SOLVED: Dead clutch pedal. Cant change gear.

[Biggsy]

Hello All,

Not trying to sound like a broken record here but I cannot get into gear at all. I drove my car two weeks ago and without any hard shifting I felt the engagement of there clutch get lower and lower. I knew it was time to head back home. Last week I went to my car and the pedal was all the way to the floor. I dont see any leaks under the car. It has 26k miles on it. I live in an aparmtnent and although I can do somethings on my own, changing out a clutch is not one of them yet. Before I drop big money on a new clutch kit(which I planned to before next track season) and labor, I was hoping to solve it myself first. I have already tried the bleeding method and no good.

Please correct me if my order of trouble shooting is correct:
1. Change out master cylinder assembly (7A543) shown in the picture

2. Change pedal assembly
3. New clutch kit (TOB, flywheel)

Thats for all your help


If there is anybody in the Maryland area that is willing to lend a hand please let me know.

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[Kazman]

Hello All,

Not trying to sound like a broken record here but I cannot get into gear at all. I drove my car two weeks ago and without any hard shifting I felt the engagement of there clutch get lower and lower. I knew it was time to head back home. Last week I went to my car and the pedal was all the way to the floor. I dont see any leaks under the car. It has 26k miles on it. I live in an aparmtnent and although I can do somethings on my own, changing out a clutch is not one of them yet. Before I drop big money on a new clutch kit(which I planned to before next track season) and labor, I was hoping to solve it myself first. I have already tried the bleeding method and no good.

Please correct me if my order of trouble shooting is correct:
1. Change out master cylinder assembly (7A543) shown in the picture

2. Change pedal assembly
3. New clutch kit (TOB, flywheel)

Thats for all your help


If there is anybody in the Maryland area that is willing to lend a hand please let me know.

Check your clutch fluid level first . My Vette did the same thing a few months back . I , like you figured i needed a new clutch . Someone told me to check the reservoir , it was empty . I got some DOT 4 ( for the Vette ) re filled the container , the oil was black , i flushed it 7 times to get the oil back to clear , bingo , it worked .

 

[Rapid Red]

Think I look I'd at the 7A543, the master cylinder is for the brakes ONLY, the only connection with the clutch is the reservoir & the fluid held.

The 7A543 is, for the sake of the conversation, a mini MC. It develops the pressure to activate the clutch.

SO, you say it kept loosing throw, going lower with use. Imagine that the 7A543 seal, looses ability to seal. Starts to pass thru the fluid. Instead of trapping it to build perssure. That could happen and no fluid leaking would be found .

What I do not get is why the peddle would be staying on the floor, there should be a return spring, to force, assist it to home position.

That needs to be look at before you dive into the hydraulics and the 7A543 part.

One more thought everything beyond down stream from the 7A543. Happens because of the action/operation of it.

 

[Biggsy]

Check your clutch fluid level first . My Vette did the same thing a few months back . I , like you figured i needed a new clutch . Someone told me to check the reservoir , it was empty . I got some DOT 4 ( for the Vette ) re filled the container , the oil was black , i flushed it 7 times to get the oil back to clear , bingo , it worked .

So I will say that when I had similar issue (able to shift but very low pedal) it was sue to the fluid needing to be changed. When I flushed the brake fluid before my first track day, the pedal felt normal. But now with it to the floor and fluid in the reservoir I dont think its because of that. Thank you for the suggestion!

 

[Biggsy]

Think I look I'd at the 7A543, the master cylinder is for the brakes ONLY, the only connection with the clutch is the reservoir & the fluid held.

The 7A543 is, for the sake of the conversation, a mini MC. It develops the pressure to activate the clutch.

SO, you say it kept loosing throw, going lower with use. Imagine that the 7A543 seal, looses ability to seal. Starts to pass thru the fluid. Instead of trapping it to build perssure. That could happen and no fluid leaking would be found .

What I do not get is why the peddle would be staying on the floor, there should be a return spring, to force, assist it to home position.

That needs to be look at before you dive into the hydraulics and the 7A543 part.

One more thought everything beyond down stream from the 7A543. Happens because of the action/operation of it.

