Clutch fluid change
Clutch fluid change Cliffs notes at bottom:
So my 65k mile 6spd car I don't believe has EVER had the clutch fluid changed/bled/had the cap off. I noticed after taking a 30 mile drive on the highway cruising in 6th gear, the clutch pedal at the end was much stiffer. I didn't think much of it, got home, parked the car, and opened the clutch fluid cap. I was blown away at what I saw. The fluid level was slightly low, but the fluid had the consistency and color/opacity of 5k+ mile used motor oil
So I did the ranger method of changing out the fluid, and have done so another dozen times or so. I have an extra little syringe that my wife needed to give her bunnies medicine which has a tapered end which fits perfect into the opening at the bottom of the fluid reservoir. I drive 10 miles to work, change the fluid, give 30 or so pumps of the clutch pedal, and call it done. I have done this each day for the past 6 or so days, and after a nice 40 mile drive yesterday which included many blasts through 4th gear, did another fluid change out. Each time I change it, it is still murky, but it has gotten NOTICEABLY better. Now there it is almost getting to the point where I can see the bottom of the fluid reservoir. The pedal is feeling better, no longer firm after a long highway drive, and still grabs nice in each gear. I know the clutch was changed at some point before I owned it, but NO IDEA what it was replaced with. I digress...
My question is, is this a normal amount of time to change out garbage fluid? Or is something else going on that is constantly destroying my fluid... I put around 20 miles on each fluid change, and each time it's noticeably darker. I have been through just about a small brake fluid bottle. Sorry for writing a damn book.
Cliffs: How long/many changes of clutch fluid does it usually take to clean up a never flushed/bled hydro system?
-J
So my 65k mile 6spd car I don't believe has EVER had the clutch fluid changed/bled/had the cap off. I noticed after taking a 30 mile drive on the highway cruising in 6th gear, the clutch pedal at the end was much stiffer. I didn't think much of it, got home, parked the car, and opened the clutch fluid cap. I was blown away at what I saw. The fluid level was slightly low, but the fluid had the consistency and color/opacity of 5k+ mile used motor oil
So I did the ranger method of changing out the fluid, and have done so another dozen times or so. I have an extra little syringe that my wife needed to give her bunnies medicine which has a tapered end which fits perfect into the opening at the bottom of the fluid reservoir. I drive 10 miles to work, change the fluid, give 30 or so pumps of the clutch pedal, and call it done. I have done this each day for the past 6 or so days, and after a nice 40 mile drive yesterday which included many blasts through 4th gear, did another fluid change out. Each time I change it, it is still murky, but it has gotten NOTICEABLY better. Now there it is almost getting to the point where I can see the bottom of the fluid reservoir. The pedal is feeling better, no longer firm after a long highway drive, and still grabs nice in each gear. I know the clutch was changed at some point before I owned it, but NO IDEA what it was replaced with. I digress...
My question is, is this a normal amount of time to change out garbage fluid? Or is something else going on that is constantly destroying my fluid... I put around 20 miles on each fluid change, and each time it's noticeably darker. I have been through just about a small brake fluid bottle. Sorry for writing a damn book.
Cliffs: How long/many changes of clutch fluid does it usually take to clean up a never flushed/bled hydro system?
-J
I used to do the ranger method and call it a day, but I started having issues that his method along would not fix. I decided to bleed the clutch the real way with the valve under the car. Check this out. With perfectly clean fluid in the reservoir and after pumping the pedal to try to mix it, I would bleed the clutch from under the car and get black fluid. I ended up concluding that the fluid in the reservoir only mixes so far down the system. I pushed out all of the old and kept the cup full of fresh with hopes of ridding my car of fluid boil issues. I also wrapped my clutch line with header wrap and heater hose.
Thanks for the replies. I am just about through a small bottle of DOT 3, and what I've pulled out is horrifying. I will be doing a coolant flush in a few weeks, while I'm down there I'll probably wrap the clutch line and see what the bleeder valve looks like.
-J
-J
You might also want to consider going with some different fluid like the Motul or ATE.
If you're going to be doing all that, I might suggest doing the drill mod. Granted, you need to pull the master out, but at least this way you can do a nice flush of the fluid and then work the Ranger method to clean it up.
