Leaks all over

[mrp_e]

Cobra hasn't been fired up in a few weeks, during which time the temperature over here in Western Mass has been all over the place, from mid 70s down to low 50s now today a sunny 67.

During these temp swings, she's sat for the last 2 weeks, so was dying to take the black monster out for a spin this morning. But, noticed collant leaked on the garage floor, plus the clutch/hydro fluid resevoir was empty too. Filled both back up, but of course, there's no clutch pressure. Pedal drops right to the floor. Which probably means I have to figure out how to bleed the brake/clutch line.

Engine, a Ford 460 crate motor assempled by Performance Engineering has just over 2,000 miles on it (June delivery), so I can only guess things just loostened up and the temperature swings probably contributed to it.

This sound unusual, familiar, scary?
First time Cobra owner with limited skills. But plenty of patience.
Thanks in advance for advice.

Bill

[imagine2frolic]

SCARY, no doubt it's those pesky garage trolls. Sounds like you need to do the old go around the car, and snug everything down. Doesn't sound like the range of tempature would cause much expansion, and contraction.

[TRIG]

you can bleed the clutch at the slave where it's connected to the clutch fork. Very simple, just have someone sit in the car and push the clutch to the floor the turn the bleed screw to let the air and fluid out, tighten the screw, release the clutch pedal, push it back in, turn the bleed screw, tighten it and so forth. You get the picture. Once you get all the air out top off the clutch resivoir.

trig2275

[mrp_e]

Originally Posted by TRIG

you can bleed the clutch at the slave where it's connected to the clutch fork. Very simple, just have someone sit in the car and push the clutch to the floor the turn the bleed screw to let the air and fluid out, tighten the screw, release the clutch pedal, push it back in, turn the bleed screw, tighten it and so forth. You get the picture. Once you get all the air out top off the clutch resivoir.

trig2275

thanks very much trig. is the bleed screw the silver one here in the pic?

http://www.clubcobra.com/photopost/s...size=big&cat=9

or, is it the dime-sized black plastic circle below it (not sure that even turns)?

[RodgerH]

Hi Bill,

The link you referenced is a picture of the vacuum line attachment to the brake vacuum booster. The "silver screw" in the picture is a hose clamp. You're a long ways from the clutch slave cylinder.

The bleed screw for the clutch is on the clutch slave cylinder. The slave cylinder is attached to the driver's side of the bellhousing, on the rear of the engine.

Dynamic should have given you a CD titled Superformance Mark III Installation Guide with your car. On page 12 there is a picture of the clutch slave cylinder.

Here's a copy of the picture on the CD.The bleed screw is on the left, sticking out of the top of the cylinder, behind the clutch hose connection.




Rodger

[HI Cobra]

Put a short piece of tubing on the nipple (long enough to make a 180 turn and fit in a small glass bottle) before you bleed it and it will keep you from squirting the fluid all over. Just like bleeding brakes only you just have
one to do.

[patrickt]

Since you have a leak somewhere you're probably going to have to bleed more than once, so it's handy to learn a way to do it yourself (without a pressure or vacuum assisting tool). My tool of choice is a broomstick. You can do the job yourself by using a broomstick with the sweeping straw end still attached, just like it is when it sits in the corner of your garage. Here's how to do it: Get under your car and stick one end of a plastic tube on the end of the slave bleed screw (the screw has a hole in the middle of it) and put the other end of the tube in an empty mayonnaise jar. Fill the clutch fluid reservoir up and then press the clutch pedal with the wood end of your broom and wedge it against the seat using the straw end. Go under the car and open the bleed screw on the slave cylinder. You'll hear a "puff" and you might see a little fluid go in the mayonnaise jar. Close the bleed screw, get out from under the car, check the fluid in the reservoir, and remove the broom so the pedal comes back up. Repeat this process until you have a nice clean stream of fluid going in the mayonnaise jar when you loosen your bleed screw. Then concentrate on finding your leak. This is a good "first job" in getting to know your Cobra.

