Clutch very viscous when cold

Se7enLC · **Posted:** Thu Jan 03, 2008 5:32 pm

This morning it was about 5 degrees out. I've noticed this before, but it just reminded me to bring it up. My clutch feels very much like molasses when it's this cold. Is there something I can do to the clutch fluid to make it less thick when cold?

TheJawsOfDeath · **Joined:** Sun Nov 05, 2006 3:56 am **Posts:** 305

I don't think so. Mine usually warms up pretty quickly, but I still clutch with care when its really cold, dont wanna grind gears. I think thats just the nature of a hydraulic clutch.

Landy · **Posted:** Thu Jan 03, 2008 8:13 pm

The clutch in my '06 feels the same way, kinda like the fluid is cold and not happy to be gett'n squeezed up the line.

It seems fine after running through the gears a time or two.

I think we live with it. What could you do?

itsajeepthing · **Posted:** Thu Jan 03, 2008 10:18 pm

I think it's pretty normal. My '03 has always been that way in the cold, and my prev. standard vehicle did the same thing. Just slow shift until it loosens up a bit

Jeep4me99 · **Posted:** Fri Jan 04, 2008 12:13 am

my TJ was that way...kinda annoying, but not much you can do about it unless you have a heated garage. not sure if it worked, but i would hold the clutch down, then run the shifter through the gears before going anywhere. otherwise it would take about 10seconds to switch gears with the long-throw shifter.

jason thompson · **Posted:** Fri Jan 04, 2008 12:43 am

Nothing you can do
cold oil moves slower than hot oil
no way to heat it up as all you do when you push the clutch is put pressure on a line
witch then pushes a piston out that moves the bearing that pushes on the pressure plate
that will then reales the clutch disk from the fly wheel so that your tranny can spin free on one end and you can shift
easy right?

Picture it like this
fill a hose with oil and put it in the freezer after a day pull it out and try to blow the oil out with your mouth
now take the same hose and oil and place it in the oven for a while to warm things up and presto the oil can move
you engine simply gets warm enough over time to warm the oil in the line so it can move easy

Otto · **Posted:** Fri Jan 04, 2008 2:56 am

tj definitely likes a looong slow shift, and kinda requires more force than normal when its cold.... running it around 4k rpms in 2nd typically gets things warmed up pretty quick though...

k99jk99j · **Posted:** Fri Jan 04, 2008 7:28 am

mine does it too, and it usually goes away when the car is up to temp. i also don't think any thing is wrong, just cold. mike

Se7enLC · **Posted:** Fri Jan 04, 2008 10:15 am

jason thompson wrote:

Nothing you can do
cold oil moves slower than hot oil
no way to heat it up as all you do when you push the clutch is put pressure on a line
witch then pushes a piston out that moves the bearing that pushes on the pressure plate
that will then reales the clutch disk from the fly wheel so that your tranny can spin free on one end and you can shift
easy right?

Picture it like this
fill a hose with oil and put it in the freezer after a day pull it out and try to blow the oil out with your mouth
now take the same hose and oil and place it in the oven for a while to warm things up and presto the oil can move
you engine simply gets warm enough over time to warm the oil in the line so it can move easy

Yup. I knew that's what it was, I just didn't know if they made oil that was better for cold climates or something. I guess it doesn't much matter since it heats up quick when it's running.

KJTom · **Joined:** Thu Nov 03, 2005 8:37 pm **Posts:** 18

Mine feels the same. It (the pedal/hydraulic system) also groans and squeaks once it starts to get warm and used a lot in heavy traffic. I've learned to live with it.

Rush345 · **Posted:** Sat Jan 05, 2008 2:49 am

Amsoil also makes hydraulic oils, first time i got my first package of Amsoil in the mid-70s it was bitter cold out when you opened the box the first thing you noticed was how smoothly it flowed inside the clear gallon bottle despite the cold go on line and check the products guide and see if they have any you could substitue.

itsajeepthing · **Posted:** Sat Jan 05, 2008 4:57 am

According to their application guide, this would be for a a manual trans Libby. Improved cold weather shifting is mentioned:

http://www.amsoil.com/storefront/mtf.aspx

Rush345 · **Posted:** Sat Jan 05, 2008 11:50 pm

itsajeepthing wrote:

According to their application guide, this would be for a a manual trans Libby. Improved cold weather shifting is mentioned:

http://www.amsoil.com/storefront/mtf.aspx

I believe what you're looking at is the Transmission fluid and it does allow your tranny to shift like a hot knife through butter and not [PEANUT BUTTER] but thats another show?? Anyway research as to what the clutch fluids Hydraulic consists of the see if one of Amsoils Hydraulic matches up. As for shifting with the proper Gear lube in the standard Tranny it does shift beautifully but has nothing to do with the clutch.

Clutch very viscous when cold

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