Dirty clutch fluid - Ford Forums - Mustang Forum, Ford Trucks, Ford Focus and Ford Cars

Jabba · 01-07-2005, 19:38

I changed the brake fluid today. used motul RBF600. I tryed to change the fluid for the clutch also, But the clutch pivot arm is inside the bell houseing. Imposible to get at. I checked the clutch fluid and it was black, I have never seen clutch or Brake fluid that dirty before in my life. And I bet that is the reason behind my clutch problems. I took the car into ford and he said that it was normal for the clutch fluid to be black after 5000klm.

Anyway I was wondering if you have a BA XR8 or GT with a manual Gear box
can you report the condition on you clutch fliud along with milage you have done in you car and if you have had any issues with your clutch. My XR8 has done 7500Klm and the clutch peddle was getting very stiff under high rpm shifting and gettin worse by the day . It is book in to ford on tuesday to have the clutch fluid replaced with Motul RBF600 so we will see if that was the cause of my clutch problem.

Matt

Hypnodoc · 01-07-2005, 21:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by mcdennis1

I changed the brake fluid today. used motul RBF600. I tryed to change the fluid for the clutch also, But the clutch pivot arm is inside the bell houseing. Imposible to get at. I checked the clutch fluid and it was black, I have never seen clutch or Brake fluid that dirty before in my life. And I bet that is the reason behind my clutch problems. I took the car into ford and he said that it was normal for the clutch fluid to be black after 5000klm.

Anyway I was wondering if you have a BA XR8 or GT with a manual Gear box
can you report the condition on you clutch fliud along with milage you have done in you car and if you have had any issues with your clutch. My XR8 has done 7500Klm and the clutch peddle was getting very stiff under high rpm shifting and gettin worse by the day . It is book in to ford on tuesday to have the clutch fluid replaced with Motul RBF600 so we will see if that was the cause of my clutch problem.

Matt

You sir need to ring Mal Woods and replace the self terminating POS called a terminator that FMC put in the cars

. The clutch fluid is black because it has been boiling because the standard clutch is complete crap for anything beyond a standard car. There have been reports of clutch dramas from most people who have fitted under drive pulleys to GTs and XR8s. Some have even had the clutch issue from simply fitting a CAI, thats how on the limit theses things are. Two solutions 1. Keep the car standard. 2. Fit a Mal Wood Clutch and pressure plate @ around $1300 from memory. Ring and talk to Mal he'll give you all the run down.

burnsi · 01-07-2005, 22:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by mcdennis1

I changed the brake fluid today. used motul RBF600. I tryed to change the fluid for the clutch also, But the clutch pivot arm is inside the bell houseing. Imposible to get at. I checked the clutch fluid and it was black, I have never seen clutch or Brake fluid that dirty before in my life. And I bet that is the reason behind my clutch problems. I took the car into ford and he said that it was normal for the clutch fluid to be black after 5000klm.

Anyway I was wondering if you have a BA XR8 or GT with a manual Gear box
can you report the condition on you clutch fliud along with milage you have done in you car and if you have had any issues with your clutch. My XR8 has done 7500Klm and the clutch peddle was getting very stiff under high rpm shifting and gettin worse by the day . It is book in to ford on tuesday to have the clutch fluid replaced with Motul RBF600 so we will see if that was the cause of my clutch problem.

Matt

GTP, 35000km, no clutch operation problems, and yes the fluid is a blackish/brown colour.

BOSSGT · 01-07-2005, 23:06

Yes i do this as a common upgrade on on customers tremec box's. Bleeding them is a absolute pig and you will need a vacume bleeder to properly evacuate the whole system. the pedal will feel a little vague for a day maybe but will definately come firmer than before if the old fluid is black. Also dont cut corners and fit synthetic fluid go the pure high temp racing fluid.

Elmer Fudd

Jabba · 01-08-2005, 00:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by BOSSGT

Yes i do this as a common upgrade on on customers tremec box's. Bleeding them is a absolute pig and you will need a vacume bleeder to properly evacuate the whole system. the pedal will feel a little vague for a day maybe but will definately come firmer than before if the old fluid is black. Also dont cut corners and fit synthetic fluid go the pure high temp racing fluid.

