Quote:
Originally Posted by zebra
well my non-expertise begs to differ. after i learned about the ranger method about a year & a half ago, i decided to test it out. i went out in my truck, which has the standard New Venture NV3500 5 speed transmission - notorious for having a horrible time trying to do a high-rpm 2-3 shift after launching in 1st - much like the f-body T56, and partially for the same reason.
test 1: went out as it sat, drove around a little to warm the truck up & then pulled from a dig. ran up to about 5500 in 2nd, and (as usual) had to double-clutch to successfully get it in 3rd. nothing new.
variable: changed the fluid in the clutch reservoir using the ranger method til everything stayed clear when i pumped the pedal. mind you, this was the first time i'd changed the fluid since i bought it in '06 and put a new clutch in (and even then, it wasn't a real flush - just a top-off).
test 2: drove out to the same place as before & from a dig, i launched, revved, and slammed second. now for the moment of truth... wound it up to about 5500 and BAM!!!! 3rd went right in. amazed & thinking it was a fluke, i turned around & did it again - this time up to 6000. once again, shifted right in with one pedal push. even on a third kicks-and-giggles run, i got the same single-pedal-effort results.
conclusion: i believe the clean fluid does, in fact, make a difference. i believe it's partly due to the design of my particular system. much like the 4th gen T56 clutch line from the master to the slave, the trucks also have a restriction in the hydraulic line. my year's system ain't just a little restrictor inside the end that can be drilled out; half of it's braided line that then molds to a narrower piece of hard plastic flex line. my belief is that the clutch dust getting in the fluid gives it a higher viscosity & therefore can't flow quite fast enough to meet the demand of refilling the reservoir in time to shift to 3rd - thus requiring another pump of the pedal to get enough fluid inside the slave to fully disengage the plate. the clean fluid, however, seemed to be able to do this much better.
outcome: when i got home, i rangered out my car's fluid as well.
note: the fluid starts getting dark after a few drives anyway, and at low RPMs with slower/smoother shifts, it don't really matter that much. but it would definitely help when racing.
my next steps: get speed bleeders on both vehicles next time i put clutches in.
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Most of the discoloration is from the hoses. Your variation if performance was most likely due to the fresh fluid for the first time in years.
It isn't the color of the fluid. It is the condition of fluid. Moisture content, boiled fluid, low temperature fluid, etc...
I don't portend to be a expert in the field of brake and clutch hydraulics, but I did sleep at a Holiday Inn three weeks ago
All kidding aside, I am fortunate to have access to some of the best of the best in the industry. When they talk I listen, unless I don't like their answer
