Internal vs external clutch slave cylinders
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Tuned
Joined: Jul 2023
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Internal vs external clutch slave cylinders
Do truck owners enjoy working more with external clutch slave cylinders; as opposed to internal clutch slave cylinders where it's inside the transmission housing?
Lead Driver
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 7,015
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From: SoCal
Obviously, if I ever have to replace the clutch, I would replace all the other things around there while I have the transmission off.
When I bled the clutch hydraulics after installing it for the first time, a lot of fluid ended up in the bell housing. It was on an internal slave cylinder on a M5OD-R1HD, which had a long extension on the bleeder port to stick out of the side of the bell housing. Even though I put a lot of teflon tape around the threads before installing it, it still leaked at the threads when I cracked it to bleed the system. If I ever have to replace that slave cylinder, I will have to drop the transmission again.
On an external slave cylinder, I can replace it without having to drop the transmission, and I can localize the leak better when I'm bleeding it.
When I bled the clutch hydraulics after installing it for the first time, a lot of fluid ended up in the bell housing. It was on an internal slave cylinder on a M5OD-R1HD, which had a long extension on the bleeder port to stick out of the side of the bell housing. Even though I put a lot of teflon tape around the threads before installing it, it still leaked at the threads when I cracked it to bleed the system. If I ever have to replace that slave cylinder, I will have to drop the transmission again.
On an external slave cylinder, I can replace it without having to drop the transmission, and I can localize the leak better when I'm bleeding it.
Cargo Master
Joined: Mar 2007
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There are advantages for everything, but in my experience, when the clutch goes out, the hydraulics are soon to follow. If the hydraulics fail, same thing. Both ways, the transmission comes out. Of course, not everyone approaches how cars/trucks repairs in the same way. They piece meal it and wonder why at some age, the vehicle is always breaking down.
As for feeling, the engineers design all that so there is no apples to apples comparison. Without a doubt, there is less parts [less to go wrong] with an internal system.
Again, nobody services a clutch hydraulic system and that is the real reason for them failing. Yeah, I know, I should not say nobody, but the party would be dull if only those that showed up services there clutch hydraulics.
As for feeling, the engineers design all that so there is no apples to apples comparison. Without a doubt, there is less parts [less to go wrong] with an internal system.
Again, nobody services a clutch hydraulic system and that is the real reason for them failing. Yeah, I know, I should not say nobody, but the party would be dull if only those that showed up services there clutch hydraulics.
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Lead Driver
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 7,015
Likes: 208
From: SoCal
As I say, if the clutch goes out, the transmission has to come out to replace the clutch, which is a great time to replace everything else, like the pilot bearing, throw-out bearing, and if applicable, the internal slave cylinder.
But I have had to replace an external slave cylinder when it started leaking, but everything else was still working. I was really glad I did not have to drop the transmission to do it. And bleeding it afterward was a lot easier than doing it on the internal slave cylinder.
https://photos.google.com/share/AF1Q...FpX3BIbjQ0d2xB
I guess the one part that's not on this internal slave setup is the release fork of the external slave setup (and on other mechanical setups).
On this particular internal slave setup, the clutch pedal felt really lightweight, especially compared to my old car with the Z-bar linkage or my less old car with the cable. I can't remember how that old truck with the external slave cylinder felt.
But I have had to replace an external slave cylinder when it started leaking, but everything else was still working. I was really glad I did not have to drop the transmission to do it. And bleeding it afterward was a lot easier than doing it on the internal slave cylinder.
https://photos.google.com/share/AF1Q...FpX3BIbjQ0d2xB
I guess the one part that's not on this internal slave setup is the release fork of the external slave setup (and on other mechanical setups).
On this particular internal slave setup, the clutch pedal felt really lightweight, especially compared to my old car with the Z-bar linkage or my less old car with the cable. I can't remember how that old truck with the external slave cylinder felt.
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Cargo Master
Joined: Mar 2007
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If the slave prematurely started leaking, I suspect that was not really maintained.
Now, VW has a real problem with their internal slave cylinders. They fail after just a few years. But that is the experience I have.
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