You might also want to consider going with some different fluid like the Motul or ATE.
You might also want to consider going with some different fluid like the Motul or ATE.
I've done all the stuff I stated above and the drill mod, AND I'm pushing ATE. I haven't smashed 3rd or higher on the highway lately, but hopefully all that I've done works beautifully.
My issue has been with the fluid boiling. I think this is what most peoples' issue is.
I've been having clutch slippage and low pedal at the top of 4th but not down in the lower gears. That tells me it is fluid boiling.
The issue was at the top of 3rd, but after the first flush it moved to the top of 4th. Once it get it to the top of 6th I'll be happy jk lol
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I am SOOOO happy that i did the Tick remote bleeder on my last clutch change!!!
It is a < 10 minute job, with the car on the ground, ALL BY MYSELF, to flush through a full QUART of Castrol LMA, followed by a fill of Prospeed RS683.
If you want to GUARANTEE that your clutch fluid will not boil (attn; all of you long tube owners out there), go with the Castrol React SRF brake fluid, which has the absolute HIGHEST WET boiling point on the planet (but, you WILL pay MUCHO dinero for this stuff
).
It is a < 10 minute job, with the car on the ground, ALL BY MYSELF, to flush through a full QUART of Castrol LMA, followed by a fill of Prospeed RS683.
If you want to GUARANTEE that your clutch fluid will not boil (attn; all of you long tube owners out there), go with the Castrol React SRF brake fluid, which has the absolute HIGHEST WET boiling point on the planet (but, you WILL pay MUCHO dinero for this stuff
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When I found mine disgustingly black and nasty it took a good 7-8 little bottles of Valvoline DOT4 (over some time) to get it clean, but it stays 100% clean now. Also, make sure there isn't a bunch of caked-on black gunk on the walls and floor of the reservoir, and if there is, wipe it off.
I am SOOOO happy that i did the Tick remote bleeder on my last clutch change!!!
It is a < 10 minute job, with the car on the ground, ALL BY MYSELF, to flush through a full QUART of Castrol LMA, followed by a fill of Prospeed RS683.
If you want to GUARANTEE that your clutch fluid will not boil (attn; all of you long tube owners out there), go with the Castrol React SRF brake fluid, which has the absolute HIGHEST WET boiling point on the planet (but, you WILL pay MUCHO dinero for this stuff ).
It is a < 10 minute job, with the car on the ground, ALL BY MYSELF, to flush through a full QUART of Castrol LMA, followed by a fill of Prospeed RS683.
If you want to GUARANTEE that your clutch fluid will not boil (attn; all of you long tube owners out there), go with the Castrol React SRF brake fluid, which has the absolute HIGHEST WET boiling point on the planet (but, you WILL pay MUCHO dinero for this stuff
).$60 a liter, you ain't kidding.
But yes I would very much like to do the remote bleeder, if I need to pull trans for any reason I am definitely grabbing one of those.
Salad: thanks, looks like all the crap I'm pulling from the reservoir is only the beginning. The reservoir was caked with junk that I cleaned out after first time draining.
-J
Last edited by lastcall190; Oct 2, 2013 at 04:57 AM.
I am SOOOO happy that i did the Tick remote bleeder on my last clutch change!!!
It is a < 10 minute job, with the car on the ground, ALL BY MYSELF, to flush through a full QUART of Castrol LMA, followed by a fill of Prospeed RS683.
If you want to GUARANTEE that your clutch fluid will not boil (attn; all of you long tube owners out there), go with the Castrol React SRF brake fluid, which has the absolute HIGHEST WET boiling point on the planet (but, you WILL pay MUCHO dinero for this stuff ).
It is a < 10 minute job, with the car on the ground, ALL BY MYSELF, to flush through a full QUART of Castrol LMA, followed by a fill of Prospeed RS683.
If you want to GUARANTEE that your clutch fluid will not boil (attn; all of you long tube owners out there), go with the Castrol React SRF brake fluid, which has the absolute HIGHEST WET boiling point on the planet (but, you WILL pay MUCHO dinero for this stuff
).
12 Second Club
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 4,273
Likes: 0
From: Bucks County, Pa.
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