Introduction and Plea for Help

crabby · **Joined:** Mon Aug 27, 2007 3:42 pm **Posts:** 9

Hello,

My wife and I purchased our sixth Jeep July of this year. We live close to Assateague Island and like to drive on the ORV area on the beach. We purchased a 2007 KJ 6spd sport. I have driven many jeeps on the beach most of them in with the stock setup no lifts etc. After driving down the beach access road the clutch pedal became very stiff and inoperable. I had to drive clutch-less off the beach. Took it to my purchasing dealership and by the time I got their clutch started working. They could not find anything. I thought maybe a fluke thing and tried the beach two weeks later same thing happened this time a different tech looked at the jeep and found that the bell housing was ingesting sand through the vent on the bottom of the NSG 370 6spd. This created grit that mucked up the clutch plates (compressed air get everything cleaned out so it works.) Dealership has done nothing accept buy me a transmission skid I had to source a front skid plate myself.

Tried the beach a third time with front skid and tranny skid on and a custom sheet metal plate I put over the vent (not real close maybe 1/2 inch gap) was able to get off the beach without total clutch failure but, sand still got into the bell housing and I had to blow out everything with compressed air.

The problem is that the center of the beach raod is brushing the bottom of the Liberty throwing sand everywhere. I see tons of stock Liberty's, Cherokees, heck even a Compass. Nobody is running a NSG 370 in a liberty on the beach. The 2007 wranglers that I have looked at are using a different bell housing but, still have vents in the bottom.

Help

Jeepjeepster · **Posted:** Thu Aug 30, 2007 11:29 am

I remember your threads from awhile back.

Are you that the sand isnt getting in somewhere else? I cant believe its still getting in with the tranny skid and the custom shield.

jeepgirl0385 · **Posted:** Thu Aug 30, 2007 11:56 am

Wow...assateague, do you get to see the Chincoteague ponies, and the annual roundup? That would be awesome! I have dreamed of going there since I read Misty of Chincoteague as a child! Maybe I will have to bring my Liberty, and hope I don't have sand issues

I hope you can find out the cause! I wish I could help you!

crabby · **Joined:** Mon Aug 27, 2007 3:42 pm **Posts:** 9

I wish I had taken my camera (beach is bad for cameras) but, the access road is usually rutted so deep that sand always brushes the bottom of the drive system no matter what on small 4x4 stock vehicles. Never was a problem for my other jeeps. I just wish that I had bought a 4wd F250. The sand is unusually fine this year due to the drought.

I will have to post pictures of the wild ponies about 100 yards away from the Jeep in the surf trying to escape the flies. I am just real disappointed in jeep for not thinking this through and the dealership for leaving me hanging.

Tranny skids do nothing but act as a big shovel on assateague. I know it is the vent because when the clutch starts to act up I can take off the inspection plate blow compressed air into the bellhousing which blows out tons of sand and the clutch works fine.

I intentionally went with the Libby to get better mileage and a more comfortable ride but, keep a 2spd transfer case so we could go on the beach. I can't help but wonder about the trail rated badge on my libby as I watch Jeep compass and Outback wagons pass by no problem.

dirtykj · **Posted:** Thu Aug 30, 2007 12:23 pm

Can't you relocate the vent elsewhere?

Wish I could help, but since I have an auto that hasn't ever happened to me going on beaches in the Outer Banks.

crabby · **Joined:** Mon Aug 27, 2007 3:42 pm **Posts:** 9

I wish I could relocate it is actually cast into the bottom of the bell housing. I will try and post up some picture tomorrow.

Scott

dirtykj · **Posted:** Thu Aug 30, 2007 1:02 pm

Mmm, weld a tube to it and extend it?

BeepBeepJeepJeep · **Posted:** Thu Aug 30, 2007 1:02 pm

crabby wrote:

I wish I could relocate it is actually cast into the bottom of the bell housing. I will try and post up some picture tomorrow.

Scott

you can't get some tubing with the appropriately sized hose clamp over it?

dog_party · **Posted:** Thu Aug 30, 2007 1:38 pm

Welcome to LOST Crabby. Sorry to hear about your sand woes. That really sucks! I couldn't get the manual tranny with the diesel motor, so I have an automatic and have had no problems up on the Eastern Shore, or on the Outer Banks. The skid plates really do shovel the sand in though! I haven't seen the bell-housing on the bottom of the KJ, so I can't think of a way to re-route the vent. Post up some picts and we'll figure something out! Don't give up on the KJ just because of the vent. :wink:

We live right across the long, expensive bridge from you. We go to the Eastern Shore every once in a while and, actually, we were just talking about going up there this fall. Maybe we'll see you there some time.

Jeepjeepster · **Posted:** Thu Aug 30, 2007 3:02 pm

Ive seen a liberty 6speed offroad on some fairly insane stuff and it had no problem. Mud didnt do a thing to it either.

Its evidently just a problem with the sand. Can you just cover the vent up totally? I would think that wouldnt hurt it as much as sand getting in it would.

crabby · **Joined:** Mon Aug 27, 2007 3:42 pm **Posts:** 9

Thanks for all of the great responses. I have almost felt like giving up. I thought about a frankenlift from All J's or even just a daystar lift but, It is my wifes ride and she is sensitive to poor ride quality (why we no longer have our XJ's

) I have fabricated a crude looking sheetmetal cover that did not fit real flush which still let sand in. I noticed on 2005-2005 TSB's there is a blurb about not covering the manual transmission vent.

