Manual Transmission - Issues shifting into 1st & Reverse (Compilation thread)

[melendez69]

I have about 9k on my ACT and recently started having some difficulty shifting into 1st from a complete stop. Started about 2 months ago & it feels as though it’s being stopped by something. Sometimes it’s smooth, others not so much, but the 2nd/1st party trick works when I have trouble. I typically have to wiggle the shifter into position… sometimes the shift is normal.

I haven’t gone thru this entire thread yet but will later today.

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[Duece McCracken]

I have about 9k on my ACT and recently started having some difficulty shifting into 1st from a complete stop. Started about 2 months ago & it feels as though it’s being stopped by something. Sometimes it’s smooth, others not so much, but the 2nd/1st party trick works when I have trouble. I typically have to wiggle the shifter into position… sometimes the shift is normal.

I haven’t gone thru this entire thread yet but will later today.

 

[SadRobot]

I have about 9k on my ACT and recently started having some difficulty shifting into 1st from a complete stop. Started about 2 months ago & it feels as though it’s being stopped by something. Sometimes it’s smooth, others not so much, but the 2nd/1st party trick works when I have trouble. I typically have to wiggle the shifter into position… sometimes the shift is normal.

I haven’t gone thru this entire thread yet but will later today.

Welcome. Curious if you have had an leaks at all. I'm still trying to determine if my clutch operation caused a leak or if the leak is causing my clutch to not operate properly.

On an unrelated note I just checked my dealer paperwork and they marked my Jeep down as an automatic and the official concern description is "Automatic transmission concern - car is leaking fluid". I did talk to the tech so he knows what is up and this is just what the Service Advisor wrote down because he doesn't know how a car works but still.......yikes.

 

[melendez69]

But I wasn’t invited!

 

[melendez69]

Welcome. Curious if you have had an leaks at all. I'm still trying to determine if my clutch operation caused a leak or if the leak is causing my clutch to not operate properly.

On an unrelated note I just checked my dealer paperwork and they marked my Jeep down as an automatic and the official concern description is "Automatic transmission concern - car is leaking fluid". I did talk to the tech so he knows what is up and this is just what the Service Advisor wrote down because he doesn't know how a car works but still.......yikes.

I’ve yet to notice any leaks… I’ll be under it again for oil change within the next couple days and I’ll give another look.

 

[SadRobot]

I’ve yet to notice any leaks… I’ll be under it again for oil change within the next couple days and I’ll give another look.

Also check where the line connects to the master. Feel along the line and make sure it's not wet at all.

 

[ski-line900]

I replaced both the master and slave throughout the process of 2 ACT and 1 McLeod clutches, as hail marys, no differences or leaks.

 

[SadRobot]

I replaced both the master and slave throughout the process of 2 ACT and 1 McLeod clutches, as hail marys, no differences or leaks.

I'm at the point where my Jeep has had almost as many slave cylinders as windshields.

slave cylinders - 3
windshields - 4

 

[Duece McCracken]

I replaced both the master and slave throughout the process of 2 ACT and 1 McLeod clutches, as hail marys, no differences or leaks.

All OEM JL parts?


Side note, I'm a JT Rubicon, so my clutch takes a bit more of a beating. The extra weight, and I drive it pretty hard everyday. Ugh, my 2023 has 43k miles on it already.

 

[SadRobot]

All OEM JL parts?


Side note, I'm a JT Rubicon, so my clutch takes a bit more of a beating. The extra weight, and I drive it pretty hard everyday. Ugh, my 2023 has 43k miles on it already.

Do you do a lot of water crossings or driving through mud? Another theory I just got from @bllprk is that water/mud could get the bell housing through a gap which could contaminate the spline making it difficult to release the pressure plate completely.

Theory makes sense to me and why no matter how much I bleed the problem returns. I'm not sure why bleeding it made it work well at first though. So mystery continues.

 

[ski-line900]

All OEM JL parts?


Side note, I'm a JT Rubicon, so my clutch takes a bit more of a beating. The extra weight, and I drive it pretty hard everyday. Ugh, my 2023 has 43k miles on it already.

Yes, I'm also in a JT, but I haven't done any serious off-road, just forest service roads.

 

[ski-line900]

I think I'm gonna bite the bullet and order the South Bend offering. Not fun to have the shifting bother me on every drive, I bought the manual for fun.

 

[SadRobot]

To further investigate the water/mud theory above I'm looking through my photo roll on my phone. So here's that timeline:

early June: install of ACT
mid June: wheeled at Cleghorn. There's zero water at Cleghorn.
Late July: drove out to Colorado for a week in July. I don't remember going through any water crossings but maybe @arnie_mueller or @AVGeek99 have a better memory. I do recall it rained one day on my drive back from Colorado.
August: I went back to work so until November I only drove on pavement. I don't recall any time it rained here since August and if it did I avoid driving in the rain so I most likely stayed home that day.
November 15: I started driving towards Texas, symptoms first appear on D1 of trip
November 24: I go wheeling at Northwest OHV that is all mud and water. I get it to a mechanic and the rest is pretty well documented on the first page of this thread.

It seems like mud could have gotten in making the problem worse. Still doesn't explain why it started 10 days earlier though.

edit to add:

November 17: I can't believe I forgot the day I spent 15 hours inside the Jeep while it just got pummeled with rain, wind and snow. Snow stopped by morning but I did drive through a bunch of snow on my way south.

 

[Duece McCracken]

Do you do a lot of water crossings or driving through mud? Another theory I just got from @bllprk is that water/mud could get the bell housing through a gap which could contaminate the spline making it difficult to release the pressure plate completely.

Theory makes sense to me and why no matter how much I bleed the problem returns. I'm not sure why bleeding it made it work well at first though. So mystery continues.

I saw his posts on it.

Not really, I stay out of mud and dont do a ton of water crossings.

Im going to borescope the assemblies and look for anything out of ordinary in the bellhousing. It's first on my list of things to do. Gotta get a friend, or my wife, in there to work the clutch while I take pics, lol

 

[fczabala]

I saw his posts on it.

Not really, I stay out of mud and dont do a ton of water crossings.

Im going to borescope the assemblies and look for anything out of ordinary in the bellhousing. It's first on my list of things to do. Gotta get a friend, or my wife, in there to work the clutch while I take pics, lol

I was in Philly all weekend! lol could've checked mine too!

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