Getting Locked Out of Gears

[RT-AWD]

Recently I've been having trouble shifting into gears with force, and by that i mean when i'm getting on it and i try to bang a few gears. It's happened 3 times now while I've been on it and i accidently rev to 7k, needless to say its annoying. I tried doing it with the car just sitting at idle and it locked me out there as well. Any ideas? I have a pretty fresh ACT 2600 in there. Probably have about 1,000 miles on it. Clutch fork, pivot ball, throwout bearing and fluids have been replaced in the past 8,000 miles.

 

[LiquidX]

Well first you should never force anything that doesn't easily engage unless you want more problems.

Is your clutch properly adjusted and not dragging?

Can you easily shift through the gears with the car off?

 

[RT-AWD]

I can shift through them very easily with the car off. I believe the clutch should be properly adjusted, my friend and i did it with the alignment tool provided by ACT.

 

[kchaazz]

Where is the clutch engaging/ disengaging relative to pedal position? Also, have you tried readjusting the clutch recently? < You shouldnt have to do this, but if the rod was adjusted too far out when you initially adjusted the clutch, the hydraulics will not have the ability to "self adjust" due to the valve in the master cylinder being blocked. One easy way to check this is to grab the clutch fork where it comes out of the transmission and push the fork toward the slave- the fork should be easy to push by hand, and if not, the adjustment rod on the master is too far out. Also, if you push the fork away from the slave until the TOB is touching the pressure plate, is the end of the fork pointing toward the driver side, passenger side, or dead in the middle? Slightly to the driver side is preferable, and if not, you need to shim the ball. Also, if your disk/ flywheel/ pressure plate is slightly warped, you will obviously experience clutch drag. This is all assuming a properly functioning slave, master and pedal assembly to begin with.

 

[RT-AWD]

The clutch engages basically right off the floor, maybe a 2 1/2''-3'' off the floor.

 

[LiquidX]

If it's right off the floor then it sounds like you have a dragging clutch due to an improperly adjusted clutch (master cylinder).

Get under the dash and locate the MC rod, loosen the lock nut. Go under the car, locate the slave cylinder and press in the slave cylinder rod. If you can press it in, go under the dash and rotate the rod clockwise a couple turns and re check the slave. Do so until you cannot press in the slave.

When you reach that point, back out the threaded rod a quarter of a turn at a time, checking the slave each time. Once you hit the spot that allows the slave to be pushed in then you have properly adjusted your clutch.

Same goes for reverse if you cannot push it in from the start.

The clutch tool you are talking about is just an alignment tool for installation.

Also, is the clutch fork end where the slave presses it angled towards the driver side or passenger side?

 

[RT-AWD]

ok well, the fork is pointing straight up and down..maybe a tad towards the passenger side. I can push the rod in without too much effort.

 

[LiquidX]

If the fork is towards the passenger side, you need to shim the pivot ball. Ok, pushing it in currently doesn't mean squat, you need to find the proper adjustment point. At this time you need to turn the rod clockwise until you cannot push it in at all and then back it off and re check.

 

[fonzi90Tsi]

Can you post a pic? It shoulhd be slightly towards the driver side or you would need to shim.

 

[RT-AWD]

Tried taking pictures but is pretty hard to get a good one. In all the pics i got it appears to be going towards the passenger side but then again the boot is folded funky on the drivers side i guess from the rod compressing so much so it is an optical illusion. from what i can see, minding the folded boot, the fork is straight up and down. the pivot ball and fork have been in the car since i had my last clutch a 2100. With that clutch i never had this problem.

 

[RT-AWD]

Ok so an update, went to adjust the master cylinder like suggested above and the rod is all the way in; cant tighten it anymore. If i apply a some medium pressure i can move the fork still. I checked in the shop manual and the clutch pedal measurements are all accurate and I'm getting plenty of movement in that the clutch should be disengaged. However the shifting is still rough and not what it used to be. Bled the system and the fluid looked kinda dirty coming out and in the master cylinder, topped off the system. Fork is dead center straight up and down.

 

[kchaazz]

Tried taking pictures but is pretty hard to get a good one. In all the pics i got it appears to be going towards the passenger side but then again the boot is folded funky on the drivers side i guess from the rod compressing so much so it is an optical illusion. from what i can see, minding the folded boot, the fork is straight up and down. the pivot ball and fork have been in the car since i had my last clutch a 2100. With that clutch i never had this problem.

