I have an overloaded truck pulling a trailer. I am worried about burning out the clutch as I smell something burning when pushing it hard.
2007-03-02 10:08:57 · 6 answers · asked by Dave W 1 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Maintenance & Repairs
You are probably smelling the clutch plate burning. Actually, their is no fluid in a manual transmission. There is grease in the bearings. Take it to a mechanic and have him check it for you.
2007-03-02 10:16:09 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋
Richard is WAY wrong about manual transmissions not having any oil in them. Yours will have either ATF (automatic transmission fluid), which is pink, or some other type. If it's any other type, I would just get it from the Ford dealer, as if it's something like the special synthetic Castrol makes, it won't be much higher at the dealer than a parts store. The fluid lubes the gears; there's no grease like wheel bearing grease. A lot of people call gear lube grease, but it's really a heavy, nasty-smelling oil. Your transmission could possibly use 80W90, but I doubt it. The Ford dealer should be able to tell you the right fluid to use.
I've never seen a manual with a dipstick; maybe they have 'em now on some new ones, but I sure don't think a '94 does. It should have two plugs in the side of the case, a lower and upper one. A 3/8" ratchet or extension should fit in there (or maybe it's a 1/2"?) to check. The fluid level should be just under the bottom of the top square-drive plug. Be sure you're taking out the top plug that has a bottom plug directly below it; some makes and models have another plug nowhere near the other two that actually allows something (reverse or fifth gear, maybe?) to drop inside the transmission if you remove the wrong square-drive plug, and then you're screwed. So make sure you're removing the right one.
This has absolutely nothing to do with the (dry) clutch assembly, though, as the clutch on a manual transmission has the pressure plate (AKA cover) bolted to the flywheel and the clutch sitting on the input shaft of the transmission. You could very well be smelling the clutch plate burning, but your transmission fluid has no effect on this. The hydraulic master/slave clutch cylinder setup on this truck doesn't really have any adjustment, so there's not much you can do about it except try not to lug the truck in a too-high of a gear and don't load the truck for more than it was designed to pull. It wouldn't hurt to make sure the clutch master cylinder is full of brake fluid, though.
2007-03-02 18:26:41 · answer #2 · answered by Jay S 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
On a manual transmission you usually need to crawl under it and check it by removing a plug on the side of the trasmission and inserting your finger in the hole to check the level. Some manuals use a heavy 90w lube, but I have seen some with automatic trans fluid also. To be sure what you need call your dealer or consult your manual. If you are smelling something burning while pulling a load you clutch could be slipping.
2007-03-02 20:21:49 · answer #3 · answered by tcat121956 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
in a manual transmission you have to go under the truck on the driver's side and there it should look like the screw to change the oil but it will be on the transmission that is where you put transmission oil in at.. to check it all you do is open the hood and towards the back of the engine compartment there will be a dipstick normally the end is yellow that is the transmission dipstick to check the level of fluid.
2007-03-02 18:23:29 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
Manual transmissions usually use heavy weight gear lube instead of hydraulic fluid. If yoiu smell something burning it's probably your clutch.
2007-03-02 18:18:28 · answer #5 · answered by Niklaus Pfirsig 6 · 1⤊ 1⤋
On most of the newer manual vehicles you CAN check the clutch fluid and add some if it is low.
2007-03-02 18:26:06 · answer #6 · answered by runesofgaia 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