MX-5 OC Forum

 Hi all,

For the last couple of months my clutch has started squeaking on pressing it in and out. 

I wondered if it was just a case of something needing oiling or could it be a bigger problem?

Any ideas welcomed???

Thanks

 Is it a loud squeak, and where is it coming from?

My preceeding car - a Fiesta - suffered from a squeaking clutch spring - it was quiet, but it drove me nuts. I good coating with lithium grease stopped it - but you will need to cover all surrounding carpet/plastic, because it will go everywhere.

I can't see why the same thing might not happen on an MX5...

01mx5:

 Is it a loud squeak, and where is it coming from?

 Hiya,

It is quite loud and very annoying!  My dad said he could hear it when I was parked on his drive from outside the car...

Cheers

Assuming the mk2 clutch is the same as the mk1, you could try greasing the end of the actuator rod where it pivots on the clutch arm - if you look down onto the bellhousing (on the drivers side on a mk1, under the inlet manifold) you should see the clutch slave cylinder with a small metal rod that pushes on the end of the clutch arm. This can dry out and be squeaky. Work some grease into the pivot point at the end (where the rod touches the clutch arm) and see if that helps.

IIRC you should be able to reach under the car and apply the grease quite easily with it on the ground, no need to jack it up.

There's an FAQ for this problem

How to...Replace the Clutch slave cylinder & cure that squeek

Geoff Walton:

There's an FAQ for this problem

 

How to...Replace the Clutch slave cylinder & cure that squeak

 As my clutch slave cylinder seems to be ok and I only want to stop the clutch squeaking I went under the car this morning and carefully pulled the rubber shield back so that I could squirt some lubricant onto the actuating rod that you can't get to  as easy as the other end.  The squeeking has now stopped. See picture below.                                   

I have this clutch squeek and will try this quick fix tomorrow. I do however have two questions.

1) Do I need a special type of lubricant.

2) As I have no mechanical knowledge I may not be able to find this cylinder or may just chicken out. If I leave this squeeking what damage will it eventually do?

 The lubricant for the inside of the slave cylinder should be rubber grease, mineral oil or grease should not come into contact with hydraulic seals.  At the other end if you push the tail of the arm into the cylinder a little way you will be able to grease the arm with any good quality mineral grease. Castrol LM or molygrease for example.

   Regards   Geoff Peace.

Thanks Geoff.

There's a how to here, the squeeky bit is towards the end. As Geoff says, do not use ordinary lube WD40 anything that isn't suitable for use on hydraulic seals.They will perish and the clutch slave will expire.

Cure the squeek

 Hi Geoff(s)!

A few of us have raised the issue of the correct grease and the FAQ article should be updated if you are able.

The grease for the slave cylinder end of the pushrod must be brake rubber grease (castor oil based, usually red for identification, from parts stores and motor factors) or silicone grease (can be found at electrical retailers such as Maplin). These do not harm rubber unlike regular mineral oil greases. An easy source for small quantities is eBay.

The grease for the other end should be high melting point type to prevent it migrating to the slave rubbers with heat. A dab of regular HMP lithium or moly based grease will be fine.

Rich M:

The grease for the slave cylinder end of the pushrod must be brake rubber grease (castor oil based, usually red for identification, from parts stores and motor factors) or silicone grease (can be found at electrical retailers such as Maplin). These do not harm rubber unlike regular mineral oil greases. An easy source for small quantities is eBay.

The Mazda workshop manual doesn't mention any grease on the inner end of the pushrod. However through experience I know that a dab of white lithium grease works well as does, I imagine the red rubber grease. At the operating fork end the manual calls for Moly grease. I use Moly and white lithium

I'll put some new stuff in the faq

Geoff Walton:

Rich M:

The grease for the slave cylinder end of the pushrod must be brake rubber grease (castor oil based, usually red for identification, from parts stores and motor factors) or silicone grease (can be found at electrical retailers such as Maplin). These do not harm rubber unlike regular mineral oil greases. An easy source for small quantities is eBay.

The Mazda workshop manual doesn't mention any grease on the inner end of the pushrod. However through experience I know that a dab of white lithium grease works well as does, I imagine the red rubber grease. At the operating fork end the manual calls for Moly grease. I use Moly and white lithium

I'll put some new stuff in the faq

Hi Geoff,

The FAQ now says, "Before bolting the new cylinder to the car, pull out the actuating rod from the rubber bellows and apply a blob of Lithium white grease, or red rubber grease to the inner end. A blob of any good Moly grease on the other end will ease the operation of the clutch to both ends."

It should say "Silicone" and not "Lithium white". It is important to get it right for those that don't know not to use mineral oil grease on brake and clutch rubber parts.

Rich M:

It should say "Silicone" and not "Lithium white". It is important to get it right for those that don't know not to use mineral oil grease on brake and clutch rubber parts.

Hi Rich, I'll add silicone, but I know that Lithium white is very suitable for this application, I'll add something about mineral greases

Geoff Walton:

Rich M:

It should say "Silicone" and not "Lithium white". It is important to get it right for those that don't know not to use mineral oil grease on brake and clutch rubber parts.

Hi Rich, I'll add silicone, but I know that Lithium white is very suitable for this application, I'll add something about mineral greases

Thanks Geoff, you may have been careful to apply it only to the metal parts of the pushrod and piston and none has migrated to the cylinder bore. The thought of someone pulling back the boot and giving it a blast from an aerosol of mineral grease is not good .