ED XR6 clutch issues

05-09-2005, 03:29 PM

Hey guys,
wondering if anyone has had any clutch dramas with an ed xr6?
I recently bought a real nice 93 xr6 and i've had no end of trouble with the clutch. It shudders after gear changes and has a very heavy pedal, almost like the pedal is pushing back at your foot when releasing. I have replaced the clutch and the clutch cable and checked the rear bushes and i am running out of ideas! Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks all

:

Walkinshaw · 05-09-2005, 03:47 PM

Have a look where the clutch cable comes through the firewall in the engine bay, you may have a cracked firewall if it has not been previously strengthened.

05-09-2005, 04:05 PM

I checked the firewall before i bought it and it had the weld repair but i was led to believe that was normal for the ed xr6 manual.
Thanks for the idea though. I reckon you might be onto something there.

Dodgy weld job maybe............................

NZ · 05-09-2005, 05:38 PM

It might be a heavy duty clutch. The only thing you can check is the cable adjustment. In the engine bay you should beable to pull the cable out 10mm from the firewall. Was the flywheel machined when the cutch was replaced?

Gunns · 05-09-2005, 05:42 PM

The firewall could be flexing?
Also check the cable is coming straight out the end of the sleave, cos it might be pulling to one side and cutting a grove in the sleave end.
As a rule Most HD clutch's are heavy, EB onwards more so than EA ones, as they are bigger.

XplosiveR6 · 05-09-2005, 05:50 PM

all xr6s came with heavy duty clutches from factory, so that would explain why its so hard

05-09-2005, 07:03 PM

Flywheel was machined when the clutch was replaced. I just checked the cable and it seems to be fine. As far as ajustment, even if i shorten the pedal it is just as heavy. I have taken it to clutch place after clutch place and no one can give me a straight answer. My mates ed xr8 is manual and his clutch is alot lighter, still firm but it dosn't feel like it is trying to push your foot backwards.
Thanx for the ideas anyways.

Anyone know what year ford started fitting hydrolic clutches into their xr's or if it is possible to fit one to an ed xr6?

SileNceR · 05-09-2005, 07:19 PM

The v8 clutch pedal has a different pivot point.

clutch fork could be bent?

TuMor · 05-09-2005, 07:47 PM

replace the clutch cable, when they get worn they end up strangling themselves and makes for a very heavy clutch!
I had the exact same problem after i strengthened the firewall, the cable is worn and as you pull it on it feels like something is scraping, its the cable tightening onto itself

QUIKXR6 · 05-09-2005, 07:59 PM

I had a very heavy clutch pedal when i first bought my ed xr6...so i pulled the clutch pedal off and renewed all the bushes and oiled them after that the clutch pedal was very light...have a look behind the clutch pedal and make sure nothing is stopping it from lowering the clutch pedal...maybe u might have to tighten up the cable from the firewall so your clutch pedal is higher off the floor....

05-09-2005, 08:00 PM

I replaced the clutch cable when i replaced the clutch. All new gear is in there from the pedal to the clutch!!!! thats why i just don't get it! I'm running out of things to replace!!! I still have this feeling that it may be something to do with that firewall weld repair. Maybe i could replace the firewall!!!!!! :togo: I don't really want to replace anything else that i dont have to because i've already spent a bit of money but a newer hydrulic unit may be the only way.

QUIKXR6 · 05-09-2005, 08:13 PM

who installed the clutch...the problem maybe at the flywheel you may have put the thin plate that goes between the pressure plate and the flywheel the wrong way round...as for the firewall you can fix that up by putting washers before the bolt so your clutch can come up off the floor more...get it checked out by someone who specialises in that stufff...a hydraulic unit will cost u plenty more...

TuMor · 05-09-2005, 08:18 PM

was the clutch cable routed so that there is no large bends?, it may have been installed incorrectly?

05-09-2005, 08:39 PM

The cable is as straight as it can be allowing for engine and other stuff. The clutch was fitted by a good mechanic and i have had the sales rep out from the company that produces and supplied the clutch but being a car (temprimental *****) it decided not to shudder after gear changes or be pedal heavy to the same extent. It seems to come and go depending on how long the trip i take in it is. Spose it could be worse, my bro owns a vp commodore and he has had to replace just about every part on the thing!!!
HA HA Full exaust and extractors and power chip and my car still destroys his off at the lights!!!! stuffed clutch and no mods!

DentEd XR8 · 05-09-2005, 10:17 PM

I have heard that the Front Bearing retainer (bit that the throw-out bearing slides on) wears a groove where the throw-out bearing slides and can cause the clutch to be heavy because the bearing isn't eavenly supported and drags, it can also grab when being released which will cause shudder. It apparantly wears because from factory there was no/very little lubrication for the throw-out bearing.
I would try and get your problem sorted out quickly because the heavy pedal may cause weak components like the clutch fork, firewall, clutch pedal pivot and the clip that joins the cable to the pedal to break, even if they are new they were never strong to begin with and usually these break before anyone even realises there's a problem with the clutch, which was what happened with me just a fortnight ago.

With your firewall Ford had a proper fix to go with the welding to properly reinforce the firewall when it cracked, I'm pretty sure you can't buy the bracket anymore but you can make your own reinforcement very easily by getting a pieace of steel plate and welding a bit of tube (same diameter as the one in the firewall) in the centre of it for the cable to run through and bolt that to the front of the firewall.

If you really get stuck in not finding the problem it may pay to go to a Ford Dealer and ask their opinion, or even just someone who used to work for a Ford Dealer back when they were newish as they would know all the problems as they would have dealt with it alot in the past.

XR Martin · 05-09-2005, 10:18 PM

Flywheel could be warped, or oil maybe leaking on the face of it.

sphell · 05-09-2005, 11:09 PM

what type of clutch did you get? The pedal feel comes from the sprung steel 'fingers' on the pressure plate. If it's a heavy duty clutch, it will have more clamping force than a standard one, therefore the steel fingers will be harder to push in when you press the pedal.

If it shudders when the clutch is taking up then it could be a few things. Like other people have said, warped flywheel, oil on flywheel/clutch plate or clutch plate 'could' possibly be around the wrong way...although I would think that you'd hear a metal on metal sound if that were the case!

Another thing it could be is that your pedal box is cracked at a spot weld or two and the clutch could be pressing in at an angle. This is whats happened in my car. The pedal sits at a very slight angle facing the passenger and won't press in completely straight.