Who's had a clutch slave cylinder failure?

[THX 138]

I know I've seen some clutch slave cylinder failures here. Thought I'd try to compile them into a single thread.

Mine failed on track a few weeks ago when I pushed the clutch pedal to downshift and it just stuck to the floor. I was able to limp the car back to the paddock, then home, but I had to lift the pedal with my foot after every shift. The car has been at the dealer for 3 weeks now, waiting on parts. By the time I made it home (about an hour from the track), my "low brake fluid" light was on and there was a puddle of brake fluid in my driveway. I bleed my blakes & do a complete brake fluid flush before every track weekend, so I know the brake master cylinder reservoir was full before I put a wheel on track.

Just wondering who else has had this failure, and if there is any known cause or if it's just a failed part.

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[pilotgore]

I know I've seen some clutch slave cylinder failures here. Thought I'd try to compile them into a single thread.

Mine failed on track a few weeks ago when I pushed the clutch pedal to downshift and it just stuck to the floor. I was able to limp the car back to the paddock, then home, but I had to lift the pedal with my foot after every shift. The car has been at the dealer for 3 weeks now, waiting on parts. By the time I made it home (about an hour from the track), my "low brake fluid" light was on and there was a puddle of brake fluid in my driveway. I bleed my blakes & do a complete brake fluid flush before every track weekend, so I know the brake master cylinder reservoir was full before I put a wheel on track.

Just wondering who else has had this failure, and if there is any known cause or if it's just a failed part.

Bummer. Sorry to hear!

 

[jmn444]

I did early on, can't recall when though.... seems like within a few months of purchase though.

 

[THX 138]

Just an update on this... Finally got my car back today after more than a month at the dealer. They replaced the clutch slave cylinder, the clutch hydraulic line, the brake master cylinder (just for good measure), and while they had everything apart, put a new clutch and flywheel in the car. (I was still on the original clutch after 23 track days and 18,000 miles, so I figured I might as well...)

No real explanation for why the clutch slave cylinder failed, although the tech tried multiple times to bleed the clutch with no success even after the parts were replaced. He ended up calling the Ford service hotline, who escalated the issue to a Ford Service Engineer. The FSE came out and found the clutch pressure line running ABOVE the clutch slave cylinder, causing an air pocket. The tech removed the line from the bracket, bent it down below the supply line, and was able to bleed the clutch normally. Keeping my fingers crossed that this fixed the issue (which had never arisen before last month, leaving me baffled as to what the real cause was).

Hope this info helps someone else. Anybody need a spare used OEM clutch, still in good condition? I'll put it up for sale in the FS section when I get a chance...

 

[Ewheels]

Just an update on this... Finally got my car back today after more than a month at the dealer. They replaced the clutch slave cylinder, the clutch hydraulic line, the brake master cylinder (just for good measure), and while they had everything apart, put a new clutch and flywheel in the car. (I was still on the original clutch after 23 track days and 18,000 miles, so I figured I might as well...)

No real explanation for why the clutch slave cylinder failed, although the tech tried multiple times to bleed the clutch with no success even after the parts were replaced. He ended up calling the Ford service hotline, who escalated the issue to a Ford Service Engineer. The FSE came out and found the clutch pressure line running ABOVE the clutch slave cylinder, causing an air pocket. The tech removed the line from the bracket, bent it down below the supply line, and was able to bleed the clutch normally. Keeping my fingers crossed that this fixed the issue (which had never arisen before last month, leaving me baffled as to what the real cause was).

Hope this info helps someone else. Anybody need a spare used OEM clutch, still in good condition? I'll put it up for sale in the FS section when I get a chance...

Are you using Castrol SRF by chance? That has been known to eat away seals in the clutch system. If you do, either switch brake fluids or divorce the brake and clutch fluid

 

[john@fatfab]

Putting a vacuum on the reservoir pulls the air out

 

[THX 138]

Are you using Castrol SRF by chance? That has been known to eat away seals in the clutch system. If you do, either switch brake fluids or divorce the brake and clutch fluid

No, I've used only Ate Typ200 since my first track day with the car back in 2016.

 

[THX 138]

Putting a vacuum on the reservoir pulls the air out

Frankly, I wonder if they even bench-bled the new slave cylinder before installing it on the car. At this point I wasn't going to argue with them though... Just glad to have my car back and (for now, at least) in working order.

 

[NightmareMoon]

I had the slave cylinder go out on my GT around 70k miles before the clutch was entirely worn out. Clutch and pressure plate looked pretty good when we took them off thecar. Similar symptoms - clutch pedal would stick on the floor often and needed to be lifted.

 

[NDALLAS40]

Just an update on this... Finally got my car back today after more than a month at the dealer. They replaced the clutch slave cylinder, the clutch hydraulic line, the brake master cylinder (just for good measure), and while they had everything apart, put a new clutch and flywheel in the car. (I was still on the original clutch after 23 track days and 18,000 miles, so I figured I might as well...)

