Abs question

[07gts197]

So this might sound stupid but there is a method to my madness. Can abs affect the clutch function? Yes I am stupid and young so lets get that out of the way lol but in these few cases it wasnt my fault.

A few months ago I was driving through a parking lot in 2nd gear pretty slow and a car pulled in front of me. I ended up t boning him, but I noticed that my car stalled even though I floored the clutch and the brake and I had more than adequite room to break. I even have pictures and from where I was when I reacted to where I ended up was like 50 or more feet. Like I said I wasnt going that fast and it shouldnt have stalled. And the fuel cutoff switch was not tripped.

A few months before that I was driving in stop and go traffic when all of a sudden the speed of everyone started to pick up. I was doing maybe 35 or so when I looked down as I was going over a little elevated bridge. As I crested it I looked up to see that traffic was dead stopped maybe 50-70 feet in front of me if not more, Ill use google earth later to verify this, when I slammed on the brakes and clutch same thing it kept on going and I ended up up a dodge rams ass. Again the cutoff switch had not been stipped and I all the way on the brakes and clutch yet its like the clutch was still engeged.

So what Im getting at is is it possible that abs is affecting the clutch too? Is there another possibility? I try to drive as carefully as possible but shit happens.

 

[travelers]

The ABS has nothing to do with the clutch. The only thing the two systems have in common is the brake fluid reservoir. I have a separate reservoir for my clutch now. You may want to look at your brake pads and rotors. As for stalling the brake peddle don't go as far down as the clutch so you may not have got it released before it stalled.

 

[JeremyH]

Like said, no they aren't related, my advice would be you don't need to immediately clutch in for emergency braking, the car will stop faster in my experience going straight to the brake hard first, the engine breaking will aid in slowing the car down in gear initially and you get stronger engine vacuum on deccel for the brake booster. Then you can clutch in to neutral or pop it in neutral and let the clutch out to prevent a stall as your coming to a stop. Braking while holding the clutch is a bad habit anyway, especially in stop and go it can be tough to not do it. I have even downshifted to 1st and dumped the clutch to slow the car down faster while doing an emergency stop on the highway.

I would then look in to doing some maintenance. The car is 10 years old, has the fluid ever been replaced or flushed? How many miles on the clutch, it could be slipping or dragging. Few ways to test, jack the rear tires up off the ground, clutch in and put the car in 1st, if the rear tires move with the clutch in then its not fully disengaging. In this case popping the car into neutral would prevent that being an issue. This could be worn out pressure plate or slave cylinder issue or of course fluid. To test the disc for slipping go a steady speed on a side road around 30-35mph. Shift to 5th/overdrive and floor it while watching rpms if clutch disc is holding good it should just really slowly accelerate. If the rpms act funky or flutter dip etc then its slipping. I would start cheap and do a fresh fluid swap You will want to bleed at the rear brakes as well as the clutch line into the side of the trans. Keep in mind you cant fully bleed the slave though without dropping the trans. From there may be time for a new clutch and slave (throw out bearing).

 

[07gts197]

I figured as much since you can get air in the clutch system but it wont affect the brakes. My whole thought process involved fluid being cycled by the abs pump somehow messing with the fluid in the resivour.

As for engine braking I normally do that but not so much in my 07. Its just been habit to clutch it in emergency braking, though I dont usually do it if I need to brake hard. And Id like to add that my clutch grabs really high. Even if I pressed the clutch in half way Id be in neutral. Oh and I know about riding the clutch lol and I dont do it. Its funny because sometimes my dad drives it and he rides the clutch because hes not used to stick after not driving one for 20 years lol. I cringe sometimes but so far the clutch is holding up fine but Ill give him an earful every once in a while.

The fluid is probably original. It doesnt look bad but Im sure it could be replaced. Whats the best method of flushing it alone? I had so many brake problems with my old 00 gt that I shutter to think I could mess things up worse when trying to flush the fluid lol.

The slave is worn I do know that. I didnt know I had to replace it when I did my clutch back in '13 when the stock pressure plate grenaded (to be fair there is a tsb I didnt know about and it seemed fine, and I wasnt driving like an idiot) so Im not sure how many miles are on it. I just got full time at work and a pay increase so Ill get a new slave installed hopefully soon. Im about to put my 02 gt back on the road and daily that so Ill have time to work on the 07. And I have my long tubes that need to get installed lol.

The clutch isnt slipping but Ill check again just to be on the safe side.

Thanks for the advice guys.

 

[JeremyH]

Since the slave is questionable I would just do it all at once that way you can fill the new slave with fresh fluid at the same time. You fully compress it while dipping the end in the bottle of fresh brake fluid and just compress and expand like a syringe until all the air is out and its full of fluid. This also ensures you don't get an air pocket stuck in the slave which these cars are notorious for. Then cap it and install on the trans.

It can be done by yourself but its a lot easier to have a second set of hands. From there you can bleed out the clutch line first. Stick the clutch line in a 5 gallon bucket under the car and pump the clutch while someone adds fluid to the reservoir as it gets low. I usually like to empty the reservoir twice using this method. Once your confident its all new fluid in the clutch line cap it and throw the tranny back in.

On to the brakes same concept, you want to start with the caliper that's farthest from the reservoir and work your way towards it. So it will go passenger rear, driver rear, passenger front driver front. Run a piece of clear hose from the bleed valve to a bucket or bottle. Crack open the bleeder while someone pumps the brakes. Again once you have drained the reservoir a time or two or are confident its new fluid visually move on and do the others, after your done with all four, you will have pushed all the old fluid out and have brand new fluid and your brakes and clutch will be bled and good to go.

 

[07gts197]

When I had my clutch replaced a few years ago there was a huge air pocket, ask me how I know... I was under the car yesterday and took a peek at the slave through the hole in the bellhousing. I was home alone so I couldnt get anyone to pump the pedal to see how it responds.

Thanks I appreciate the advice. Its going to be a project but Im going to buy a transmission jack and attempt it myself, not now though. Im going to start dailying my 02 gt again and work on the 07.

I had a brake bleeder hand pump but it broke on me when I did my 13/14 gt500 clutch master cylinder swap. Ill get another one since it worked so well with my 02's brakes after replacing the front calipers. And while Im at it I think Im going to swap to the 11-12 gt brakes for now because it only requires new caliper brackets and rotors. Im looking forward to how well itll brake afterwards lol.

Oh and I tested the clutch again just to be sure and it didnt slip at all.