You didnt have the problem before because the 2100 doesnt require as much force or throw to disengage as the 2600. The 2600 really pushes the hydraulic system and hardware, so everything has to be in good order to function properly. I do believe you need to shim your pivot ball, and if youve got the adjustment rod out that far there is definitely something wrong. If the slave and master cylinders are the 20+ year old units that came with the car, you need to replace them because there is no way they are going to handle the 2600 pressure plate- they may not be leaking fluid externally, but that doesnt mean that the seals inside arent bypassing some fluid instead of pushing fluid when you push the pedal. Also, if your pedal assembly is worn- and it almost certainly is- you will not get the clutch function properly. Sometimes, the wear in the pedal assembly isnt bad enough to effect the engagement/ disengagement points of the stock or ACT 2100 pressure plates, but the 2600 is a friggin gorrilla. Ive got 6 1G's at my house right now, all with bad pedal assemblies...

 

[bryanwheat]

Ok so an update, went to adjust the master cylinder like suggested above and the rod is all the way in; cant tighten it anymore. If i apply a some medium pressure i can move the fork still. I checked in the shop manual and the clutch pedal measurements are all accurate and I'm getting plenty of movement in that the clutch should be disengaged. However the shifting is still rough and not what it used to be. Bled the system and the fluid looked kinda dirty coming out and in the master cylinder, topped off the system. Fork is dead center straight up and down.

So the rod is screwed all the way in?

 

[RT-AWD]

The nut is tightened all the way in, i dont think it can be adjusted. You say the rod itself also turns though?
The slave and master cylinders are relatively new, they have about 10k on them. I have had this set up for about 1,000 miles and this issue just started. I dont think my assembly is worn, i cant pull the pedal up at all and the measurements are all in spec +/- a tad bit. The pivot ball, and fork are under 10k. The TOB is the one that came with the clutch.

 

[kchaazz]

The nut is tightened all the way in, i dont think it can be adjusted. You say the rod itself also turns though?
The slave and master cylinders are relatively new, they have about 10k on them. I have had this set up for about 1,000 miles and this issue just started. I dont think my assembly is worn, i cant pull the pedal up at all and the measurements are all in spec +/- a tad bit. The pivot ball, and fork are under 10k. The TOB is the one that came with the clutch.

Please, follow the instructions in this video and get back to us.
Proper Clutch Adjustment - YouTube

 

[LiquidX]

The nut is tightened all the way in, i dont think it can be adjusted. You say the rod itself also turns though?
The slave and master cylinders are relatively new, they have about 10k on them. I have had this set up for about 1,000 miles and this issue just started. I dont think my assembly is worn, i cant pull the pedal up at all and the measurements are all in spec +/- a tad bit. The pivot ball, and fork are under 10k. The TOB is the one that came with the clutch.

What measurements are you referring to?

A dragging clutch will DESTROY syncros in the transmission.

 

[RT-AWD]

What measurements are you referring to?

A dragging clutch will DESTROY syncros in the transmission.

In the factory Chrysler shop manual there is a section on adjusting the clutch. Chapter 6 pages 5-6. My master cylinder rod is all the way in for certain.

 

[Delta2Echo]

Thanks for posting that vid! I've noticed not being able to quickly throw it from 1st to 2nd, 2nd to 3rd...thought for sure it was my synchros. When I had to pull out into traffic from the shoulder on I95 today and hit a wall trying to throw it in second...I decided to just take another look at this thread for shits and giggles. I did the test in the video, and with the clutch pedal to the floor and in first, I hit about 4-5k RPM and moved.

So though I may have destroyed the synchros by now...that clutch adjustment is on my to do list this week.

Again, THANKS FOR POSTING!!

 

[bryanwheat]

In the factory Chrysler shop manual there is a section on adjusting the clutch. Chapter 6 pages 5-6. My master cylinder rod is all the way in for certain.

If it is all the way in than you will have issues. You need to turn the rod so that it raises the clutch pedal.

 

[RT-AWD]

I'm currently at school (without the car, i have my DD). I'll re-look at the clutch adjustment this weekend.