I will get pics up tonight. It is a rectangular vent maybe .5 inch wide by 2-3 inches long right cast into the bottom of the bell housing behind the oil pan. Basically I should have gotten an auto. I didnt research it enough I thought DC still used New Venture manual trannies.

spencevans · **Posted:** Thu Aug 30, 2007 4:56 pm

Crabby, IMO the Frankenlift provides a better ride than the stock suspension. That was part of the reason I went with the FL was improved ride qualtiy.

crabby · **Joined:** Mon Aug 27, 2007 3:42 pm **Posts:** 9

Here are a couple of pictures what your looking at is an area behind the oil pan. Two bolt heads are on the back of the opening. The front cross member was throwing sand up there. Skid plates have not helped much. I have also made a small sheetmetal cover but, it was not close fitting enough. I am unsure as to wether a lift would stop sand from entering this large opening.

Tokyojoe · **Posted:** Thu Aug 30, 2007 8:44 pm

You will get a lot of positive responses, from other lifted KJ owners, on how much better the KJ rides and handles with a lift compared to stock.

Jeger · **Posted:** Fri Aug 31, 2007 8:10 am

I would be wondering...why is the vent there? I seem to remember all manuals having a vent/drain but never considered why?
Would it hurt to plug the hole just for the time you are at the beach. Certainly it wouldnt be as bad as getting sand in there

The only other thing I could think of is to hook up a small pump/blower and run a hose into the bellhousing to keep it under positive pressure while playing in the sand.

crabby · **Joined:** Mon Aug 27, 2007 3:42 pm **Posts:** 9

I don't want to lift a vehicle that I have only made one payment on and is less than two months old. I feel that Jeep should have a work around. The vent is huge look at the pics. Mud or water anything can get in there. Great German transmission. Sherwood Jeep in Salisbury is bending me over on this!!!!

crabby · **Joined:** Mon Aug 27, 2007 3:42 pm **Posts:** 9

We recently were able to trade in our 2007 KJ 6spd manual for a 2007 KJ 4spd auto. I just finished swapping all of the accessories form the first KJ to the new one. We were even able to take advantage of the lifetime warranty from Chysler I missed it with our first KJ by a week. This automatic has no problems in the sand like the manual NSG370. No huge vent on the bottom of the bellhousing sucking sand in. I am glad we didnt have to buy a lift I don't want to buy new arms and worry about balljoints I am glad you guys are enjoying it. I tried getting another wrangler but, the dealership didnt want to do that in this buyback.

Thanks

Scott

Rush345 · **Posted:** Sat Nov 03, 2007 10:47 pm

I was going to suggest looking into a rubber boot used in a vehicle between the firewall and the interior of a different vehicles. I could be off base hear but thought it might be and option. I am pleased to hear that you can still enjoy the island I grew up boyscouting in that area aand always loved that beach. I am happy to hear you can still enjoy that natures beauty.

crabby · **Joined:** Mon Aug 27, 2007 3:42 pm **Posts:** 9

RUSH,

I thought about a rubber flap. I didnt want to overheat the clutch/tranny. I made a small sheet metal cover and the sand was so fine and powderey this year with the drought is stillmunged up the clutch. The vent was huge and must be there for a good reason? They shoud have stuck with the New Venture manual transmissions. All I do is cruise down the beach no rock crawling mudding. The funny thing is the new Libby even though it is brand new came with a set of ghetto looking chrome wheels that have the stock Wrangler ST tires. The dealership had installed them kinda like pinstripping. I told them I was not paying extra and they could remount the steel wheels. They declined didnt charge for the ghetto rims and gave me the original set of steel wheels. Another funny coincidence is that the two Jeeps both 2007 are both khaki the only difference is the transmission 8000 miles on the old jeep and ghe4tto wheels.

Rush345 · **Posted:** Sun Nov 04, 2007 1:25 am

crabby wrote:

RUSH,

I thought about a rubber flap. I didnt want to overheat the clutch/tranny. I made a small sheet metal cover and the sand was so fine and powderey this year with the drought is stillmunged up the clutch. The vent was huge and must be there for a good reason? They shoud have stuck with the New Venture manual transmissions. All I do is cruise down the beach no rock crawling mudding. The funny thing is the new Libby even though it is brand new came with a set of ghetto looking chrome wheels that have the stock Wrangler ST tires. The dealership had installed them kinda like pinstripping. I told them I was not paying extra and they could remount the steel wheels. They declined didnt charge for the ghetto rims and gave me the original set of steel wheels. Another funny coincidence is that the two Jeeps both 2007 are both khaki the only difference is the transmission 8000 miles on the old jeep and ghe4tto wheels.

Well at least you still have a Liberty, I went with the Automatic trans for only one reason, I'm brutal on clutches. Give me a manual transmission and I morph into SPEED RACER, I drive a stick like I'm running in the GRAN PRIX. With a standard evry year and a half the clutch is toast. It doesn't even give a warning as in slipping, with the way I drive it is there on minute an the next it's shredded Wheat. As in the famous words of Dirty Harry " A man has to know his limitations". Myself with a clutch is not a happy union. I realize this so I went with a automatic. Hey why fight the facts except it and get on the road and get muddy. :shock:

Introduction and Plea for Help

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