The PAT WS6

iTrader: (14)

my clutch has been acting up lately gettin soft and ****, but i looked a my clutch fluid and it is kind of a dirty grayish black color is that normal?

The PAT WS6

iTrader: (14)

my clutch fluid is a dirty black color is this normal? i will take pics later

Transam64

Nope, not normal. That exact thing led me to the dealer for warranty work, and eventually a completely new clutch hydraulic system, and , a Z06 rotating clutch assembly. Good luck

Krab

iTrader: (28)

Same thing happened to mine, the fluid was a dark, murky color. I flushed the old fluid and bled the hydraulics and the feel in the pedal was much better. It ended up getting that murky color again soon after, but then I insulated the line running from the master cylinder reservoir to the slave with 3/8" ID heater hose, and my fluid is still clean after about 4 months of this south texas heat (upper 90's, low 100's).

The PAT WS6

iTrader: (14)

so should i just take it in for warranty? what would i tell them, my clutch fluid looks wrong?
any help would be cool thanks

The PAT WS6

iTrader: (14)

here are some pics of the clutch fluid i also found wat is shown on my finger to be like clumps of grease or something dont knw but it was floating on in the top of the resvior

Krab

iTrader: (28)

Take it into warranty to the dealer? Or do you have an aftermarket clutch and had a shop install it and plan to take it to them under their warranty? I personally wouldn't do either. I'd bleed the fluid myself. You just need an extra person to flush out that nasty fluid and then get yourself a mityvac at any local autozone and bleed the hydraulics via the hole at the bottom of the master cylinder reservoir.

I'm pretty sure the new fluid in the hydraulics will remedy the symptoms your clutch is showing right now.

The PAT WS6

iTrader: (14)

so i jus need a tranny flush?
is the clutch fluid and tranny fluid different?

keliente

iTrader: (22)

No you don't need a transmission flush, they are two different systems. The oil in your transmission just lubricates & cools. The fluid in your hydraulic clutch system is actually moving parts around to engage and disengage the clutch.

You need to bleed the clutch system with new fluid. You should probably take the car somewhere, it is a bit difficult to get under the car and get to that bleeder screw...no offense but it doesn't sound like a job for you.

1999Daytona500PaceCar

iTrader: (2)

I just found the same mess in my resevoir! Sorry, but here is my chain of events that led to finding this...

Out of the blue and at idle I had my clutch stuck to the floor and I had not been getting on the car at the time and I had not had a mushy clutch or anything odd going on. I also don't drive the car much - for the past year it has been about 300 miles per month or less. But here is what happened...

A week ago Sat. night - went to a local GTG - started the car up to go eat at a place about 3/4 mile away. I let the car idle for about 15 minutes (at night, about 80 degrees) as a buddy came over to ask me a couple questions about some mods before I left - then cruised over the 3/4 mile to eat and got on it about 3/4 throttle for maybe 2 seconds - cruised around the lot for a good spot and pulled in - sat there with the car running and the clutch pushed in for about a minute while I waited for another buddy to park his TA - I then went to shift into 4th to park it as I routinely do and it wouldn't go back to 4th - so I bumped it up to 2nd and it wouldn't go in - then back to 4th and it wouldn't go in - so I go to pump the clutch a couple times and as soon as I lifted my foot off the clutch I realized it was stuck to the floor! I was like WTF! Because I am aware of a couple reasons for the clutch sticking to the floor - but not under these circumstances! I was able to pull the clutch up with my foot and then get it in gear and made it home alright - but it still was sticking to the floor half the time on shifts and I was taking it real easy. I just put it in the garage and didn't check on anything until a couple days later after I did some searches here. Let me note at this point, that although I have a '99 - I had the 2002 Z06 Clutch, Flywheel and Slave Installed 10,000 miles ago - everything changed out except the master cylinder -and have not had one bit of trouble with the clutch or shifting or anything and I was at 330+rwhp for about 7k miles of that and 3k miles have been at 390rwhp - but again, never any issues whatsoever and it has gone through its paces a few times even in our south Texas heat but never been to the strip and no DR's. I didn't find any leaks and the fluid level for the clutch master cylinder was right where it should be - BUT - it was almost black with some greyish swirl in it - really nasty looking. So for just a quick simple attempt to see if it made a difference - I soaked up all the fluid in the resevoir (at this point I also found some pretty thick black stuff (sediment) at the bottom of the resevoir which I cleaned out good) and poored in fresh high temp DOT3 brake fluid. Went and drove the car hard and it did 95% fine but when moving the car around the drive and garage basically at idle - the clutch wants to stick all the time. So my plan is to flush the fluid out of the resevoir and master cylinder lines and refill and bleed as I have a MityVac and I will also insulate the stainless braided line going into the tranny as I have some insulation wrap made just for things like that and I am aware that LT's can cook the fluid. I will then try it out again. If there are still issues - Plan B will be to take out the MC and flush again and do the drill mod and reinstall, fill and bleed and test it out again. Plan C will be to replace the MC in a last ditch attempt to keep from having to pull the tranny!