Elmer Fudd

What brake fluid do you use, as i was told that motul is one of the best on the market and has a higher boiling point the Castrol SRF. Also have you had problems with you clutch as I was talking to the guys that own Total Driver (performance driving center) Have had no problems with there clutches and there cars are both moded BA XR8 and GT-P and they flog there cars around the track. so I am thinking that the main root of the problem is the brake fluid. I hope

To Hypnodoc
I have all ready spoken to mal wood and If the new brake fluid does not do the jod I will get his kit. Mal was saying you got kit with the lighten fly wheel.
Can you coment on the extra performance you recieved buy geting the Lighten flywheel. as It seems you might be able to kill two birds with one stone with that package

Matt

BOSSGT · 01-08-2005, 18:41

I use Castrol GP600 racing fluid and have had many problems a long time ago with clutch's. i sell and recommend Mal Wood clutch kits with a billet lightened steel flywheel, as for the guys at total driver if their cars are std then they may not have encountered any problems its only once power has incressed substancially will you get a solid pedal problem and mostly on 290 powerplants.

Elmer Fudd

Jabba · 01-08-2005, 21:49

today I went down to the auto shop to get some gear for the wifes car and in the same street there is a race engine shop that was open and I could see the front of a GT( blue with cobra stripes races in the GTP class and won Its class in the Bathurst 24 hr ) the shop is called Preformance engines, Kamholtz crt Ashmore QLD. So I went in to ask about the clutch and fluid. and the machanic said the the gear box and clutch was stock standard and they have never had any clutch problems, go figure.
I also contacted the Gene from total to ask him about the mods on his cars. But unable to contact him as of yet. But I am led to belive that they are both have mods on them. So Now I am think there are some good batches of clutches and some bad batches. And as I said before my clutch hooks up real good and in all gears, I even tryed to get the clutch to slip but it holds on realy well even when I slip the clutch in 3rd under full exeleration. So I think the clutch upgrade can wait, but if it does starts to slip then I go to mal woods. In the mean time the car is booked into ford to have the fluid replaced
with RBF600. I will let you no if there is an improvement with the clutch peddle.

Anyway Got some good news, I am the proud owner of a set of DBA4000 XS dics rotors and the guys fro QFM ( they use to sponsor me in my Karting days) are making me a set of pads to go with them (street and race combo)

so she will pull up hard and fast over and over and over and over and over and over and over. They will be getting fitted on friday 14th, then on saturday 22nd I am going to darlington park for a sprint day to try them out. I also contacted pirtek about S/S braided brake lines. and they can either custom make them or of the shelf for about $55 each. I have also ordered a thermostat from BPT that should be here soon.

then after that the next mod is the suspension. But that a few months away yet

Matt

THE MUTHA · 01-10-2005, 23:32

Matt,
I believe you are right in saying good batches and bad, my info is that Ford started out putting in heavy duty clutches in the early GT/GT-P's and then decided that the cheaper XR8 clutch would do the job and thats when the problems started with them, from what I've heard is that they went to the XR8 clutch mid 03 so anything after is going to be a problem when enhancing performance.

BOSSGT · 01-11-2005, 00:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by FORD GT BA

Matt,
I believe you are right in saying good batches and bad, my info is that Ford started out putting in heavy duty clutches in the early GT/GT-P's and then decided that the cheaper XR8 clutch would do the job and thats when the problems started with them, from what I've heard is that they went to the XR8 clutch mid 03 so anything after is going to be a problem when enhancing performance.

Sorry Boys all the tremec clutches are the same item XR8 or GT! There was also a pedal box upgrade but that wasnt because of this hard pedal problem. As i have gone into in previous threads the problem is in the weak diaphram.

Elmer Fudd

Jabba · 01-11-2005, 00:36

can you tell me more about the hard peddle problem or send me to the right link as the hard peddle is what I am getting when I getting up it, and I dont Know what is the cause. I had the fluid changed today and they also purged the clutch line to make sure there was no older fluid left in the system but I am still getting the hard peddle, But as i have mentioned before the clutch its self is hooking up really good and I have no slippage at all just the hard peddle.

I spoke to mal again today and I am getting the Malwood kit and the short shift Kit wich is only $325 and is genuine tremec, and at $325 it is a must and he fits it for free when he is doing your clutch at the same time.

Matt