No real explanation for why the clutch slave cylinder failed, although the tech tried multiple times to bleed the clutch with no success even after the parts were replaced. He ended up calling the Ford service hotline, who escalated the issue to a Ford Service Engineer. The FSE came out and found the clutch pressure line running ABOVE the clutch slave cylinder, causing an air pocket. The tech removed the line from the bracket, bent it down below the supply line, and was able to bleed the clutch normally. Keeping my fingers crossed that this fixed the issue (which had never arisen before last month, leaving me baffled as to what the real cause was).

Hope this info helps someone else. Anybody need a spare used OEM clutch, still in good condition? I'll put it up for sale in the FS section when I get a chance...

Only 23 track days? You go driver! Just curious what clutch spring you run. Stock, Steeda, nada?

 

[THX 138]

Only 23 track days? You go driver! Just curious what clutch spring you run. Stock, Steeda, nada?

Stock.

 

[pilotgore]

Just an update on this... Finally got my car back today after more than a month at the dealer. They replaced the clutch slave cylinder, the clutch hydraulic line, the brake master cylinder (just for good measure), and while they had everything apart, put a new clutch and flywheel in the car. (I was still on the original clutch after 23 track days and 18,000 miles, so I figured I might as well...)

No real explanation for why the clutch slave cylinder failed, although the tech tried multiple times to bleed the clutch with no success even after the parts were replaced. He ended up calling the Ford service hotline, who escalated the issue to a Ford Service Engineer. The FSE came out and found the clutch pressure line running ABOVE the clutch slave cylinder, causing an air pocket. The tech removed the line from the bracket, bent it down below the supply line, and was able to bleed the clutch normally. Keeping my fingers crossed that this fixed the issue (which had never arisen before last month, leaving me baffled as to what the real cause was).

Hope this info helps someone else. Anybody need a spare used OEM clutch, still in good condition? I'll put it up for sale in the FS section when I get a chance...

Glad you got your car back!

 

[Ron]

"Just wondering who else has had this failure, & if there is any known cause or if it's just a failed part."

Had clutch go to floor w/no return just outside of Flagstaff (AZ) in June 2020 @ 25,500 miles. Had to start car IN 2nd gear & managed to drive it to dealer. Under basic warranty, dealer fixed everything, but did have problem 'burping' the clutch master cylinder. Prior to & afterwards, I had issue w/dead clutch pedal down to mid-point before clutch engaged. Did not affect shifting tho. Then, last week, pedal again went to floor w/no return. You could pull it up w/foot, but there was still zero clutch engagement. Thankfully, I had purchased extended warranty so towing & parts/labor are still covered. However, this time the dealer did not replace slave cylinder, but went directly to the clutch master cylinder. Will provide final autopsy next week when I pick it up.

 

[Marksman]

Hey Ron,

What's the update on your clutch issues? I need help. I have 25,000 miles on my 2019 Bullitt. About a month ago I started having "dead clutch pedal down to mid-point before clutch engaged. Did not affect shifting tho." (I borrowed that from you cause I couldn't describe it any better.) It doesn't do it all the time. Usually it does this when I first start the car, and the pedal is hanging half way down. I pull it up with my foot. The deadness seems to go away as I drive and shift. I took it to the dealer and of course they couldn't find anything wrong. But there is definitely something wrong so I'm gonna take it back and hopefully give the some advice on what to look for.

Any help would be much appreciated!

 

[Biggsy]

Hey Ron,

What's the update on your clutch issues? I need help. I have 25,000 miles on my 2019 Bullitt. About a month ago I started having "dead clutch pedal down to mid-point before clutch engaged. Did not affect shifting tho." (I borrowed that from you cause I couldn't describe it any better.) It doesn't do it all the time. Usually it does this when I first start the car, and the pedal is hanging half way down. I pull it up with my foot. The deadness seems to go away as I drive and shift. I took it to the dealer and of course they couldn't find anything wrong. But there is definitely something wrong so I'm gonna take it back and hopefully give the some advice on what to look for.

Any help would be much appreciated!

I have been dealing with the same issue as you for several moths. It was my first manual car but I realized within two years of ownership that I would get weak pedal pressure. I took it to 3 different dealers and 2 different shops and everybody looked at me like I didn't know what I was talking about because as I drove it, it would return to normal or they said that it was normal to have that amount of pedal play. Fast forward to Jan 2021, I had it die completely making the car un drivable (couldn't get out of first). all the hydraulics were replaced under warranty. Started experiencing the same last summer and took it back 3 times to the dealer that did the warranty work. Had to leave it with them for about a week so they could replicate the issue. The find out I wasn't crazy and they replaced it under warranty. Since then I have divorced my clutch and brake reservoir because I track the car and to keep the brake reservoir clean.

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