Help! Issues after ACT Clutch install.

[AlgUSF]

I hesitate to do that because of the all of the stories on the Clutch Recall Facebook page. People are having issues with the recall clutch causing transmission overheating problems and Jeep claiming it's user error and refusing to fix or replace with a new clutch.

Besides that it's a 4 month wait right now for the recall. So at the moment not an option.

My dealership broke my transmission and it took me 3 weeks to get another transmission under powertrain warranty.

Of course they didn't admit breaking my transmission, but is shifted fine when I dropped it off. Went to get in my Jeep at the dealer and it wouldn't shift into first. My wife had dropped me off and the service advisor was gone for the day so I drove it home like that. Took it back the next day and the service advisor was like "Well, you need a new transmission". Sigh.

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[SadRobot]

My dealership broke my transmission and it took me 3 weeks to get another transmission under powertrain warranty.

Of course they didn't admit breaking my transmission, but is shifted fine when I dropped it off. Went to get in my Jeep at the dealer and it wouldn't shift into first. My wife had dropped me off and the service advisor was gone for the day so I drove it home like that. Took it back the next day and the service advisor was like "Well, you need a new transmission". Sigh.

The latest reports about the clutch recall now that they have been out there and getting miles on them is that they are overheating and causing Service Transmission codes. Especially in 4WD.

Edit to add this article I just found from back in May about post recall issues:

https://www.theautopian.com/jeep-sc...sion-and-still-cant-get-it-right-years-later/

 

[SadRobot]

Some more observations from today:

- shifting in 1st/reverse gets worse the more I drive and the more the Jeep heats up
- If I'm rolling slowly I can shift into 1st gear smooth. Trouble comes when I'm shifting from a complete stop
- shifting seems to get worse if on an incline
- had a few issues today getting into 2nd gear as well
- pedal does not seem to be lowering. Engagement point still feels about the same

 

[SadRobot]

Just sharing this info I got from someone not on the forum. They were having same exact symptoms as all of us although they have the CFII.

Turned out to be that the clutch disc wasn't sliding along the input shaft smoothly. He had to file and polish the input shaft of the transmission and now all working perfectly again.

Figured I'd throw that out there if anyone is pulling there's apart as it's something to check out.

 

[58Willys]

Some more observations from today:

- shifting in 1st/reverse gets worse the more I drive and the more the Jeep heats up

This really points to moisture contaminated hydraulic fluid (brake/clutch fluid). Buddy's Harley was having same issue, been in the shop several times. I flushed the system, put new hydraulic fluid in, bled system; fixed!

Brake fluid absorbs moisture over time and performance degrades, needs to be changed.

 

[SadRobot]

This really points to moisture contaminated hydraulic fluid (brake/clutch fluid). Buddy's Harley was having same issue, been in the shop several times. I flushed the system, put new hydraulic fluid in, bled system; fixed!

Brake fluid absorbs moisture over time and performance degrades, needs to be changed.

At this point all the old fluid has to be out. We pressure bled from the reservoir and pushed out all the old fluid until it ran clean again.

Are you saying drain everything completely?

 

[58Willys]

Just sharing this info I got from someone not on the forum. They were having same exact symptoms as all of us although they have the CFII.

Turned out to be that the clutch disc wasn't sliding along the input shaft smoothly. He had to file and polish the input shaft of the transmission and now all working perfectly again.

Figured I'd throw that out there if anyone is pulling there's apart as it's something to check out.

Improperly lubed main shaft and/or clutch fork pivots can cause this.

 

[azwjowner]

Improperly lubed main shaft and/or clutch fork pivots can cause this.

Which raises the question whether her shop put the proper grease on the splines. As I understand it, ACT supplies grease with the clutch that has to be used. Someone else on the forum here had an issue and it turned out the shop used some generic grease, which was interfering with the ability to release.

 

[SadRobot]

Which raises the question whether her shop put the proper grease on the splines. As I understand it, ACT supplies grease with the clutch that has to be used. Someone else on the forum here had an issue and it turned out the shop used some generic grease, which was interfering with the ability to release.

I just got off the phone with the shop. They say they used the grease that came with the ACT kit. Without pulling back the transmission and taking the clutch apart I can not verify that though.

Edit to add:

- I walked the shop through what's been happening since I last picked it up from them and they are still saying synchros and throw out bearing are the problem. They said I could bring it in on Monday and they'd check the hydraulics again though.

- I drove it today and it's gotten worse. Almost impossible to get into 1st and reverse. Did not matter that Jeep was cold this morning. So right after bleeding it works great, then deteriorates over the course of 1-2 days. At the moment all signs still point to air in the line somehow

 

[AlgUSF]

I just got off the phone with the shop. They say they used the grease that came with the ACT kit. Without pulling back the transmission and taking the clutch apart I can not verify that though.

Edit to add:

- I walked the shop through what's been happening since I last picked it up from them and they are still saying synchros and throw out bearing are the problem. They said I could bring it in on Monday and they'd check the hydraulics again though.

- I drove it today and it's gotten worse. Almost impossible to get into 1st and reverse. Did not matter that Jeep was cold this morning. So right after bleeding it works great, then deteriorates over the course of 1-2 days. At the moment all signs still point to air in the line somehow

Just a thought, could air be leaking in somewhere like a cracked line?

 

[SadRobot]

Just a thought, could air be leaking in somewhere like a cracked line?

Would be unlikely since the line is brand new. I have a few more things to try this week that I'm feeling positive about. Would love to get my Jeep back and on the trails sometime before the end of 2024.

 

[OldGuyNewJeep]

Every once in awhile now, having 1st or reverse get difficult. I shift around, double clutch, and jam it in. No grinding. Just extra force.

It's intermittent at best. Not very consistent. Doesnt seem to be getting worse.

Same exact thing with me. It’s so seldom that I’m not doing anything about it, but it is annoying when it happens in a parking lot and I literally can’t get out of the way.

 

[SadRobot]

I have an update here on the Jeep.

The dealership has it now so if they need to start taking apart the clutch I'll report back on their findings.

 

[siggy]

I have an update here on the Jeep.

The dealership has it now so if they need to start taking apart the clutch I'll report back on their findings.

Ouch, sorry to hear. How confident are you in your dealer?

 

[SadRobot]

Ouch, sorry to hear. How confident are you in your dealer?

Not super confident but I have no choice at the moment. I was able to talk to the tech who will be doing the work to at least explain the events that led to it being towed in.

He is the top transmission/clutch guy there and so is super backed up with Jeeps to work on. The hope is he can get to it in about 3 weeks.

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