Do these sound like logical steps to finding the problem? Does it sound as though it could actually just be the nasty fluid and sediment? Or does this sound like there could definitely be a problem with the MC or Slave or even the Pressure Plate?

If I do end up replacing the MC - what are my best options? Like would a McCleoud (sp?) Adjustable MC be the way to go or what?

One more thing... when refilling the MC and resevoir - is it OK to upgrade to DOT 4 brake fluid or just stick with a good DOT3?

Sorry, but hopefully this will help the originator of this thread as well. Thanks in advance! Patrick

Krab

iTrader: (28)

I think both of you guys (litemupls1 and daytona) should just start off easy and put new fluid into the master cylinder reservoir. Once all the old stuff is replaced with new fluid and the reservoir is cleaned up (use a clean shop towel to get that black stuff out), bleed the system real good. Insulating the line would be a good idea daytona, I did it and my fluid has been nice and clean ever since. If the new fluid doesn't work, then go onto something else.

And litemup, you don't have to flush the tranny, that's totally seperate from the clutch hydraulics like keliente mentioned. Keep us updated on how it goes.

rush7

iTrader: (2)

same crap with me...black clutch fluid...ended up having to replace slave cylinder (and replace master and stock clutch just because ) but it's not a good thing if your fluid is black. insulate the line from the heat and bleed the system and go from there.

The PAT WS6

iTrader: (14)

great now i have to put my car back in the shop, but you think the warranty will cover it?

Krab

iTrader: (28)

Again, what warranty? Factory warranty? I really doubt the factory warranty would cover it. It's like taking it in for an oil change under warranty. It's worth a try though, so take it in and see if they cover it.

1999Daytona500PaceCar

iTrader: (2)

Thanks for the input everyone.

Transam64

Look guys.......The 2000 F-bods had a crap design in the slave cylinder. I respect the line insulation, and flush the hydraulics, to much heat , etc , etc. I got my Old salve cylinder back from the dealer and what a surprise I got....It's frigging PLASTIC!!!! I will advise anybody owning a 00 year car that's having this problem and symptoms to have it looked at by an experienced dealer, especially people that are'nt quite so educated in the Automotive Mechanics field , and obviously don't have the skills to do the job themselves. ( That's not an insult to anyone....It's a fact of life while owning a car. Some people know how to work on their cars and some don't. I respect that. ) The simple things are easy, but are also most often tossed aside by "expert" internet mechanics.
Go to the dealer man, and mention the Year 2000 Slave Cylinder Cylinder Service Bulletin after they Tell yah nothing is wrong.

99ZEOD

iTrader: (5)

I'll bottom line it for you. Flush it with a good DOT 3 fluid and insulate the line from the master to the slave. Don't take it to the dealer because they know less than what you know about the common problems of these hydraulic systems. Bleed it with a Mityvac and your problems should be gone.

If you feel the need for an adjustable master, get one from Futral Motorsports. Very good piece. You WILL NOT be disappointed. Do not get a McLeod adjustable. From my experience you WILL be disappointed. I've had 3 McLeod adjustables and rebuilt 2. None lived up. Point blank...they suck.

The PAT WS6

iTrader: (14)

after i get my collison fixed i will get it looked at? how hard is it really to do yourself? will warranty not cover it? and how much would it be if i took it to a tranny shop if they just bleed the system?

99ZEOD

iTrader: (5)

Do it yourself and have some piece of mind that it was done right. Dealerships WILL screw you. HARD. Do some searches and get pointers on this. It is not hard to do at all.

1999Daytona500PaceCar

iTrader: (2)

Thanks 99ZEOD for the info - especially regarding the McLeod Adj. MC.