Clutch squeaking when depressing and releasing
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Joined: July 22, 2021
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Clutch squeaking when depressing and releasing
Hello,
I have a 95 Cobra V8 Mustang that I bought from some guy. The engine sounds fine, but the clutch is stiff as hell (hard to push down) and squeaks when it’s pushed. Doesn’t make any noise when it’s pressed or anything, but it’s hard to press and makes a squeaking noise when I push it down (engine on and off). I’m thinking a lubrication problem, but I don’t know where to look. The guy I bought it from figures it has a race clutch since it has so many other race mods on it, but I haven’t looked closely. It’s a bit beat up, so I’m working on getting it fixed up. Anyone have some advice?
I have a 95 Cobra V8 Mustang that I bought from some guy. The engine sounds fine, but the clutch is stiff as hell (hard to push down) and squeaks when it’s pushed. Doesn’t make any noise when it’s pressed or anything, but it’s hard to press and makes a squeaking noise when I push it down (engine on and off). I’m thinking a lubrication problem, but I don’t know where to look. The guy I bought it from figures it has a race clutch since it has so many other race mods on it, but I haven’t looked closely. It’s a bit beat up, so I’m working on getting it fixed up. Anyone have some advice?
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From: Insane
That's a mechanical cable driven clutch system I believe. So here ya go: Remove the cable so you can work it freely unattached. If it doesn't move smooth and free, clean and then lubricate with cable lube. While the cable is out inspect the clutch quadrant/pedal under the dash and ensure it's good. If you don't know how that quadrant works, read up on how to reset it and do so, as it's adjustable by lifting the clutch up past 'rest' and then shoving it back down. Or so I remember... READ UP on that, I've broken another guy's car not knowing a Jeep doesn't do that. 
Overconfident idiot, learned my lesson real good.
Remove the transmission and replace the shift fork pivot, lube it with good grease. Examine shift fork, and if damaged find a replacement. If not, clean the pivot cup and lube it, as well as the bearing rests. Install a new throwout bearing on the fork, install fork, install transmission.
While all that's going on you can inspect the clutch and ensure it's ok... or replace it. And the main bearing is *right there*, so... Just sayin'...
That should solve the noise side of things. The stiffness is a function of the clutch if all that other stuff is good and done right, and a race clutch is going to be fairly brutal. If you're not tracking it, think about going back stock with the clutch, and get the flywheel resurfaced or replaced. Not that the stock one in the Cobra was a field day, being a higher performance car than a GT or V6, but still.
Think that'd fix that up. Not sure, of course, bein' way over here, but the clutch is a fairly simple, if irritatingly cumbersome and time consuming, system in the car, and that's 'all there is' to the entire thing.
Hope that helps, good luck!
And welcome to the forums! 
Overconfident idiot, learned my lesson real good.Remove the transmission and replace the shift fork pivot, lube it with good grease. Examine shift fork, and if damaged find a replacement. If not, clean the pivot cup and lube it, as well as the bearing rests. Install a new throwout bearing on the fork, install fork, install transmission.
While all that's going on you can inspect the clutch and ensure it's ok... or replace it. And the main bearing is *right there*, so... Just sayin'...
That should solve the noise side of things. The stiffness is a function of the clutch if all that other stuff is good and done right, and a race clutch is going to be fairly brutal. If you're not tracking it, think about going back stock with the clutch, and get the flywheel resurfaced or replaced. Not that the stock one in the Cobra was a field day, being a higher performance car than a GT or V6, but still.
Think that'd fix that up. Not sure, of course, bein' way over here, but the clutch is a fairly simple, if irritatingly cumbersome and time consuming, system in the car, and that's 'all there is' to the entire thing.
Hope that helps, good luck!
And welcome to the forums!
Thread Starter
Member
Joined: July 22, 2021
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
That's a mechanical cable driven clutch system I believe. So here ya go: Remove the cable so you can work it freely unattached. If it doesn't move smooth and free, clean and then lubricate with cable lube. While the cable is out inspect the clutch quadrant/pedal under the dash and ensure it's good. If you don't know how that quadrant works, read up on how to reset it and do so, as it's adjustable by lifting the clutch up past 'rest' and then shoving it back down. Or so I remember... READ UP on that, I've broken another guy's car not knowing a Jeep doesn't do that. Overconfident idiot, learned my lesson real good.
Remove the transmission and replace the shift fork pivot, lube it with good grease. Examine shift fork, and if damaged find a replacement. If not, clean the pivot cup and lube it, as well as the bearing rests. Install a new throwout bearing on the fork, install fork, install transmission.
While all that's going on you can inspect the clutch and ensure it's ok... or replace it. And the main bearing is *right there*, so... Just sayin'...
That should solve the noise side of things. The stiffness is a function of the clutch if all that other stuff is good and done right, and a race clutch is going to be fairly brutal. If you're not tracking it, think about going back stock with the clutch, and get the flywheel resurfaced or replaced. Not that the stock one in the Cobra was a field day, being a higher performance car than a GT or V6, but still.
Think that'd fix that up. Not sure, of course, bein' way over here, but the clutch is a fairly simple, if irritatingly cumbersome and time consuming, system in the car, and that's 'all there is' to the entire thing.
Hope that helps, good luck! And welcome to the forums!
Overconfident idiot, learned my lesson real good.Remove the transmission and replace the shift fork pivot, lube it with good grease. Examine shift fork, and if damaged find a replacement. If not, clean the pivot cup and lube it, as well as the bearing rests. Install a new throwout bearing on the fork, install fork, install transmission.
While all that's going on you can inspect the clutch and ensure it's ok... or replace it. And the main bearing is *right there*, so... Just sayin'...
That should solve the noise side of things. The stiffness is a function of the clutch if all that other stuff is good and done right, and a race clutch is going to be fairly brutal. If you're not tracking it, think about going back stock with the clutch, and get the flywheel resurfaced or replaced. Not that the stock one in the Cobra was a field day, being a higher performance car than a GT or V6, but still.
Think that'd fix that up. Not sure, of course, bein' way over here, but the clutch is a fairly simple, if irritatingly cumbersome and time consuming, system in the car, and that's 'all there is' to the entire thing.
Hope that helps, good luck!
And welcome to the forums! 
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