Sounds like we have the same problem. I've got the 4 banger with the
AX5 tranny. Mine is not fixed yet, but I'll tell you what I have
thought about and maybe get some help myself:

Clutch slipping
Clutch warped
frozen pilot bearing
slave cylinder
low fluid
air in the system

I tested the clutch slipping by turning off the engine and rolling down
a hill while "playing" with the clutch. It seemed to me that the clutch
had no play in it. It would either grab or not. So that kinda threw
that theory out the window. My slave cylinder was replaced by the
previous owner and also bled. So that should be fine. So my problem
must be the pilot bearing????

Check some of these out

Jason Halsey wrote:
> Hey all,
> Recently my 90 yj 5 speed has been acting up. It is very tough to shift
> into 1st gear every once in a while, and it grinds going into reverse. Any
> thoughts? What could be causing this?
> thanks
> jason
>
>

 

Sounds like we have the same problem. I've got the 4 banger with the
AX5 tranny. Mine is not fixed yet, but I'll tell you what I have
thought about and maybe get some help myself:

Clutch slipping
Clutch warped
frozen pilot bearing
slave cylinder
low fluid
air in the system

I tested the clutch slipping by turning off the engine and rolling down
a hill while "playing" with the clutch. It seemed to me that the clutch
had no play in it. It would either grab or not. So that kinda threw
that theory out the window. My slave cylinder was replaced by the
previous owner and also bled. So that should be fine. So my problem
must be the pilot bearing????

Check some of these out

Jason Halsey wrote:
> Hey all,
> Recently my 90 yj 5 speed has been acting up. It is very tough to shift
> into 1st gear every once in a while, and it grinds going into reverse. Any
> thoughts? What could be causing this?
> thanks
> jason
>
>

 

Sounds like we have the same problem. I've got the 4 banger with the
AX5 tranny. Mine is not fixed yet, but I'll tell you what I have
thought about and maybe get some help myself:

Clutch slipping
Clutch warped
frozen pilot bearing
slave cylinder
low fluid
air in the system

I tested the clutch slipping by turning off the engine and rolling down
a hill while "playing" with the clutch. It seemed to me that the clutch
had no play in it. It would either grab or not. So that kinda threw
that theory out the window. My slave cylinder was replaced by the
previous owner and also bled. So that should be fine. So my problem
must be the pilot bearing????

Check some of these out

Jason Halsey wrote:
> Hey all,
> Recently my 90 yj 5 speed has been acting up. It is very tough to shift
> into 1st gear every once in a while, and it grinds going into reverse. Any
> thoughts? What could be causing this?
> thanks
> jason
>
>

 

What you have (and the OP) is a clutch not releasing all the way, which is
opposite of a slipping clutch. When your clutch starts slipping, you will
know; The rpm's will race with no acceleration.

You either have low fluid and/or air in the system, or a bad slave/master
cylinder. Just because the slave was replaced once, don't rule that out .
Clutch warped, frozen pilot, not likely.

JimG

"none" wrote in message ...
> Sounds like we have the same problem. I've got the 4 banger with the AX5
> tranny. Mine is not fixed yet, but I'll tell you what I have thought
> about and maybe get some help myself:
>
> Clutch slipping
> Clutch warped
> frozen pilot bearing
> slave cylinder
> low fluid
> air in the system
>
> I tested the clutch slipping by turning off the engine and rolling down a
> hill while "playing" with the clutch. It seemed to me that the clutch had
> no play in it. It would either grab or not. So that kinda threw that
> theory out the window. My slave cylinder was replaced by the previous
> owner and also bled. So that should be fine. So my problem must be the
> pilot bearing????
>
> Check some of these out
>
> Jason Halsey wrote:
>> Hey all,
>> Recently my 90 yj 5 speed has been acting up. It is very tough to shift
>> into 1st gear every once in a while, and it grinds going into reverse.
>> Any thoughts? What could be causing this?
>> thanks
>> jason

 

What you have (and the OP) is a clutch not releasing all the way, which is
opposite of a slipping clutch. When your clutch starts slipping, you will
know; The rpm's will race with no acceleration.

You either have low fluid and/or air in the system, or a bad slave/master
cylinder. Just because the slave was replaced once, don't rule that out .
Clutch warped, frozen pilot, not likely.

JimG

"none" wrote in message ...
> Sounds like we have the same problem. I've got the 4 banger with the AX5
> tranny. Mine is not fixed yet, but I'll tell you what I have thought
> about and maybe get some help myself:
>
> Clutch slipping
> Clutch warped
> frozen pilot bearing
> slave cylinder
> low fluid
> air in the system
>
> I tested the clutch slipping by turning off the engine and rolling down a
> hill while "playing" with the clutch. It seemed to me that the clutch had
> no play in it. It would either grab or not. So that kinda threw that
> theory out the window. My slave cylinder was replaced by the previous
> owner and also bled. So that should be fine. So my problem must be the
> pilot bearing????
>
> Check some of these out
>
> Jason Halsey wrote:
>> Hey all,
>> Recently my 90 yj 5 speed has been acting up. It is very tough to shift
>> into 1st gear every once in a while, and it grinds going into reverse.
>> Any thoughts? What could be causing this?
>> thanks
>> jason

 

What you have (and the OP) is a clutch not releasing all the way, which is
opposite of a slipping clutch. When your clutch starts slipping, you will
know; The rpm's will race with no acceleration.

