has resulted in, dare I say, the best shifting in my jeep since the ACT clutch.
I added a screenshot of where the green markings are in my neutral gate cable. Sorry but it is really hard to see on this photo but I can see it on my cables. I’m sure you’d be able to see it if you went in and adjusted them.

 

[notthenewguy]

that Peter Pan line got me lol yeah I’m pretty much ready to sell mine but the used car market value for these JLs is in the gutter. So I gotta keep waiting for Peter Pan to fly by and pray that 4th doesn’t grind. But according to the techs who’ve driven my car, it’s all normal.

My question is on step 4. It says once shifter is in in desired position lock the tab. How to you know what is the desired position? I’d like to try this but I’m worried that I will just make things worse if this isn’t the issue.

Based on those PDFs you put the shifter into 3rd, push forward into 3rd while locking the tab. That would be the “desired position based on those instructions. If you do decide to give it a shot, keep in mind that the yellow locking tab on that neutral gate cable has two little plastic tabes that you have to push out at the same time to unlock it. If you do it right it should slide out no problem. If you feel you have to push really hard on that tab to unlock it, you’re pushing too hard and you have pressed on the two plastic tabs correctly.
If you can remove your entire console do it. It’s really easy. The shift knob can just be pulled off if you’re strong enough and the transfer case shift knob comes off with one screw. Mine, for whatever, does not come off; don’t know why or how but that screw on my transfer case shift selector just spins and never unthreads. That left me with no choice but to angle my center console upward in order to access the cables. If you’re center console comes completely off, it’s much easier.

 

[SadRobot]

i have been following this thread since it started. Holy fuck am i glad i dumped my 6 speed. There is NO repeat NO way that all these issues should be going on. I have driven a stick since i was 15. Had a GTO i put a clutch in (previous owner wasnt the best driver lol) .. bleed it, and drove it. NEVER once was there an issue with "i have to hold the stick at a 20degree angle, while waiting for peter pan to fly across the sky for it to go into any gear. For the record i shifted that car HARD. not one issue. I put about 50k miles on it, sold it to ironically buy my jeep. There needs to be a fucking class action suit against jeep for this fiasco. Yall are much more patient then i would be..... Yes i know this post doesnt help anyone....

It is pretty frustrating. It seems like you have the option of doing the recall and risk your Jeep going into limp mode and getting overheating messages from the software OR going after market and having shifting issues.

I've already thrown about $1000 towards fixing this problem and have ended right back where I started.

 

[Punknhed]

It is pretty frustrating. It seems like you have the option of doing the recall and risk your Jeep going into limp mode and getting overheating messages from the software OR going after market and having shifting issues.

I've already thrown about $1000 towards fixing this problem and have ended right back where I started.

That makes it even more maddening. U shouldnt have to do that. I mean manual transmission vehicles have been around for how many years.

 

[bjm00se]

Is it possible to just replace the synchros? It seems like this is a common problem with the manual JL once it reaches a certain amount of miles.

That would be a transmission rebuild.

But sychro wear occurs very gradually over time. You seem to be describing something changing much more quickly. Which makes me think it’s something else.

 

[SadRobot]

That would be a transmission rebuild.

But sychro wear occurs very gradually over time. You seem to be describing something changing much more quickly. Which makes me think it’s something else.

So I didn't drive it at all Saturday/Sunday. This morning I turned it on to drive to the shop and no peddle croak at all and it shifted great. By the time I got to the shop an hour and a half later the peddle was croaking again and shifting to 1st from a stop light was difficult.

I have no idea what is going on.

 

[SadRobot]

That is identical to the sound mine has made since installation. Very frustrating, but so far it doesn't seem to affect operation.

I just realized we both got our ACT clutches installed at the same shop. I wonder if it was something in the install.

 

[SadRobot]

The report from the shop is that

A. throw out bearing needs to be replaced
B. synchros need to be inspected and replaced and that's what is causing the issues getting into gear

 

[azwjowner]

The report from the shop is that

A. throw out bearing needs to be replaced
B. synchros need to be inspected and replaced and that's what is causing the issues getting into gear

I would have taken it to a different shop long ago…

 

[SadRobot]

I would have taken it to a different shop long ago…

I'm willing to get a second opinion if anyone has a recommendation for a shop near the San Fernando Valley....

 

[notthenewguy]

I'm willing to get a second opinion if anyone has a recommendation for a shop near the San Fernando Valley....

this is really far from you but I’ve heard Mission Viejo Transmission has installed a few of the ACT clutches with little to no issues. Been thinking of going there with mine to have Logan take a look at it but I’m really hard pressed to spend more money on this stupid problem, man.

I was recommended to take it to Shift Autowerx in Escondido and when I called and told them what was going on they recommended the recall lol they also told me they’ve not heard of any issues with the recall nor any aftermarket fix for our problem. FWIW. That shop tends to be a a well known, reputable jeep shop. If anyone in/near Socal has a repairable, reliable shop that has experience with these Jeep transmission please let us know.

 

[notthenewguy]

So I didn't drive it at all Saturday/Sunday. This morning I turned it on to drive to the shop and no peddle croak at all and it shifted great. By the time I got to the shop an hour and a half later the peddle was croaking again and shifting to 1st from a stop light was difficult.

I have no idea what is going on.

Really interesting. The same thing happens with mine. In the morning when it’s cold, it drives great. No grinding or rough shifts and no groaning during takeoff. As the day goes on, shifting gets much worse and the noise gets much worse as well.

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