02 LSE manual tranny problem??

[michaelthornsberry]

As in the title I have 02 LSE v6 5speed with 34,000 miles and I am having some shifting problems. I think it's the slave cylinder, but I'm just guessing. It's doing a couple things and I can't figure it out. 1) It will not come out of gear after I start the car, whether I parked it in first gear or reverse it won't come out, so I always park it in the gear that I need to pull out in, because after I get it going it will shift but not as easily as it used to. But it shifts very easily if the motor is not running. 2) A lot of times it will not go back into gear with the car running. Like at a stoplight. If I stop and put the car in neutral, it will not go back into gear(any gear), but if I turn the car off it will fall in like butter. So basically the car is not shifting properly with car running but it feels silky smooth with the motor off.

I love this car so I have to get this problem fixed before the whole tranny goes out.

 

[milehighmikey]

It sounds like your clutch is not completely finishing its release stroke. That could be either that the fluid is low or you have air in your line on its way to the slave cylinder. I believe that the slave is integral to the throw-out bearing on our cars. The line is bled by raising the vehicle, removing the small rubber cover on the bell housing on the lower driver's side, and proceeding as normal with bleeding procedures.

In essence, your clutch is not releasing all the way and your transmission's synchros are not able to arrest the input shaft rotation, so you can't advance the shifter to select your gears at idle. There is probably a lot of stress on these synchros while you are attempting to get a gear while stopped.

You should probably get this fixed asap.

 

[michaelthornsberry]

I read in the owners manual that the brake master cylinder also works the hydraulic clutch system, so I have already topped off the reservoir. I really appreciate the advice, but if bleeding this doesn't work, what should I do next? Is something that I can do is or is probably something I am going to have to get done?

 

[milehighmikey]

It depends on what you're capable of doing. If the bleeding does not work, it appears that transmission removal would be next in line, since the throw-out bearing/slave cylinder is ganged onto the transmission's input shaft. The only way to change it is by transmission removal.

 

[michaelthornsberry]

I have changed transmissons on front wheel drive cars before and my dad said this would be easier than a front wheel drive. The only thing is, I talked to my local dealer and they acted as if they couldn't get parts. They said everything in their database called for a new transmission to all transmission related problems.

 

[milehighmikey]

I have changed transmissons on front wheel drive cars before and my dad said this would be easier than a front wheel drive. The only thing is, I talked to my local dealer and they acted as if they couldn't get parts. They said everything in their database called for a new transmission to all transmission related problems.

How far to the next closest dealer?

If you can change a manual transmission on a FWD, then this should be no problem for you. First, though, bleed your slave cylinder/throwout bearing. No worn out part can cause what you are seeing, unless the throwout bearing's hydraulics have completely failed, but that is not likely. I suppose that the clutch master cylinder is also a possibility, but your first line of assault on this problem is a thorough bleeding.

If you do end up needing dealer service, stay away from that place.

 

[402777LS]

Your dealer is just doing what Ford recomends, between the LS and the S-type there aren't more than 3000 in the US. You might have better luck with a Jag dealer as the MT was a much bigger seller in the UK, and they may have some repair info.

 

[milehighmikey]

I just stopped by edmunds forums the other day, for the first time in a long time (2-3 years). I found out that the clutch disk is or just got off of national back order. The ETA was something like 6/6/08 for any new stock.

I think that I will buy a disk now so that my car is not grounded for 3-6 months if it ends up needing one all of a sudden.

The pressure plate and throwout assembly is readily available, however, according to the folks that were talking about this over there.

 

[MarkusG]

sometimes after the car sits overnight more during the colder nights the clutch pedal will fall almost half way down. All I do is put my foot behind it and pull it back up and its fine all day.. Any Ideas?