Take Care of Your Clutch--the Ranger Protocol

How to prevent or cure clutch pedal issues on high-performance cars; Why clutch pedals malfunction and how-to prevent or fix it through do-it-yourself maintenance. Applies to most fast cars and motorcycles. Also applies to ordinary cars driven aggressively.

Category:

Autos & Vehicles

Tags:

• Clutch
• clutch pedal
• clutch care
• clutch pedal woes
• sticking pedal
• Pedal stuck to floor
• track
• drag strip
• missed shift
• shift refusal
• Ranger method
• clutch reservoir
• clutch fluid
• black clutch fluid
• clutch maintenance
• Ranger Protocol
• Corvette
• Mustang
• G35
• G37
• Viper
• Honda
• STI
• Cobra
• GT
• Z06
• C6Z06
• ZR1
• quarter mile
• fast car
• acceleration
• clutch stink

[badasscobra]

I have a 2006 z06 with a tex clutch. Clutch feels very soft and engagesvery high. Well doing this help? Do you need to use the gm dot 4 or any dot 4. Thank you

[RangerC6Z06]

@badasscobra Suggest you visit the CorvetteForum >> C6 Z06 board >> Clutch Pedal Issue sticky thread atop that board. Read Post-1. I make specific recommendations there.

Ranger

[m001316]

I did the clean on my R8 and its much better not 100% but big difference I had problems with the pedal not coming out and shifting am going to try to clean it after I race it today. Is Dot3 ok or should I look for Dot4?

[RangerC6Z06]

Suggest using DOT4 because it has higher dry and wet boiling points.--Ranger

[Voular]

Fixed the sticky clutch on my c5 after three changes, used racing spec. dot4. (Racing Blue something). Excellent!

[RangerC6Z06]

That's probably Super Blue Racing DOT4, made by ATE. They make the same fluid in "Type 200" which is amber in color, making it easier to detect discoloration,

[Junkman2000]

Nice job on the video Ranger. Two thumbs up for you.

[AWDTBSS]

Which of the fluid would you recommend the Prestone or GM Fluid?

[asianjigga14]

your hands are so clean lol.

[TheArfdog]

Ranger, you're a good driver. But your diagnosis isn't correct. Clutch particles aren't particularly bad for clutch fluid. It doesn't change the chemical properties of clutch fluid because the particles are in mixture, not dissolved. Also, the reason a clutch might act up in high-rpm situations is 1) clutch fluid boils from the heat or 2) pressure plate is self-disengaging due to centrifugal force of high-rpm. With #2, the clutch will work again at low rpms.

[alipontiac]

whats about using DOT 5?? i heard someone did use the DOT5 and his clutch pedal like a champ.

[slowpoke96Z28]

very nice production quality video. what editor did you use? also, what do you think about DOT 5 or better fluid? i hear theres a non-silicone version now.

[arkansasrazorbackfan]

so after watching this video i went out to the garage and checked my clutch fluid on my 2008 Z06. sure enough, the fluid is black as tar and even the rubber diaphragm is dirty. i was smelling my clutch a couple weekends ago when i was rodding on the car. would this be the reason? the clutch still seems to operate fine.

[mody6930]

I'm gonna do it for my 2010 Z very soon, I noticed the fluid become black and dusty.