So Im thinking along the same lines you are. I looked at the pedal again and it seems as though whatever spring or force that brings it back up is nonexistent. I talked to someone and they said they has to replace the pedal assembly. So I am thinking about doing that and change out that "mini MC".

 

[Biggsy]

I am going to change the pedal assembly(clutch pedal cylinder included) with a low milage one that has 3k miles on it and see where that gets me

 

[ice445]

Slave cylinder probably shit the bed.

 

[Rapid Red]

So Im thinking along the same lines you are. I looked at the pedal again and it seems as though whatever spring or force that brings it back up is nonexistent. I talked to someone and they said they has to replace the pedal assembly. So I am thinking about doing that and change out that "mini MC".

Before you do that, take a look at this and watch the install video . See how things should look up under there.

https://www.steeda.com/steeda-mustang-clutch-spring-assist-spring-perch-kit-555-7027.html

If things look as it does in your car, but missing the spring, and perch or has broken.

Some miss guided folks have actually removed that assembly? Cannot fix stupid comes to mind, here.

Got a stock spring & perch was swapped for the steeda one seen in the video. Clip-It-Ship-it ........ pay the postage you can have it.

PM the address. it just might very well fix the problem.

If me, would do a spring before the pedal assembly.


Oh and BTW good thinking
Cheers

 

[Elp_jc]

Clutch fluid is shared with the brakes, so check that first. If the level is correct, and no external leak, the master cylinder took a dump. Unfortunately, there's no way to do a proper clutch fluid bleed, but it shouldn't give us much trouble, at least during the first 5 years or so. REALLY wish Ford had put a remote bleeder on the slave cylinder, even if they charged us $50 more, or even $100. Oh well. Good luck man.

 

[Biggsy]

Update:

So I was finally able to take my car into ford. They are saying the are going to change out the pedal assembly and slave cylinder. They are quoting me 2600 to do so. The car has 26k miles and is still under warranty. The service advisor said the pedal master cylinder is a wear item and the TOB.

I understand that the clutch itself is a wear item but not the pedal assembly especially after 2.5 years. I dont have an aftermarket clutch and there isn't any aftermarket stuff on my driveline except and MGW shifter and trans mount bushing. He said he will wait for his service manager to come in to see if he can warranty it.

Am I wrong thinking this should be covered under warranty?

 

[Rapid Red]

Yes here ...
Frankly replacing pedal assembly and slave cylinder, the only logical part defect there is the slave cylinder.

I'd make them prove how a pedal assembly could possibly have anything to do with the problem.

If they come back and say you removed the clutch return spring.

You answer to that will be

You wouldn't know a clutch spring from a mattress spring, and if that's the cause replace the spring.

 

[Biggsy]

What I gathered from another thread is that they usually replace both for something like this.

This is my first manual car so I didnt have anything to compare the clutch pedal to. I also didnt know anything about the clutch spring until I was looking at upgrade for my car when I first got it. I got my car brand new but it never came with a clutch spring. I did email them about it a year late but never bother as it was a $20 spring that I bought from a member on here.

I bought my car on a Saturday night but it was Locke din the service bay so they gave me another GT as a loaner until that monday. when I picked up my actually car Monday, I noticed the pedal feel was different. Again, first manual car so I wasn't sure if it was an issue or not.

Well I am hoping the service manager at the first dealership says they will warranty it but if not I am ready to go to the purchasing dealer and se if they will.

 

[Rapid Red]

I'd love to know about that and why. Sounds to me like a dealer replacing a wheel & tire when one has a flat ??

 

[Vlad Soare]

The slave cylinder makes sense, but the pedal? I've never heard of a clutch pedal going bad. That's just a lump of iron; what can go wrong with it?

 

[Biggsy]

The slave cylinder makes sense, but the pedal? I've never heard of a clutch pedal going bad. That's just a lump of iron; what can go wrong with it?

If you look at the picture in the first post. The hydraulic system which is 7A453 can go bad. So this issue can be caused from a defective pedal hydraulic system or the slave cylinder/TOB. Either could be the issue so I guess if it’s covered then why not replace both.

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