[mrp_e]

Can't thank you all enough. I jacked the car up, found the bleed screw and had my wife do the broom stick trick with the clutch. it took 5 or 6 rounds before the pressure in the pedal returned. took it for a spin and over the course of a few miles the pedal pressure got right back to normal.

Now I gotta find that leak....

PS - i noticed while under the car that there's no nut at the end of the bolt sticking out toward the back of the car from the clutch master cyliinder. should there be one? in roger's photo, it's the bolt sticking out right side of the black rubber flexi thing.

again, thanks to trig, roger, flip and patrick

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by mrp_e

PS - i noticed while under the car that there's no nut at the end of the bolt sticking out toward the back of the car from the clutch master cyliinder. should there be one?

Yes, the little nut on the clutch push rod that goes behind the clutch fork does two things: 1) It prevents the push rod from "popping out" of the clutch fork during a fast shift; and 2) It helps when you adjust the free-play distance on your clutch fork/throw-out bearing. (Adjusting your clutch is a good second job in getting to know your Cobra). Here's a more detailed explanationon that, along with pictures, that I posted for a fellow ERA owner: Overheating?

[speed racer]

Hey well here's my secret. I'm sure many people already know but it is a racers way. Use Speed Bleeders. they go in place of the bleed screw and when turned 1/4 turn the act as a one way valve so only one person needs to do the whole system pump 5 or 6 times and lock the Speed Bleeder down and done no more close /pump-pump-pump/hold/open repeat repeat... they run around 8-15 dollars each and have many sizes for all applications.
James

[HI Cobra]

I got speed bleader a while ago and they sure simplify the process.
Worth every penny.

[Lowell W]

Bill,

You also mentioned a coolant leak. The most likely source of the problem is a loose hose clamp. Go around the entire engine compartment and check every hose clamp for tightness. They should be snug; not TIGHT: about as snug as you can get one with a screwdriver with a small handle. Don't overlook the one on the top right side of the radiator. It's hard to get to and even if it's tight, you may want to loosen it and reorient it so it's easier to reach the next time. There are also a couple of clamps hidden under the expansion tank and a couple more on the heater hoses up inside the right front fender. Check both ends of every hose and if you can't remember which ones you've done, stick a little piece of masking tape on each one as you go.

Be sure the front of your car is clean before you start and pad the fenders so you don't scratch the paint.

You may also want to check out SCOF, the Superformance Owners' Cobra Forum, as there are a lot of very knowledgeable guys there who can help you with the care of your car.

Lowell

[mrp_e]

Thanks again, everyone.

Sure enough, woke up to a baseball size circle of Dot 3 fluid on the floor this morning under the car. Is it possible that a 4 month old ford crate engine already needs a new clutch slave cylinder?

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by mrp_e

Is it possible ... already needs a new clutch slave cylinder?

Yes, it's possible. But check the fittings and threads first. Maybe they're loose or didn't have the proper sealant on them. Changing out the slave is actually pretty simple. Just a couple of bolts, hook up the fluid line, and adjust the slave-rod/fork/TOB clearance as per my link above. A leak of that size should be pretty easy to isolate. If it's not already obvious where the leak is, just clean everything up and wrap a little white gauze around the fittings, etc. and let it sit overnight (don't drive it around). That should tell you where it's leaking.

[SuperHart]

Just passing on a little experience I recently had with a brake master cylinder. The same thing should apply to a clutch master and slave cylinder as well. My car, after 5 years, began to lose braking power. I found the fluid level in the rear brake reservoir completely drained. Only thing I found was evidence of a leak under the fitting on the master cylinder that secures the brake line heading to the rear wheels. The fitting was tightened properly. At first I thought I was going to have to replace either the master cylinder or the brake line or both. Imagine my surprise when, on a lark, I loosened the flare fitting and retightened it and filled the reservoir to bleed the brakes only to discover that the leak went away just by retightening the fitting. Two months now and no sign of a leak returning. Goes to show that sometimes the problem can be a little thing like an adjustment masquerading as a major problem.

[peterlevin]

i am having a failed slave as well on my superformance. I cant seem to find a replacement part. Please see pics below.