How a Bad Clutch Slave Cylinder Can Affect Your Porsche

When you hear the word slave, you probably don’t imagine a car part. However, the clutch slave cylinder is an essential part to vehicles using a manual transmission. In a high-end vehicle like a Porsche, ensuring that shifting gears can occur as smooth as possible is integral to enjoying the essence of driving a sports car. Along with many others, the clutch slave cylinder can make the difference between a comfortable ride and one you never want to take again. In this article, we will learn about the importance of the clutch slave cylinder, what goes wrong when it fails, and how to fix the problem.

What is a clutch slave cylinder?

Living true to its name, the clutch slave cylinder is a component that works in conjunction with the clutch master cylinder to disengage the clutch, which in turn allows for shifting gears safely. The clutch is essentially a wall that prevents the gears from switching on its own, so that the clutch pedal must be pressed down in order to disengage it.

When the clutch pedal is depressed, pressure is built up in the clutch master cylinder and sent to the clutch slave cylinder, which then pushes the clutch out of the way so that the gears can be shifted. When the clutch pedal is let off, the pressure is then released and the clutch falls back into place to keep the engine locked into gear.

Problems Associated with a Bad Clutch Slave Cylinder

When your Porsche’s clutch slave cylinder is not working properly, the worst case scenario is that no pressure is able to be transferred from the clutch master cylinder so that it is impossible to disengage the clutch. If the clutch is stuck in place, the vehicle cannot change gears. Thankfully, a bad clutch slave cylinder usually does not fail instantly but instead gives a number of symptoms that signal it needs to be maintained.

Most times, a bad clutch slave cylinder will be unable to disengage the clutch fully or with a lot of turbulence. In either case, it may be very uncomfortable to change gears, as the vehicle may shake heavily or there will be a lot of resistance in shifting gears. When this occurs, it is likely that there is an issue with either the clutch slave cylinder or the clutch master cylinder.

Fixing a faulty clutch slave cylinder as soon as possible is important because driving on a bad clutch slave cylinder may cause damage to the vehicle’s overall transmission. Having to force gear shifts may cause vibrations that can cause a number of issues, such as unnecessary wear and tear that leads to problems such as leaks and broken valves.

Dealing with a Bad Clutch Slave Cylinder

Since a faulty clutch slave cylinder typically arises from no longer being able to disengage the clutch properly, the rod which serves this function should be inspected. However, since a bad clutch could be the result of a variety of reasons, it may be difficult to pinpoint the problem to be the result of a bad clutch slave cylinder.

The problem may also be the clutch master cylinder being unable to create pressure and transfer it to the clutch slave cylinder, so it is important to have the entire transmission and clutch system examined and serviced when experiencing issues with gear shifting.

The Solution to Bad Clutch Slave Cylinder

Addressing the clutch slave cylinder problem as soon as it comes up is important to prevent future damage to it and other parts of the vehicle. For a part that affects the drivability of the vehicle so much as the clutch slave cylinder, getting the problem checkout will help keep the vehicle running smooth for years to come.

If you think you might be experiencing strange symptoms with the clutch and want to get it looked at, visit Germany’s Best Inc in Berkeley, Emeryville, Piedmont, and Oakland, California for great customer service and amazing automotive maintenance. So drop by for a consultation or call for an appointment. You will rest assured that your car is running great and enjoy the benefits of driving a manual car.