[45below]

Hey there,
I'm having some problems shifting in my 1998 Chevy Cheyenne, crew cab, 350 engine. It's a manual transmission, and basically, it's just really hard to get it into any gear. It's definitely driveable (I drive it almost every day), but I have to really force it into the gears, even with the clutch fully depressed. It also grinds like crazy when I try to shift into reverse.
The clutch engages when the pedal is pressed almost all the way to the floor.
Any ideas on what the problem is? I need to drive this truck up to Alaska in a couple weeks, so the sooner I get it fixed the better.
Thanks! I appreciate it.

 

[murdog94]

Sounds like either the slave cylinder or the Clutch Master cylinder is shot, which isnt allowing the clutch to fully disengage.

 

[stephan]

X2, & if you continue to drive it & force it into gear it will ruin the syncros (syncros are probably already gone) & eventually the gears. This grinding that you're hearing when you force it into gear is metal to metal contact & is the fast road to failure. I would not trust this on the Al-Can highway. People have died on that road when their vehicles have failed them.

 

[silveradotrailblazer]

Welcome to the club. Listen to murdog94 and stephan.

 

[Crispyt]

I just had the same problem with my 1995 chevy truck. Turned out that it was a combanation of a warped pressure plate and a bad throwout bearring. But it could just as easly be a bad slave or master cylinder. See if your leaking and fluid from any of your clutch cylinders. Also check and make sure that your clutch linkage isnt worn out. Mine was a year ago and made it hard to shift. If you pull up on the pedal like if your pulling it toward you it shouldnt move up farther than where it sits when its not depressed. Usualy what happens is the bushing wears out and then it wears into the white metal and it wears really fast causing a lot of play. Check that and your clutch fluid level first, as well as check for leaks in the system too.


Good luck!