Manual Transmission T56 | T5 | MN12 | Clutches | Hydraulics | Shifters

The Reason Your Clutch Fluid Turns Black

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Old 08-14-2007 | 01:09 PM
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Originally Posted by Mike454SS
How long did you run ATE Super Blue in there? Any problems associated with it? I run that in the brakes on all my vehicles, and I'd like to flush the clutch fluid this weekend as well...I wanted to try to be sure it's ok in the clutch hydraulics and if not I'll probably buy Valvoline Synthetic or Castrol SRF. I just figure it'd be easier to run the same fluid in both if I can.
The ATE SuperBlue was great...ran it for about a year or so under daily driven conditions, so it was about time for it to be replaced with the condensation it was seeing being driven like it was. Certainly no problems with it. I just wanted to trying something different to see if it was worth it. So far, so good.
Old 08-14-2007 | 10:31 PM
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Sweet...I just did the brake fluid last weekend, I'm gonna do the clutch fuild saturday...I like to just switch back and forth from ATE Blue to ATE Amber (Type 200 I think they call it) every year or so...the color difference makes it easy to flush.
Old 08-15-2007 | 04:42 AM
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I run ATE in my brakes and works awesome. I tried it in my master and within 4 months, the rubber seals inside were mush. Mcleod then told me not to use it as it would eat up the rubber in their adjustable masters.
Old 08-15-2007 | 06:56 AM
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Motul rbf 600 works great. i use it with my mcleod street twin with a new 01 slave and master. i also wrapped the clutch line with heater hose and a fire sleeve.
Old 08-15-2007 | 07:54 AM
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Hrmm I just flushed my system this weekend, the master side down to the quick disconnect was black, but when I reconnected after a bench bleed(on the top half), the fluid that came out the slave was yellow.... Wonder why? Still having the people stuck to the floor on high rpm shifts though...
Old 08-15-2007 | 11:41 AM
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Originally Posted by z28poweredlt1
Hrmm I just flushed my system this weekend, the master side down to the quick disconnect was black, but when I reconnected after a bench bleed(on the top half), the fluid that came out the slave was yellow.... Wonder why?
My guess is that there was some black fluid in the slave that you didn’t see because the relaxed volume of the slave is quite small and that the yellow fluid was new fluid. Otherwise, my theory would be invalid.
Old 08-15-2007 | 11:54 AM
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Originally Posted by bigsticksupra
Motul rbf 600 works great. i use it with my mcleod street twin with a new 01 slave and master. i also wrapped the clutch line with heater hose and a fire sleeve.
This is what I was planning to use next (the Neo 610 is waaayyy too hard to find!). Any problems with it "eating" the seals, etc. like others claim for the Ate Blue, etc.??
Old 08-15-2007 | 12:08 PM
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I have always heard it was a combination of the properties of the fluid... and on the F-bodys the clutch line goes right by headers in most cases. that extreme heat aids in the breakdown of clutch fluid.
Old 08-15-2007 | 08:08 PM
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I think I need to replace my slave b4 long it isnt too bad now but im sure its having issues sometimes. I had the mc rebuilt and the drill mod done.
Old 08-16-2007 | 12:14 AM
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Originally Posted by dailydriver
This is what I was planning to use next (the Neo 610 is waaayyy too hard to find!). Any problems with it "eating" the seals, etc. like others claim for the Ate Blue, etc.??
nope, still clear after 4 months of hard driving.
Old 08-16-2007 | 08:04 AM
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I'm gonna have to try somethin different, I believe they changed the slave when the did the clutch on this thing(right before I purchased the car), The steel braided line has a rubber hose around it and runs under the heat sheilding. So I'm stumped, Pretty sure the fluid in the slave itself was clean though, the mast up was black as day... Err Night.
Old 08-16-2007 | 08:30 AM
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Hey guys I have a question, and its actually not pertaining to an F-body. I would like a Mustang guy GT/Mach1/Cobra to chime in... are you guys having these kinds of problems with your clutch hydraulics? I have not personally been on any Mustang forums but I am very interested to hear. If not... what is the problem with our cars then having these issues?
Old 08-16-2007 | 08:42 AM
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Originally Posted by Jon5212
Hey guys I have a question, and its actually not pertaining to an F-body. I would like a Mustang guy GT/Mach1/Cobra to chime in... are you guys having these kinds of problems with your clutch hydraulics? I have not personally been on any Mustang forums but I am very interested to hear. If not... what is the problem with our cars then having these issues?
Mustangs use a cable clutch, so that's why you don't hear of anyone having clutch hydraulic issues on those cars.
Old 08-16-2007 | 08:45 AM
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Oh really? I've driven a Cobra, several GT's and Mach1's and they don't seem to have a stiff clutch? I would think without hydraulics they'd be pretty stiff. Do they have some kind of pulley system on the cable?
Old 08-16-2007 | 08:48 AM
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Originally Posted by Jon5212
Oh really? I've driven a Cobra, several GT's and Mach1's and they don't seem to have a stiff clutch? I would think without hydraulics they'd be pretty stiff. Do they have some kind of pulley system on the cable?
Yes, it is some sort of mechanical linkage that gives the pedal pusher an advantage. The one 2001 Cobra I've sat in had a pretty hefty clutch pedal...it took more pressure to release that clutch than it does my Stage III RPS.
Old 08-16-2007 | 09:06 AM
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Hmmm... well I've got a Spec 3 in my car and the Cobra/Mach1's weren't as stiff as this... but i don't consider it stiff anyways (i've got big legs lol). Only gets to be a pain when sitting in traffic for 45 minutes lol. Well that explains it, learn something new everyday. I wonder if we could adapt that to our cars? Because I wouldn't mind getting rid of the hydraulics all together.
Old 08-16-2007 | 12:28 PM
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I've seen many mustangs have issues with their clutch cables too...heat is a big enemy there...once the cable gets too hot they're screwed. the linkage they use is called a quadrant...they make different ones for different levels of mechanical advantage to the pedal...including progressive ones...I've never felt one that I liked though.
Old 08-16-2007 | 12:34 PM
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Are we sure that the T56 equipped Stangs ('03-'04 Cobras/GT500s) are still using the cable quadrant system?? I thought only these were hydraulic, like ours?
Old 08-16-2007 | 09:44 PM
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I'm pretty sure the Spec stage 3 uses a stock pressure plate ( My old one did ) They just ground off where it said LUK and put a sticker that said spec. Other than that they were the same so it wouldn't change the pedal pressure.


Originally Posted by Jon5212
Hmmm... well I've got a Spec 3 in my car and the Cobra/Mach1's weren't as stiff as this... but i don't consider it stiff anyways (i've got big legs lol). Only gets to be a pain when sitting in traffic for 45 minutes lol. Well that explains it, learn something new everyday. I wonder if we could adapt that to our cars? Because I wouldn't mind getting rid of the hydraulics all together.
Old 08-17-2007 | 11:04 PM
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Ahhh ok well I didn't put it in the car previous owner did so I wouldn't know. I'm just very curious if the Cobra's have a hydraulic clutch... and if they do if they experience the same issues we have?




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