Hello folks- back on DF after some silence.... my 06 20K miles Mega Cab 35006 speed had a slave valve fail on the clutch hydraulics in March. It was replaced under warrenty and I queried the dealer about whether it would impact the clutch because one month later I was headed from Calgary to TX hauling 10000 Lbs of horse and trailer, no impact he said. Sure enough coming back through Colorado, I down shifted and the clutch failed...

Roadside assist was fine about getting the truck to the dealer and plenty of cowboys stopped to help with the trailer and horse. Service manager at Burt Dodge in Parker made a comment that it was the way I drove the rig, replaced the clutch and sent me on my way. Before leaving Colorado on Monday, I still had the smell of something burning off the clutch whenever I had to reverse (like hooking up the trailer) so I took it to a 5 star dealer in Castlerock, the service guy there came and road tested it with me and said it was fine. I told him what the service man in Parker had said and about the slave valve in March and he assured me that it wasn't my driving and probably was related to the slave valve. BTW, of the 20K miles on the truck- about 5 K are towing, the rest not under load.

So:
Has anyone else had this problem?
Any comments on the slave valve relating to the clutch failure?
Any thoughts on pressing the failure of a warrenty item (slave valve) impacting the non warrenty item (clutch) failure and whether I should take up the issue with Dodge to recover some of my expense on the clucth (1300$)?

Nice to be back on the board- appreciate you help in restoring my faith inn my beloved Dodge.

Stacey Q

 

Yes I see cause effect. Where do they get these Guys sometimes? Anyway Yes the slave valve on the clutch can have an impact. Either if it gives to much pressure or not enough. It most certainly caused the failure.

06 2500 Mega Cab 4x4

 

The SRT clutch system is weak as well. Master, and more than the master, the slave cylinder tend to break under pressure and the clutch itself is easy to burn up.

 

The clutch, pressure plate are coverd for the first 20,000 Km, if the dealer replaced the slave cylinder it would stand to reason they would replace every thing, new hydrolics and old parts even if your truck has low miles don't work well togethier.

If your not getting the correct pressure, it is just going to cause more wear and tear on all the clutch componet's.

Dodge dealers here in Calgary are really a hit and miss, and 6 sp or automatic is not the issue, silly things go on automatics to.

 

Simple Explanation--

If the slave cylinder failed, I have no doubt that it spewed hydraulic (brake fluid) all over the disk and pressure plate too. Your Hemi powered six speed also has what is called a "dual mass" flywheel where you have a sprung center to help with the available torque the engine can, and often does, develop. Chances are that the additional smell you have is coming from residue left behind on all the hard parts, which I doubt were cleaned to a new condition. Once the fluid is embedded in the faces of the flywheel, and especially the pressure plate, and springs, and fingers, I doubt that you'll get it out. The flywhell can be cleaned without much detriment to it, and then solvent washed to remove any remaining residue. The pressure plate probably could have too, but a good repair would have been to replace the pressure plate, remove the flywheel from the back of the crank and clean it properly, and surface grind any hard spots out that occur due to over heating. Much simpler, and under warranty, replace the flywheel too, and send it all back to Dodge for warrany inspection. I have the six speed in mine and have no trouble at all, but in the same situation as you, I would insist on at least all the clutch components be replaced. Replacement of the disk is a given, you can't get the fluid out of it at all---no mater what you do to clean it. The pads, if riveted on could be replaced, but what would be the point.

Hope this makes sense---long story short---they did a bad repair!!

 

Ahhh- just as I suspected. The thing that bothers me most is that there is and always has been the smell of the burning hydraulic fluid when I reverse...so I think its time to talk to the dealer and Dodge.

Thanks for the help!

Stacey Q

 

I have no experience with the Dodge configuration but isn't the slave cylinder mounted externally on the bell housing/rear engine block? As long as it's in this conifguration I wouldn't think much, if any, would go sideways on the shifter arm into the bell housing?