Is my BA-10 dying??

[ParadiseMJ]

My MJ is blessed with a 5 spd. Peugot BA-10. In the 2 yrs. I've had it I have babied the tranny and it's done fine...except for occasionally popping out of reverse. I've changed the oil twice on it in about 3K miles because it was full of gooey goop the first time I opened the drain. I've been using Pennzoil "Syncromesh". It runs and shifts fine when I'm cruising at highway speeds and up around the hills. 2nd to 3rd to 4th and even 5th, and downshifts fine as well.

 

In close quarters however, in town, slow speeds, into first and second, shifting requires a little finnesse. So, now when coming to a stop it makes this sound. I can only describe it as:

 

Whhvvvvvvvvvvzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

 

The clutch seems to have plenty of pedal and is disengaging but the sound still happens...and it's random. So, any ideas (clutch plate, linkage, flywheel etc.)?

I really don't want it to grenade cruising to work, in the dark, in the rain, on a hill, of a two lane road.

 

P.S. The guy who claimed he was jumped by a mountain lion and was saved by a bear just MIGHT have made that story up.

[Jeep Driver]

Sounds like the throw-out bearing by your description.

[ParadiseMJ]

Sounds like the throw-out bearing by your description.

 

Is it worth fixing? I've never done much tranny work and the whole idea of taking it out, spending money on it and putting it back in sounds like alot of work for still having a BA-10.

 

I have an AW4 waiting in the wings. It's a known working tranny. I have a good pick n' pull here for auxillary parts too. I'm waffling on installing the AW4 or finding an AX15. I like driving the 5 speed, but also like the automatic in the XJ. Is there a huge difference in POWER transfer (I also have 3.07's in my D30 and D44)

 

The AW4 is out of a 94 and the MJ is an 88 so I know there will be wiring differences and TC differences but dropping and swapping sounds better than just dressing up a turd. The only AX-15's I've seen around are $300-$600, there are none at the junkers, though I keep looking.

 

Opinions??

[Jeep Driver]

You can run through the gears without using the clutch.

 

don't' sit at idle with your foot on the clutch. Throw it into neutral before you approach a stop.

 

Use clutch only to initiate movement. Baby it to get a couple more months out of it.

 

When it goes......it goes and it will likely fly apart.

 

I got 249K miles out of my original clutch in my 98 Ranger.....mostly city miles too. Trans was never touched in the 13 years I drove it.

 

I never ride or feather a clutch......smooth but swift.