Hydraulic Clutch Operation

[Max Allan]

Has anyone converted their cable clutch to hydraulic action? I ask because I’m ditching the AODE slush pump in my Brooklands Ace this winter for a Tremec 6-speed, but was shocked when I drove a manual one recently how heavy the clutch was, and wondered whether going for hydraulic operation might lighter things up a bit?
   
   Cheers, Max

[ak1234]

Max ... I have to say every car I have ever owned up until my Pantera has been a mechanical clutch linkage.  The Pantera has a hydraulic clutch linkage and I have to say .. I cant tell 1/2 the time if its fully engaged ..so elading into a gear doesnt have that reliable feeling like mechanical ..why would you ever want to conver to hydraulic ??
   
   Ron

[keithjecks]

I can see your point Max, mine is heavy, though you do get used to it. I was afraid of the strain it placed on the cable, but so far I have not had any problems.

[Max Allan]

Ron…. mainly for the reasons ace4.6 has confirmed – clutch action is much heavier than I expected. I’ve driven a lot of V12 E Type Jags in my time and don’t recall them being as heavy as the Ace clutch and wondered whether going hydraulic might lighten things up a bit. Also, I hadn’t realised until I looked under the bonnet of a manual Ace that the cable is routed at an angle out through the top of the footwell – right slap bang in the middle of the fuse/relay box location on my left hand drive model. As practically every circuit is routed via the fuse box I don’t fancy messing about with the wiring to the extent necessary to move it. Hydraulic action would get round the problem as the clutch master cylinder would locate alongside the brake cylinder in front of the pedals.
   
   Max

[ak1234]

MAX I;m not very familiar with an ACE but I do know most of those parts are from standard FORD stock ..if in fact it is a FORD cable and CAM assembly ..they do make a different cam and rather then plastic I think either it was larger or smaller to ease the tension a bit .. not sure if its the same as the MK IV ??
   
   Maybe my hydraulic clutch just takes some getting used to .. it being a dual disc assembly ... back up to a 650hp 351 windsor.
   
   Ron

[Max Allan]

Ron, sorry I’ve been slow replying, but for reasons unknown I’ve found it impossible to open the forum the last couple of days.
   
   AC did indeed make extensive use of Ford’s parts bin when building the Ace.
   
   I already have a Fiore alloy quadrant to replace the weak plastic OEM item plus a firewall adjuster, but had assumed the size difference was down to the fact they came from different cars (the pedal box I’ve got came from a UK Sierra).
   
   Electing for hydraulic operation would get round the problem of moving the fuse box. But working out the appropriate master cylinder/slave cylinder bore sizes that’ll give the lightest possible clutch AND sufficient clutch lever movement is a bit daunting – hence my post – hoping I could benefit from someone else’s experiments!! []
   
   I would think the “vague” take up you refer to is a characteristic of dual plates rather than hydraulics.
   
   Thanks for your input, Ron.
   
   Max

[ak1234]

Max,
   
   One more thought ... is the clutch a 3 finger style or a diaphram style ..sometine the 3 finger is much harder .. dont think you need that on an ACE ??
   
   Ron

[Max Allan]

I’ve yet to change to a manual tranny, Ron. I’m still running with Ford’s AODE auto box. The heavy clutch came to light driving of a friend’s manual Ace. It’s a 95 car, so I doubt very much it’s fitted with the old 3-finger clutch. Admittedly I only drove the car a short distance, but I also found the T5 shift very notchy.
   
   I’m beginning to wonder whether it might be better to beef up my existing AODE box and incorporate one of the kits available to give it snappier shifts, instead of the current slurred shifts Ford think folks want. It should be a lot easier than the mountain of work required to fit a manual box. Anyone interested in buying a brand new T56 6-speed [?]
   
   Max

[ak1234]

Ah I see here in the US a company called TCI makes the best automatics I have ever used ... I used 2 ..one in a Corvette street car and the other a Mercury Drag car and both were hands down the best money I ever spent on an automatic.
   
   Be careful with those quick shift kits .. I used them as a kid and always ended up with a burned up trans.
   
   The new Automatics are really some thing to experience.  Would really make a mice addition to a new ACE rather then cutting it up for an automatic.
   
   Funny you talk about that there is a company called GEARFOX they sell a semi automatic to replace the ZF in the Pantera .. i was looking at one ...but a little too pricy at the moent for my budget.
   
   Just my 2 cents.
   
   Ron

[Max Allan]

quote:Be careful with those quick shift kits .. I used them as a kid and always ended up with a burned up trans.

   
   Thanks for the warning Ron. I read speculation somewhere Ford deliberately made the shifts soft to reduce the likelyhood of warrantee claims due to premature failure of suspect internals!!
   
   I hadn't come across TCI; their products look impressive. But they don't appear to do an "over-the-counter" modified AODE - only uprated parts. Regretably, my track record rebuilding auto boxs is a bit checkered - some successful, so less so!! Food for thought nonetheless. Thanks.
   
   Max