Mechanical advise needed 98 tracker tranny/clutch/shifter

AMProducts · Sep 12, 2016

So I'm going to throw in with what may be the majority opinion here... sounds like your hydraulics are shot.

FYI, if you get air in the lines, you'll get very spongey feel and it may be difficult/impossible to get into gear.

My number #1 suggestion is to check behind the clutch pedal and see if you're getting fluid leaking, it usually happens 1 of two places: either behind the pedal which dumps break fluid into the cab of your car, or at the slave cylinder. What some of the people said (defective seal in the master piston) can also happen. Either way, all of these things can happen as you describe. Usually when your clutch hydraulics go out, you can start the car in first gear, and then rev-match it all the way home, however you can pretty much forget about stopping anywhere in any meaningful way without repeating the same start in first-gear exercise. In a newer car, there may be a clutch-brake lockout that keeps you from starting the car.

Pretty much at this point, check the fluid level, if it has fluid, bleed the slave cylinder and add fluid as necessary. If problems persist first replace the master cylinder, or if the slave is obviously leaking replace that first.

I've always had really bad luck with the "master cylinder rebuilding kit" and it usually started leaking again within a few months. When I just bought a replacement, it lasted until I sold the car.

DieselScout · Sep 12, 2016

I would hope over a year later the guy has got it figured out.

Dyre Straits · Sep 12, 2016

I had a '99 Tracker (they are simply Suzuki re-brands) but mine was an automatic. I got a LOT of miles out of that car and sold it with 223,000 on the OD to a former manager for $1,500. And, that was with a 2002 engine in it after the head gasket blew one evening. It was cheaper to put a used engine in it than to spend the time making sure the original one didn't have other damage done to it. I had also found that the timing belt was something to deal with and had to change that at one time.

But, while talking about transmissions, when I was back in college...and before I tackled anything other than oil and tire changes...I had a '66 Ford Fairlane that had a transmission problem on my way home from work one evening. This was a 6-cyl with standard transmission.

Our church's song leader's brother had just retired from the military and had opened up an auto repair shop in town. So, it was recommended that I have it towed to his shop.

Wayne put in a rebuilt transmission and charged what was then a very reasonable sum to do it. He also offered a six month warranty.

Well, before the six months was out, the same exact thing happened and he replaced the tranny with another rebuilt one.

And, that one went kablooey within a few weeks.

I mentioned to one of the deacons at church, John, and he told me to leave it at home and he would get a rebuilt tranny and come change it out at the house. Which he did. And, while doing it, I watched him.

Within a few weeks, even that one went bad!

I told my wife, "These guys are supposed to know what they're doing and they're missing something. I'm going to get some tools and do this myself!"

I got the tools, got the jack stands, got a rebuilt tranny and commenced to tackle the job.

AS SOON AS I PULLED OUT THE YOKE SPLINE, I SAW WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS!!

The six-to-eight inch yoke had a 1 1/2 inch area that had worn down and had a 'catch' at the inside that was hitting the rear seal and causing the seal to pop out. And, of course, once the gear oil leaked out, the tranny would seize up and lock.

I bought a yoke at the junk yard for $3, put that on, along with the re-built tranny I got and drove that car the rest of the time I was in college and even moved from MO to GA pulling a trailer a couple of years later without further tranny problems.

The "experts" can sometime know too much and take too much for granted, is what I learned.