Winter and clutch

[balpreet]

This is my first winter driving 5 spd, I have a 2000 mustang and I have noticed that from summer my clutch has become very soft and floppy. The friction point is still the same, its that it feels really loose, in summer it was stiff and much better to drive with. Some times it does go back to normal, its weird, for example i been driving around around with it loose for about 4 days, then i went and parked underground at marketmall and it s heated, and my clutch became normal again, and now after like 2 days its soft again. My friend told me it is because of winter and cold whether, is that true or could i be something worse like fluid or bearings.

[kanjus_paki]

start in 2nd

[balpreet]

what does starting in second have yo do with it, it is loose in evey gear, its just the pedal that is floppy and it is really annoying to drive

[EK 2.0]

Originally posted by balpreet
This is my first winter driving 5 spd, I have a 2000 mustang and I have noticed that from summer my clutch has become very soft and floppy. The friction point is still the same, its that it feels really loose, in summer it was stiff and much better to drive with. Some times it does go back to normal, its weird, for example i been driving around around with it loose for about 4 days, then i went and parked underground at marketmall and it s heated, and my clutch became normal again, and now after like 2 days its soft again. My friend told me it is because of winter and cold whether, is that true or could i be something worse like fluid or bearings.


probably burnt out your clutch over the summertime trying to "peel out"...

it should be the opposite if anything...harder in the cold vs. the warm days...get it checked out and check your clutch fluid (not sure if a Stang uses a Hydro or Cable clutch...)

[ExtremeSi]

Ya that sounds kind of odd to me. MY clutch feels squishy and perhaps "loose" when it gets really hot, like after driving for a very long time, or stoping and going in hot hot weather. And in the winter it is slightly stiffer than normal, but not by much. I think this is attributed to the clutch fluid changing viscosities. Once my car warms up in the winter it feels totally normal.
You may want to get your clutch fluid checked, although your problem sounds like the opposite..:dunno:

[5hift]

I think that it is due to just the cold weather. I have a 2000 Prelude and I have noticed the same problem. My garage is heated so normally I dont notice it, but when my car is parked all day at work or at school the clutch is really loose when I first start driving. I dont know a lot about the mechanical workings of cars, so I have no idea of what exactly is going wrong. but I do know its not because of any mechanical problems with my car. I just got the first major tune up on my car and everything checked out ok with that, and I only noticed these problems when it started getting really cold.

[GTS Jeff]

-extremesi - replace the fluid
-ballpreet - if your pedal is squishy, id bet that its a busted cylinder.

[balpreet]

Thanks for your replies, but if it is a busted cylinder, or burnt out clutch then why does it become normal sometimes.

[GTS Jeff]

Originally posted by balpreet
Thanks for your replies, but if it is a busted cylinder, or burnt out clutch then why does it become normal sometimes. because when a seal on a clutch cylinder messes up, it sometimes seals properly (firm clutch) and sometimes doesnt (squishy clutch). the cold weather might be messing with the worn out rubber seal.

if the clutch itself is slipping (or burnt out as u put it,) the pedal feel wouldnt change at all, but u would notice your revs rising and car not accelerating.

[balpreet]

how would i go about fixing the cylinder, or checking if it is that, how much would some one charge to fix it and what might have caused it.

[GTS Jeff]

Originally posted by balpreet
how would i go about fixing the cylinder, or checking if it is that, how much would some one charge to fix it and what might have caused it. check for any leaks down te backside of your clutch pedal, around the master cylinder which is on the firewall above the clutch pedal in the engine bay, then check for leaks from the slave cylinder...i have no idea where the slave cylinder is in your car.

maybe just check for leaks after u park the car overnight.

[balpreet]

I checked no leaks what so ever, just did a car wash and after the car wash it was stiff again, could it be because of the hot water. and it heated it up like summer

[GTS Jeff]

hmm. get a vise grip and pinch off the clutch line going to the slave cylinder...then see how the pedal feels.