Ford Workshop Service and Repair Manuals

In Focus the clutch is operated hydraulically. The brake fluid reservoir with separate chamber is used to supply the system.

When the clutch pedal is depressed, pressure builds up in the clutch master cylinder and this pressure passes to the slave cylinder which then operates the clutch release bearing.

The advantages of a hydraulic clutch system are:

• Automatic adjustment
• Low operating effort
• Minimal wear

The following hydraulic clutch components are different from those previously fitted in Puma.

• Modified clutch slave cylinder, the release bearing cannot be separately renewed.
• The clutch pedal travel can no longer be adjusted.
• The preload valve is discontinued, the preload is produced by a spring.
• New clutch master cylinder.

Fluid reservoir

The brake fluid reservoir provides brake fluid to the hydraulic clutch and brake systems.

The hydraulic clutch system and the brake system are separated inside the reservoir. If the hydraulic clutch system leaks the brake system operates as normal.

Clutch master cylinder

The system pressure required to operate the clutch is created by the clutch master cylinder.

If the clutch pedal is pushed down the piston rod moves the clutch master cylinder piston. The hydraulic fluid in the clutch master cylinder is put under pressure and fed through the pressure pipe to the clutch slave cylinder.

Clutch Slave Cylinder

The central clutch slave cylinder is equipped with an integral release bearing and is attached to the clutch bell housing with three bolts. The release bearing is an interference fit in the clutch slave cylinder and cannot be renewed separately.

The hydraulic fluid pushed by the master cylinder piston moves the piston in the slave cylinder and this in turn slides the release bearing axially. The release bearing pushes the bearing inner ring against the tongues of the diaphragm spring. The spring induced adherence between the clutch disc and the flywheel is broken.

When the clutch pedal is released the diaphragm spring presses the piston in the slave cylinder back to its starting position. The spring induced adherence between the clutch disc and the flywheel is created again.