transmission trouble

[suzboy]

what do you guys think? today out of nowhere my 5 speed 1992 sidekick just wouldn't go into gears. i was driving and tried to shift from 3 to 2nd and it wouldn't let me. as i was coasting with clutch in i grinded it into 2 then i tried 3 and no way, same thing again. i managed to get back to work but i had to"power shift" the gears at the right time. it was very hard to do and yes i was doing a bit of crunching. i am thinking my clutch packed it in all of a sudden but i never had a clutch go instantly before. it always let me know it was running out of life well in advance like slip a little or release bearing would squeal. never instantly. any ideas would be appreciated. thanks!

[Shconer]

Sound to me like your trannys syncromeshs are wore out.

[tracka96]

I don't really remember any details, but I think once a long long time ago I had a car do that when something in the clutch pressure plate broke. Tracka

[suzuguy]

i got my tranny guy coming to my workplace on Sunday where the truck is sitting in the building. he's gonna have a listen to the sound i told him it is making when trying to put it in a gear from neutral. he said it sounds like a clutch/pressure plate problem but still wants to assume it is an input shaft problem as well cause he has seen about a dozen or so in the last year and a half with frigged up input shaft bearings. he said everyone that had an input shaft problem , the customer complained" it is starting to get hard to shift gears". he actually remembered the part number for the input shaft pilot bearing cause he had ordered so many in the last little bit. i also remembered back in 2001 when the tranny was apart the pilot bearing was replaced cause it was just starting to go then.

[Max]

Sounds like you aren't getting full disengagement.

How does the clutch pedal feel? Do you have about a 1/2"-1" of free play at the top? If you have a bunch more, then check your clutch master cylinder as it may be shot or the pedal linkage is out of adjustment (or your cable isn't adjusted properly, or stretched / broken if so equipped).

After that, it's a clutch fork or pressure plate problem.

[suzuguy]

first things i checked when i got it back to work was the cable itself. i checked free play , i re-adjusted the cable even though it was fine ,just to see what would happen if i took away some of the free play to basically"put some more meat into the clutch" . the clutch cable and its set up are 100% FINE.the more i think of it the more it seems like the pressure plate springs are causing it . as if one of the springs broke right off since it happened instantly and i got this squeal/grindy noise. not the noise like a shot release bearing.???? time will tell i guess. until then i will drive my wifes 1991 mazda protege.not a bad car. fast,economical,automatic,silent, but my ass is a foot of the pavement.....ouch. i hate sitting low!

[Max]

Based on that...It's "open and inspect" time. Sorry.

Since you'll need to go in, stop nothing short of the whole 9 yd's. New pressure plate, disk. throw-out bearing, pilot bearing at a MINIMUM. Resurface the flywheel if scored, checked or blue. Look closely at the clutch arm for wear / bending too. You don't want to have to go into that puppy again.

Engine rear main oil seal replacement isn't a bad idea either!

[suzuguy]

it,s been so long since i purchased a clutch /pressure plate/bearing kit. anybody know of a good brand ? i would rather pay a bit more for quality here than try to get by using generic low quality crap. and is there a better kind for standing up to periodic towing?

[Max]

Here are a couple of choices...
1992 SUZUKI SIDEKICK JLX Clutch Kit

As long as your 1st gear launches are gentle, towing with a standard cluctch kit would be fine IMO.

[suzuguy]

thanks for the info. i was always wondering if a stronger more expensive clutch kit would be better.