ummm... did my clutch rust together or something?

[SeanPaintsFlames]

So, I got my '83 K10 (9" lift, 38.5 Thornbirds) up to the axles in sticky mud twice over the weekend. Then I pressure washed about 4 inches of mud off the bottom of it, taking about and hour and a half. It started raining towards the end of the clean up, so once I was done "enough" I took the truck for a drive around the block to give it a last rinse. Today I get in it to go to work and the clutch feels stiffer, and it won't go into any gear but 4th, but only then with pressure. I was able to start it in reverse (with the clutch to the floor, even) to get the starter to scoot it far enough out of the way so we could get my wife's truck out of the garage.

What have I done?!?! What can I do to fix it?

[steelhorse]

If the clutch won't push in an release as easily as before you may have got some mud on the shaft of the trans and it is causing the throwout bearing to bind or possibly some of the linkage is sticking. If the clutch is going in and out normally you may have a trans problem.

[SeanPaintsFlames]

Okay. I took my z bar off and made sure everything was tight there. It's got to be something, like you said, with the throwout bearing. Maybe I should just hose it out through the side opening really well while it's running. I hope that whatever it is just goes away without having to pull the trans and t case. Oh geez.
Thanks!

[SeanPaintsFlames]

Yep, mud- sure enough. I started it up out of gear and just let the hose pour into the side hole from different angles. After working the clutch and the hose back and forth for a bit, it freed up again. Phewww! Man, 20 minutes of muddy backyard fun, and hours of cleanup and repair!

[steelhorse]

I owned my first 4x4 about 1 hour before I had water running threw the floorboards. About 1 month later 2 u joints 1 front axle,1 ac compressor,1 starter and a busted tire later I decided the streets were cheaper.