Normal for clutch to be soft?

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ahgrafx
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Normal for clutch to be soft?

Post by ahgrafx »

Right upon startup and for 5 or 10 min its a bit soft before it eventually stuffens up. Is this normal?
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Re: Normal for clutch to be soft?

Post by bakerjf »

ahgrafx wrote: Thu Sep 27, 2018 6:16 pm Right upon startup and for 5 or 10 min its a bit soft before it eventually stuffens up. Is this normal?
10 minutes sounds worrisome, but most doctors would say “yes.”
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Re: Normal for clutch to be soft?

Post by ahgrafx »

I might be exagerrating on 10min but it is normal to start soft then get more stiff?? Lol i think i get your joke
1967.5 1600 Roadster
1969 Ford F250
1985 Ttop Mustang GT
1994 Toyota 4x4 Pickup
1995 Toyota 4Runner Limited
1994 Mustang Cobra (my daily)
2015 Subaru Forrester (wife's daily)
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Re: Normal for clutch to be soft?

Post by ahgrafx »

I was told the clutch slave cylinder was replaced does that sound right? Is there fluid there might be bubbles in like bleeding brakes?
1967.5 1600 Roadster
1969 Ford F250
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1995 Toyota 4Runner Limited
1994 Mustang Cobra (my daily)
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Re: Normal for clutch to be soft?

Post by bakerjf »

Seriously... Not normal. I would bleed the system as the first step, It is a very simple/limited system. Are you losing fluid? Might want to check underneath the dash to see if the master cylinder is leaking down the inside of the firewall. You can bleed it in less than 3 minutes if you’re getting along with your significant other. ;)
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Re: Normal for clutch to be soft?

Post by Linda »

Might need a new slave cylinder....if leaking or rusted......AutoZone
Check Tech Wiki for the part no in Parts Interchange
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Re: Normal for clutch to be soft?

Post by C.Costine »

If it gets "hard" after a few uses it is simply has some air left in it and just needs to be bled.
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Re: Normal for clutch to be soft?

Post by bakerjf »

Linda wrote: Fri Sep 28, 2018 12:06 am Baker must have been watching the SCOTUS hearing :roll: :lol:
I was! :lol:
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Re: Normal for clutch to be soft?

Post by ahgrafx »

im guessing bleeding the slave cylinder is in the wiki?
he "said" it was a new slave so hopefully he didnt lie or it was like 5 years ago and it had been sitting
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Re: Normal for clutch to be soft?

Post by bakerjf »

It’s just like bleeding the brakes. There is a port on the slave cylinder. Have a friend pump the clutch (and to keep the reservoir topped-off), open the bleed port (into some clear tubing terminating onto a container). Easy-peasy. Seriously, 3 minutes job.
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Re: Normal for clutch to be soft?

Post by ahgrafx »

im new to owership, are there any diagrams around that show where the port exactly is on the side of the trannie?
thanks
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Re: Normal for clutch to be soft?

Post by mraitch »

1) check out carpartsmanual.com.
2) the bleeder on the slave cylinder is OBVIOUS when you look at it.
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Re: Normal for clutch to be soft?

Post by greydog »

It may not be so obvious if you have to ask where to look....
So, raise the car up on jackstands so it's safe and you can get under it.
Crawl under the car on the passenger side behind the front wheel.
In the center of the car, you'll find the engine with the transmission bolted to it. Driveline comes out the back of the transmission.
Now, look up at the bell shaped metal part where the engine and transmission meet. You'll see a cylinder about 6" long with a hose connected to it.
The metal cylinder shaped part is the slave and the hose leads to the clutch master. You'll notice a rod coming from the front of the cylinder running up to an arm that stick out of the bell shaped housing(bellhousing). That's the throwout arm.

Ok back to the slave cylinder....you will see a small nipple shaped fitting sticking out of the slave cylinder, that's your bleed.
The idea is to pressurize the system by pumping on the pedal (make sure the fluid is at the full mark in the master reservoir) and keep pressure on by holding the pedal down. Under the car, connect a clear tube to the nipple and run it into a clean source of brake fluid with the open end of the tube running into the clean fluid. With a fitting wrench, open the bleed. Fluid (and maybe some bubbles) will run down the hose into the container.
The pedal in the car will drop. Once it's at the floor, the person in the car says "down" or some signal to tell the person on the slave to tighten the bleed. Once the bleed is tightened, the pedal person pumps the pedal again and you repeat the whole process. Don't let the fluid in the master reservoir run low or you'll have to start again. Likely 3 or 4 cycles will be enough to give a nice firm brake pedal.
Whew, sounds complicated but it's pretty easy.
I have a power bleeder so it only takes one person (the power bleeder takes the place of the pedal person) and many like speed bleeders as they take the place of the bleed valve person (sort of).
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Re: Normal for clutch to be soft?

Post by mraitch »

And get a speed bleeder, though clutch can be bled, just by gravity, unlike brakex!
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1970 1600 (Stock) - As Yet Unnamed
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Re: Normal for clutch to be soft?

Post by ahgrafx »

Much appreciated greydog, most of my auto work has been on my 85 mustang (engine rebuild) and regular maintenance on my 05 mazda. Did an engine rebuild on my 67 mustang in high school but that was many many years ago
greydog wrote: Fri Sep 28, 2018 5:03 pm It may not be so obvious if you have to ask where to look....
So, raise the car up on jackstands so it's safe and you can get under it.
Crawl under the car on the passenger side behind the front wheel.
In the center of the car, you'll find the engine with the transmission bolted to it. Driveline comes out the back of the transmission.
Now, look up at the bell shaped metal part where the engine and transmission meet. You'll see a cylinder about 6" long with a hose connected to it.
The metal cylinder shaped part is the slave and the hose leads to the clutch master. You'll notice a rod coming from the front of the cylinder running up to an arm that stick out of the bell shaped housing(bellhousing). That's the throwout arm.

Ok back to the slave cylinder....you will see a small nipple shaped fitting sticking out of the slave cylinder, that's your bleed.
The idea is to pressurize the system by pumping on the pedal (make sure the fluid is at the full mark in the master reservoir) and keep pressure on by holding the pedal down. Under the car, connect a clear tube to the nipple and run it into a clean source of brake fluid with the open end of the tube running into the clean fluid. With a fitting wrench, open the bleed. Fluid (and maybe some bubbles) will run down the hose into the container.
The pedal in the car will drop. Once it's at the floor, the person in the car says "down" or some signal to tell the person on the slave to tighten the bleed. Once the bleed is tightened, the pedal person pumps the pedal again and you repeat the whole process. Don't let the fluid in the master reservoir run low or you'll have to start again. Likely 3 or 4 cycles will be enough to give a nice firm brake pedal.
Whew, sounds complicated but it's pretty easy.
I have a power bleeder so it only takes one person (the power bleeder takes the place of the pedal person) and many like speed bleeders as they take the place of the bleed valve person (sort of).
Dan
1967.5 1600 Roadster
1969 Ford F250
1985 Ttop Mustang GT
1994 Toyota 4x4 Pickup
1995 Toyota 4Runner Limited
1994 Mustang Cobra (my daily)
2015 Subaru Forrester (wife's daily)
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