Anyone have their clutch get heavier after sitting?

[cavero]

Anyone have this happen? I didn't drive my car for just over a week since I was out of town and when I took it to work I couldn't believe how heavy it was --my leg was burning. By the time I got to work, it still felt a little heavy but it was closer to what it's supposed to be like. When I left work at the end of the day, it was back to being stupid heavy again (not as bad though) and by the time I got home, it felt normal.

The car's sat that long before, although that was 2 years ago before my new clutch. Back in September, I had a reputable shop put in a McLeod Super Street Pro kit, with a new OEM slave cylinder.

 

[cavero]

Just checked the clutch again since the car sat for the same amount of time since I got home as it did while I was at work, and the pressure feels fine. I may be chasing gremlins here, but still want to know if anyone's had the same thing happen.

 

[UltraKla$$ic]

If that's the case my manual would turn into an auto from all the sitting it does!!

 

[skwerl]

I'd closely inspect the system starting with the brake fluid reservoir, clutch master cylinder, lines all the way to the slave cylinder. Inspecting the slave would require dropping the transmission so that would likely wait until the issue got worse and you couldn't resolve it otherwise.

 

[01yellerCobra]

Would colder weather affect it?

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[cavero]

I'd closely inspect the system starting with the brake fluid reservoir, clutch master cylinder, lines all the way to the slave cylinder. Inspecting the slave would require dropping the transmission so that would likely wait until the issue got worse and you couldn't resolve it otherwise.

Ok, I'll definitely take a look at everything, probably this weekend. I know I've been overdue for a brake fluid flush (think its been 5 years). Do you think that could have anything to do with it?

 

[skwerl]

Absolutely. Except the clutch does not have a bleeder valve, but you can pull the line off the fitting at the bell housing and flush out the clutch slave and lines with fresh fluid.

 

[AnotherS197GT]

You probably just need to get used to it again. I was back home for a week and driving my moms car. It has a feather light clutch. When I got back to my car, I felt like I was leg pressing the moon. Took me a few days to get used to it again.

 

[cavero]

You probably just need to get used to it again. I was back home for a week and driving my moms car. It has a feather light clutch. When I got back to my car, I felt like I was leg pressing the moon. Took me a few days to get used to it again.

Lol I'm sure thats part of it. driving a rental for a week (auto of course), and then a couple days later my wife and I picked up a '13 Focus as a commuter car (manual, of course) which has a stupid light clutch. But this seems like more than just having to get used to a 500 hp clutch again. I'm gonna go with skwerl's advice and check all the components, do a fluid flush too --brake lines and clutch. I just gotta find some info on how to bleed the brakes with the ABS module. With my last car, the Haynes manual said you could only do the job with a special scanner tool from the dealer that could actuate all of the valves to release trapped air. No idea if the mustang is similar or not...gotta do some reading

 

[cavero]

Absolutely. Except the clutch does not have a bleeder valve, but you can pull the line off the fitting at the bell housing and flush out the clutch slave and lines with fresh fluid.

Dumb question: flushing out the line is easy, but how do you flush out the slave if there's only a line going into it and no way to drain out the old stuff?

 

[skwerl]

I have no idea. They claim the slave is 'self bleeding' but that doesn't make sense in my mind.

 

[cavero]

Looking in the shop manual, you bleed by using a vacuum bleeder and a rubber stopper on the master cylinder reservoir filler opening, and then apply a vac (15-20 inches) for 1 min, then disconnect, pump the clutch 10-12 times, and repeat until its all good.

I assume when you disconnect the line, the slave will 'deflate' (for lack of a better term) and it'll squeeze a lot of the fluid out. No idea on how to get the residual though.