zf6 clutch problems

old96stroker · Mar 3, 2015

Trying to figure out what is going on with my latest clutch here. To give a little background my work truck is a 2006 f250, 2wd eclb with a 5.4 and a zf6. This trucks Achilles heal has always been it's clutch situation. I have put a clutch in it at 120k miles, 168k miles and just recently at 226k miles. The 2 previous clutches were Luk brand and this latest is a Valeo brand clutch. Is there some magical pixie dust that needs to be used when putting a clutch in a zf6? The latest clutch squeals all the time under load, if I let off the gas it immediately stops. The guy that put the clutch in this time said " a spring might be rubbing and to give it a little time". When I have replaced these clutches I have replaced EVERYTHING and I mean everything. This latest bill was almost 1,500.00 . I don't know what is wrong here, if it's me, the clutches or the installation. Any advice would be appreciated, thank you.

psduser1 · Mar 3, 2015

All the mechanical parts are in serviceable shape? How's the pedal feel with new parts, travelwise? If that sort of thing is good, I'm going to say that have a reputable clutch shop measure the actual pressure plate spring weight. They can vary quite a bit from advertised weight, lol.

old96stroker · Mar 3, 2015

Hell I don't know all that psduser1, all I know is the damm things just keep wearing out. This newest pos does have a lot softer pedal feel and more "slack" in the top of the clutch pedal. And the constant squeaking under load too, I am about ready to get rid of this truck over this crap but I like the truck and it is set up exactly how I like it and I just spent 2500.00 putting cam phasers and lifters and chains and all the rest of the typical 5.4 crap, just blows my mind that I can wear a clutch out every 50k miles with no more power than this thing makes and NEVER slipping the clutch.

old96stroker · Mar 3, 2015

I will look into the clutch pressure plate spring weight, thank you for the information.

old96stroker · Mar 22, 2015

Finally got this situation figured out, I would not have believed what it was if I hadn't seen it and heard it myself. Long story short is it was not the clutch, it was the injector on the #4 cylinder, which is all the way back on the passenger side. He showed me with the truck running, hell he even thought that the new clutch had a problem, but with the truck running he would unplug the Injector and it would stop, it had gotten to where it was doing it at idle. He replaced the injector and spark plug and the old truck runs as good as new again.

old96stroker · Mar 22, 2015

Btw psduser1, we did also put a whole new master - slave cylinder assembly in, and it also made a world of difference. When we put the clutch in a new slave was installed but we both agreed that the master was probably a little tired. Thank you for your insight also.

psduser1 · Mar 22, 2015

old96stroker said:
Btw psduser1, we did also put a whole new master - slave cylinder assembly in, and it also made a world of difference. When we put the clutch in a new slave was installed but we both agreed that the master was probably a little tired. Thank you for your insight also.

Glad you got this figured out. Sometimes old equipment can give a guy fits.:thumbsup:

Overdrive · Apr 19, 2015

old96stroker said:
Trying to figure out what is going on with my latest clutch here. To give a little background my work truck is a 2006 f250, 2wd eclb with a 5.4 and a zf6. This trucks Achilles heal has always been it's clutch situation. I have put a clutch in it at 120k miles, 168k miles and just recently at 226k miles. The 2 previous clutches were Luk brand and this latest is a Valeo brand clutch. Is there some magical pixie dust that needs to be used when putting a clutch in a zf6? The latest clutch squeals all the time under load, if I let off the gas it immediately stops. The guy that put the clutch in this time said " a spring might be rubbing and to give it a little time". When I have replaced these clutches I have replaced EVERYTHING and I mean everything. This latest bill was almost 1,500.00 . I don't know what is wrong here, if it's me, the clutches or the installation. Any advice would be appreciated, thank you.

Holy crap. I'm still in my original clutch. 148,000 miles. Could the throw out bearings be faulty? I'm researching replacing mine eventuslly and I hear some suggest a bushing rather than the bearing. Are you heavy handed on shifting the truck?

As for the spring comment sorry but if it's istalled right there should be nothing rubbing.

old96stroker · Apr 20, 2015

Read post #5 overdrive, the truck does see a lot of city driving but I don't think I am hard on it or am a hard shifter either. I think we got it all worked out this time though. Have done a little research and supposedly luk clutches (the previous 2) had a lot of problems with throw out bearings. The newest clutch is a valair I believe.