You either have low fluid and/or air in the system, or a bad slave/master
cylinder. Just because the slave was replaced once, don't rule that out .
Clutch warped, frozen pilot, not likely.

JimG

"none" wrote in message ...
> Sounds like we have the same problem. I've got the 4 banger with the AX5
> tranny. Mine is not fixed yet, but I'll tell you what I have thought
> about and maybe get some help myself:
>
> Clutch slipping
> Clutch warped
> frozen pilot bearing
> slave cylinder
> low fluid
> air in the system
>
> I tested the clutch slipping by turning off the engine and rolling down a
> hill while "playing" with the clutch. It seemed to me that the clutch had
> no play in it. It would either grab or not. So that kinda threw that
> theory out the window. My slave cylinder was replaced by the previous
> owner and also bled. So that should be fine. So my problem must be the
> pilot bearing????
>
> Check some of these out
>
> Jason Halsey wrote:
>> Hey all,
>> Recently my 90 yj 5 speed has been acting up. It is very tough to shift
>> into 1st gear every once in a while, and it grinds going into reverse.
>> Any thoughts? What could be causing this?
>> thanks
>> jason

 

Hi Mike,

I have heard another way to alleviate reverse grind is to use a heavier
weight tranny gear oil.

JimG

"Mike Romain" wrote in message ...
> How is the fluid in it? Do you have the right fluid in it?
>
> If it is low, it can be bitchy to shift into 1st and rev.
>
> Same if you have gotten water in it. That will make it bitchy too. The
> Jeep transmissions don't have a high water vent, just a stupid button
> vent so it is possible to get water in them.
>
> Reverse always grinds a bit anyway if you don't put it into a forward
> gear first. Use 3rd or something first to settle down the tranny, then
> hit reverse.
>
> Mike
> 86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
> 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
>

 

Hi Mike,

I have heard another way to alleviate reverse grind is to use a heavier
weight tranny gear oil.

JimG

"Mike Romain" wrote in message ...
> How is the fluid in it? Do you have the right fluid in it?
>
> If it is low, it can be bitchy to shift into 1st and rev.
>
> Same if you have gotten water in it. That will make it bitchy too. The
> Jeep transmissions don't have a high water vent, just a stupid button
> vent so it is possible to get water in them.
>
> Reverse always grinds a bit anyway if you don't put it into a forward
> gear first. Use 3rd or something first to settle down the tranny, then
> hit reverse.
>
> Mike
> 86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
> 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
>

 

Hi Mike,

I have heard another way to alleviate reverse grind is to use a heavier
weight tranny gear oil.

JimG

"Mike Romain" wrote in message ...
> How is the fluid in it? Do you have the right fluid in it?
>
> If it is low, it can be bitchy to shift into 1st and rev.
>
> Same if you have gotten water in it. That will make it bitchy too. The
> Jeep transmissions don't have a high water vent, just a stupid button
> vent so it is possible to get water in them.
>
> Reverse always grinds a bit anyway if you don't put it into a forward
> gear first. Use 3rd or something first to settle down the tranny, then
> hit reverse.
>
> Mike
> 86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
> 88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's
>

 

Being down a half quart of fluid or a tablespoon of water in the tranny
oil will cause the same symptoms.

But then again, they are describing the 'normal' cold shifting pattern
of any Jeep I have driven......

Warm them up and only reverse bitchs a bit.

Mike
86/00 CJ7 Laredo, 33x9.5 BFG Muds, 'glass nose to tail in '00
88 Cherokee 235 BFG AT's

JimG wrote:
>
> What you have (and the OP) is a clutch not releasing all the way, which is
> opposite of a slipping clutch. When your clutch starts slipping, you will
> know; The rpm's will race with no acceleration.
>
> You either have low fluid and/or air in the system, or a bad slave/master
> cylinder. Just because the slave was replaced once, don't rule that out .
> Clutch warped, frozen pilot, not likely.
>
> JimG
>
> "none" wrote in message ...
> > Sounds like we have the same problem. I've got the 4 banger with the AX5
> > tranny. Mine is not fixed yet, but I'll tell you what I have thought
> > about and maybe get some help myself:
> >
> > Clutch slipping
> > Clutch warped
> > frozen pilot bearing
> > slave cylinder
> > low fluid
> > air in the system
> >
> > I tested the clutch slipping by turning off the engine and rolling down a
> > hill while "playing" with the clutch. It seemed to me that the clutch had
> > no play in it. It would either grab or not. So that kinda threw that
> > theory out the window. My slave cylinder was replaced by the previous
> > owner and also bled. So that should be fine. So my problem must be the
> > pilot bearing????
> >
> > Check some of these out
> >
> > Jason Halsey wrote:
> >> Hey all,
> >> Recently my 90 yj 5 speed has been acting up. It is very tough to shift
> >> into 1st gear every once in a while, and it grinds going into reverse.
> >> Any thoughts? What could be causing this?
> >> thanks
> >> jason