Check your clutch fluid!

I change my fluid out every other oil change. So easy to just draw the old fluid out with a turkey baster and replace it. Note that it doesn't fully replace all the fluid, but after a couple of cycles, you're good to go. The issue is that the cheap rubber hose they use (IMHO) is deteriorating and turning the fluid black. I've changed out that line with a better quality line from a local hydraulic supplier and haven't had that much contamination since. Hope this helps

Quote from Funinthesun

I change my fluid out every other oil change. So easy to just draw the old fluid out with a turkey baster and replace it. Note that it doesn't fully replace all the fluid, but after a couple of cycles, you're good to go. The issue is that the cheap rubber hose they use (IMHO) is deteriorating and turning the fluid black. I've changed out that line with a better quality line from a local hydraulic supplier and haven't had that much contamination since. Hope this helps

I bet your turkeys taste like crap though.

Quote from bdye

I popped the caps open to check fluids yesterday for the first time before a day-long trip in the Woodward Dream Cruise (2.0) meet up. My clutch fluid is NASTY.

I have under 6k miles on my 2019, and the clutch fluid is dark brown. Looks like used motor oil. Can't be good for the clutch (although, i'm not manual-trans savvy). I believe the owners manual says to change it every 30k miles, but i’d definitely recommend looking at it before that. 90% of my miles are highway too, as I drive about 70 miles a day for work, 68 of them being highway, so i'm not hard on the clutch.

Sometimes shifting into third gear feels a lot harder than it should, i'm wondering if this is possibly why. I haven't changed the fluid yet, gonna do it today. I'll post back results. The reservoir also has crud in it, like a thin black layer of something at the bottom inside.

Just mop it out with "CLEAN" paper towels and refill with new Dot 4. I have done this around every 6,000 miles for the last 96,000 miles.

I

Quote from FunCycle

Just mop it out with "CLEAN" paper towels and refill with new Dot 4. I have done this around every 6,000 miles for the last 96,000 miles.

Just like FunCycle said use a clean paper towel to clean the debris and soak old fluid and fill it up, personally I do it ever oil change since I am there anyways with the hood open.

Quote from bdye

Also, how many times are you guys pumping the clutch? I’d like to swap out as much fluid as possible, so I imagine changing it 3-4 times. Engine off okay? Or should I have it running?

As you may already know, the clutch system does not have a bleeder. The only (realistic) way to bleed the system is to pump the pedal several times. (and that's an understatement. You might have to pump the clutch until your leg cramps up), so try as much as you can to not pump the clutch when the fluid is too low or you'll add air to the system.

Okay, for those of us who weren't born with a wrench in our hands, can we have some photos of what to check on this?

Quote from bdye

Super simple! It’s right by your fuse box under the hood.

This is what mine looked like. It’s supposed to be clear. I changed it and then pumped the clutch for about 4-5 minutes and then it looked pretty dark again. Changed it again and pumped it but I’m gonna change it one more time. You can see some particles in it in the clearest photo, those are gone now after draining it again but that’s what the fluid should look like color-wise.

Nice show and tell.

Got myself a turkey baster today, going to start changing that fluid more regularly!

Side note to all who don't know. Brake fluid will eat paint right off your painted surfaces be careful so you don't splash or spill on any surfaces.

This is a known issue. Lots of people still don't know about it though. Every oil change you should check it. Easy to add a little fluid and/or soak it up with a rag or something and refill with fresh fluid. If you catch it before it gets bad you won't have to pump the clutch pedal forever to get feel back.

I took the opportunity to use the turkey baster & suck out 2-yr old fluid when I changed my clutch.

Old fluid was amber in color, new fluid was nice & clear.

Not sure if old fluid oxidized or absorbed water (or both), but on general principles, clean new fluid is better. Cheap maintenance, reservoir takes just a couple ounces.

My new clutch works like a champ. The system is self bleeding (just keep pumping the clutch pedal).

I was a golf course mechanic for 35 years and every oil change I would suck out the brake fluid on every piece of equipment and I can say I have never had any brake fluid related problems other then broken brake lines. Somebody also mentioned that brake fluid eats paint so be careful not to spill any. Dot4 fluid for the SS

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Oh man... I need to do this. Mine looks dark. I've never messed with it. Thanks!

Sorry, need to ask for clarity, just dot4 clutch fluid from autozone?

Any particulars FunCycle ? Just tell me which one you use... 😆 Thanks!

Marco, I'm NOT Funcycle, but I have stayed at Holiday Inn Express before. Yes, DOT 4 fluid. I have just used whatever brand Auto Zone or Oreilly's or whoever I went to has on the shelf. I hate to say all DOT 4 fluid is the same, but at the rate I change my clutch fluid (every oil change so I don't forget) it doesn't seem to make any difference. The black color is coming from the inside of the rubber hose they use. Poor choice of hose that degrades with brake fluid over time

Quote from MiM

Sorry, need to ask for clarity, just dot4 clutch fluid from autozone?

Any particulars FunCycle ? Just tell me which one you use... 😆 Thanks!

Just use kitchen paper towels and soak the old fluid out and clean the bowl and fill with NEW DOT 4 fluid. I have been doing this every time I change the oil and also do a brake bleed (Gravity) since the Sling was new (2015)