ClayBonics

7/11/07 - Update:

First, I want to just say this is not a rant on my part. I want to make people aware of what is up, so they are better informed if this happens to them. I am just greatful that my car it’s getting fixed.


I took my car to my guy that does a lot of my work to my cars after the dealership told me that it was a clutch issue.
It still bothered me that the dealership insisted that it was a clutch issue because it would shift and not get stuck in gear and then it would do it.

So as soon as one of mechanics from the shop that I go to jumps in the mustang he said “This seems like a hydraulic issue.”
I thought “Wow, I might not be crazy after all” – that what my father and I thought it was.
I could have gone to another dealership and had them take the Trans apart to confirm it is a hydraulic issue.
But instead I figured the way things go if I did have Ford take it down it would turn out to be anything but a covered warranty issue, then I would have a nice shop bill from a Ford Dealership.
So I bit the Bullitt.
Yesterday they took that Trans down and they told me that the slave cylinder (hydraulic throwout bearing) was bad.
Since I already bought a new slave cylinder, clutch and aluminum flywheel they put it in.

So is anyone has the same problem with the trans that I did, it might be the same problem.



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Original Message:

So long story short I have been having trouble getting my car to go into some gears as well as getting it out of gear on occasion. Took it to my for dealer and he said that it was the clutch going.
My car has never seen the track or donuts (besides the Dunkin Donut kind). 19K for a clutch going is rough.The other thing he side that it might be a airbubble in the hydraulic system for the Throwout bearing (slave cylinder). Since it is occasional and not all the time wouldn't it make sense that the Throwout bearing (slave cylinder) might be bad?
Has anyone had this problem?
The Ford Dealerwill not cover it under warranty they wanted about $1,000-1,100 for a clutch [sm=dontgetit.gif].
I am going elsewhere andupgrading having everything replaced.
Let me know.

Sherwood06GT

For that kind of money you could upgrade to a Spec Stage 2 or 3 clutch and aluminum flywheel. Thats what I am going to put in.

ClayBonics

Same here my friend.
I am going Spec Stage 2 with Aluminum Flywheel.

Sherwood06GT

Then you can....[sm=gears.gif][sm=wootwoot.gif] safely!

partsbill

if the clutch is gone, it's gone, the clutch won't occasionally work some times then not work other times,
your theory of air in the line sounds more like it to me, here's how to bleed your clutch:
[ol][*]Make sure all hydraulic lines are correctly seated. Make sure all bleed screws are tightened to specification.
[*]Tighten to 8 Nm (71 lb-in).[/ul][/ol]
[*]Make sure the clutch pedal is in the most upward position.[/ol]
[*]Check the fluid level of the brake/clutch reservoir. Fill the reservoir with the specified fluid to the MAX mark.[/ol]
[*]Using a suitable bleeder kit and a vacuum pump, install the rubber stopper in the reservoir opening. Make sure the rubber stopper has a tight fit.
[*]Alternate method: use a 50 mm (1.96 in) rubber stopper with an 8 mm (0.31 in) pipe inserted through the rubber stopper.[/ul][/ol]
[*]Holding the rubber stopper in place, operate the vacuum pump to 15-20 inches of vacuum. Hold the vacuum for one minute, then quickly relieve the vacuum. Remove the special tools.[/ol]
[*]Check the fluid level of the reservoir. Fill the reservoir with the specified fluid to the MAX mark. Install the reservoir cap.[/ol]
[*]Depress and release the clutch pedal 10 to 12 times or until clutch pedal effort is consistent and positive at top of clutch pedal travel.[/ol]
[*]Repeat Steps 4 through 6 two additional times or until clutch pedal effort is consistent and positive at top of clutch pedal travel.[/ol]
[*]Install the reservoir cap.[/ol]
[*]Check the clutch pedal reserve. Test the clutch system for normal operation.[/ol]


[hr]

Perdi

I fried my Zoom Stage 2 Clutch in less than 8000 miles, it was fine up until one day of beating on the car... couple burnouts and a few donughts later... it was gone...Putting a stage 3 in it now, apparently I', told the clutch and flywheel were black and blue... hopefully this stage 3 will hold up a lot better and have more bite.

marcuskeeler

I've worried about my stock clutch and wondered when it was going to let me down, with over 450 Rwhp it's only a question of time. However, I think a lot of it is about driving style. With other cars I'verun my shifts smoothly which involves a slight amount of deliberate slip between gears. This absolutely won't work with supercharger power and I've adapted to harsher [clutch-in-clutch-out] shifts which is going to reduce wear on the mating surfaces. Another thing I try to avoid is short-shifting and using WOT low end torque of the motor to pull me through high gear, that's a killer as well.
Even doughnuts and burnouts are ok if your clutch action is sharp enough.
Outright breakage is another thing, there's not much you can do to avoid failure if you're hard enough

Perdi

Yeah, the thing is when I was doing the donughts etc... I fully let the clutch out before I hammered down the throttle....with 450rw all ya need to do is turn the wheel and hammer down, and round and round ya go.... So I'm wondering either I got a bad clutch, or it just didn't have enough clamping force and was slipping under heavy load...

ClayBonics

Update - Look at the original message above.