It seems like a minor problem, but they usually aren’t.
Let’s say I take off in first gear. The engine revs just a BIT longer than it should before the clutch catches (and I’ve been driving this truck for years, so I know how to drive a stick). And I don’t know if “clutch catches” is the right word. I get RPMs, but no acceleration. Again, just for about a 1/2 second longer than it should.
Same way through each gear. I get the engine rev and about a thousand rpm before it starts acting normal (1/2 sec later). If I’m on the interstate, I can drive a hundred miles with no miss in the engine.
Sounds like the clutch disk is slipping. It is probably on the early stages, that’s why you only feel it when changing gears. When the slipping gets bad enough you will start feeling it even when crusing on the interstate, eg when from steady speed you floor the gas pedal.
If it’s a 2wd, it should only be a few hundred bucks (depending on year) and actually isn’t too bad of a DIY job, but on a 4wd truck it’ll be a bit more because the transfer case and front driveline have to be removed as well.
No reason why you can’t keep driving it until the slipping gets intolerable, though. If you do mostly highway driving, it could be quite a while yet.
I think you are having a problem with your hydraulic components of your clutch like maybe the hyd. hose isn’t bleeding the fluid back to the clutch master cyl. properly.
You will very soon take out the clutch with this engine rev.
A B. O. clutch will present with engine rev in high gear. This is when torque is at it’s highest in normal driving.
A clutch at the very earliest stage of being worn out will behave like this. When you’re starting out or making a shift, the clutch is already moving relative to the flywheel, so it only has to overcome the kinetic friction in order to slip. Whereas if you stomp on the gas in 5th on the highway, it’s stationary relative to the flywheel and therefore needs to overcome the static friction, which is harder to do. Given time, it will start slipping in gear.
I guess a hydraulic problem is possible, but IME hydraulic problems that stop the clutch from engaging are fairly rare and when they do occur usually affect the clutch release as well, and the OP didn’t say anything about having trouble getting into gear as well. I will send kind thoughts that it might be a $30 hose instead of a $1000 clutch, but I wouldn’t hold out too much hope.
Unless you are an exceptionally patient and/or cheap person, you will get sick of it slipping all the time long before it actually gets so bad you can’t get it to move and it strands you somewhere.
When the time comes, definitely do shop this around. Some shops can do it a LOT faster than the book calls for, and so this is a job where there are big price discrepancies. Also ask how much replacing an automatic on your same truck would cost, which will make you feel better about your clutch repair and owning a manual in general.
I agree it sounds like a slipping clutch. Clutch hydraulic problem symptoms are quite different.
A slipping clutch problem progresses geometrically. The worse it gets, the faster it gets worse. It is not unheard of for the vehicle to start out the day feeling about the same and end the day not being able to move.
Thanks guys. My brother in law says that he could replace it for me. Where would I find out which one it needs? Advanced Auto returns these three:
Well all you provided is Ford F150
The year, engine size, maybe the trim(sub model) would help and then one may need date of manufacture (month-year) and then only get it down to 2-3 choices unless you are purchasing from an OEM.
Parts in hand to do a comparison is not unheard of.
This is one of those things you should have looked at before you’re sitting at a stoplight wondering why your truck won’t move. It’s always easier of you can drive the vehicle to your mechanic’s instead of having it towed.
