Help! Issues after ACT Clutch install.

[Jeremynolan94]

Have you had an problems going into gear at all? Something must have changed 2 weeks ago. After 13,000 perfect miles it makes no sense that all the sudden it won't go into gear.

Third is ever-so-slightly notchy, but I've never had any issues getting it in or out. Keep me posted what the shop says about the creaking, as swapping the slave cylinder on mine didn't make any difference.

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[SadRobot]

Third is ever-so-slightly notchy, but I've never had any issues getting it in or out. Keep me posted what the shop says about the creaking, as swapping the slave cylinder on mine didn't make any difference.

Yeah will do. Yeah swapping my cylinder hasn't made much of a difference besides draining my wallet.

 

[notthenewguy]

Well I just got done aligning the cables from inside the cabin yet again. Jeep shifts great now, but this is how it usually goes. Will shift great for a bit and then it starts to shift really rough. One thing I notice now is that I have very minimal free play in first and getting into first, I barely have to move the stick to the left to do so. 2-3-4-5-6 all shift great. Getting into 1st and into reverse is a little more difficult than before. I should note, the prior adjustment I had was with the stick pushed to right quite a bit. Now, I did the adjustment the way it’s described in the molar diagrams but pushed the stick a wee bit to the right to give some free play in 1st and 2nd.

also, haven’t gotten a video of it yet but my JL makes a really loud metallic groan when taking off from a stop in, mostly first, but sometimes reverse as well. Sounds like something isn’t quite lubricated inside the bellhousing. It’s loud enough that my wife can hear it and she’s usually deaf to “odd sounds the cars make”

anyone have any experience or know of anyone who has the south bend clutch in their JL?

 

[m3reno]

I had issues with my Jeep back in June, not going into first from a stop, I had to slightly pull back or be moving forward for it to slip into 1st smoothly. I made the appointment for the clutch recall and when I got it back it drove perfectly. Now My Jeep is having the same issues going into 1st. Not sure if it's mechanical or a hydraulic issue.

 

[SadRobot]

I had issues with my Jeep back in June, not going into first from a stop, I had to slightly pull back or be moving forward for it to slip into 1st smoothly. I made the appointment for the clutch recall and when I got it back it drove perfectly. Now My Jeep is having the same issues going into 1st. Not sure if it's mechanical or a hydraulic issue.

So now we've determined it's issues with CFII, ACT and stock. I'm starting to think it's the Jeep itself that's the problem.

 

[fczabala]

I suspect a tranny issue and not a clutch one
I think it might be the synchros wearing quick and I also think changing the fluid accelerates this issue however when I changed the fluid I didn't notice big chunks, I noticed shavings but not bigger than a couple of mm
I would love to be able to take it to a tranmission specialist and have them check the synchros but I can't have my jeep in a shop for longer than a couple of days and my money is going into mods rather than exploring a tranny with less then 36k miles on it

 

[notthenewguy]

I suspect a tranny issue and not a clutch one
I think it might be the synchros wearing quick and I also think changing the fluid accelerates this issue however when I changed the fluid I didn't notice big chunks, I noticed shavings but not bigger than a couple of mm
I would love to be able to take it to a tranmission specialist and have them check the synchros but I can't have my jeep in a shop for longer than a couple of days and my money is going into mods rather than exploring a tranny with less then 36k miles on it

yeah it seems like it’s something internal. Especially when it’s one or two gears and not every single gear.

 

[jbcrane]

My '21 is still running the original factory clutch at just under 42k miles. I'm re-geared with 4.88's and 315's and he's running like a Swiss watch – except – I'm also occasionally having problems getting into first gear. Often times I'll try and it won't quite go. So I'll drop it into second and slide the shifter up and then he goes into first fine. I've grown used to it, but fear it will get worse. Transmission fluid and transfer case fluid have both been changed with no noticeable improvement/worsening.

I've done a lot of research and listened to a lot of stories. There seem to be many successful installs of both CenterForce and ACT. When time comes I'll probably go the OEM route again, with some reservations. I've been advised by a tech that they've got it figured out, but to 'wait... run the factory clutch as long as possible to let them get parts sorted out, knowing you've got a free clutch in your back pocket when time comes.' Sounds like even then, air in the lines is a thing no matter what you're running. Please keep us posted how this resolves. Hope you find resolution quickly and get back on the road/trail.

 

[bjm00se]

I haven’t done any clutch or recall work at all, and I have a balky shift into first gear at a stop. Sometimes works, sometimes not. I’m gradually developing a habit of second-to-first. I kinda think my Yota used to be this way, but can’t remember any more.

Likely worn first gear synchro.

 

[notthenewguy]

I haven’t done any clutch or recall work at all, and I have a balky shift into first gear at a stop. Sometimes works, sometimes not. I’m gradually developing a habit of second-to-first. I kinda think my Yota used to be this way, but can’t remember any more.

Likely worn first gear synchro.

my brother and I talked about my issues shifting and he says his Tacoma does the same thing. Locks him out of first at a stop and he has to go through another gear prior to getting into first for it to let him. My main issue it up shifting into 4th. Sometimes it’s smooth, sometimes notchy, sometimes it goes into gear but requires more force than usual and there is a heavy grind/crunch when the gear goes in. Took it to a dealer and they said all that was normal.

 

[SadRobot]

I haven’t done any clutch or recall work at all, and I have a balky shift into first gear at a stop. Sometimes works, sometimes not. I’m gradually developing a habit of second-to-first. I kinda think my Yota used to be this way, but can’t remember any more.

Likely worn first gear synchro.

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.

 

[notthenewguy]

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.

had a dealer tech tell me, while on a test drive, that this Aisin AL6 transmission is fairly robust and that they haven’t really heard of synchro or internal failures. However, it really does seem like a lot of people out there are experiencing rough shifts at some point with either a stock or aftermarket setup.

The shift cables and hydraulics in these Jeeps seem to be really tricky so that could probably be the issue here. I would imagine those two components being problematic could cause internal issues in these units.

 

[fspalt]

Can you explain the alignment procedure? I read the bulletin and didn’t really understand the adjustment. I’ve got the ACT and have been having issues going into first from a stop. No other issues when moving.

Well I just got done aligning the cables from inside the cabin yet again. Jeep shifts great now, but this is how it usually goes. Will shift great for a bit and then it starts to shift really rough. One thing I notice now is that I have very minimal free play in first and getting into first, I barely have to move the stick to the left to do so. 2-3-4-5-6 all shift great. Getting into 1st and into reverse is a little more difficult than before. I should note, the prior adjustment I had was with the stick pushed to right quite a bit. Now, I did the adjustment the way it’s described in the molar diagrams but pushed the stick a wee bit to the right to give some free play in 1st and 2nd.

also, haven’t gotten a video of it yet but my JL makes a really loud metallic groan when taking off from a stop in, mostly first, but sometimes reverse as well. Sounds like something isn’t quite lubricated inside the bellhousing. It’s loud enough that my wife can hear it and she’s usually deaf to “odd sounds the cars make”

anyone have any experience or know of anyone who has the south bend clutch in their JL?

 

[notthenewguy]

Can you explain the alignment procedure? I read the bulletin and didn’t really understand the adjustment. I’ve got the ACT and have been having issues going into first from a stop. No other issues when moving.

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]

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.

I wonder if maybe a detent in the transmission is broken or if the cables got kinked during the install because my shifter also feels really loose afterwards. Really need to figure this out but I really don’t wanna spend more money chasing after this issue.

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