Parts for your 2000 Ford Falcon-Cluth slave cylinder

2000 Ford Falcon cluth-slave-cylinder: is it actually used?

For the 2000 Ford Falcon (AU II series), a cluth-slave-cylinder (clutch slave cylinder) isn’t fitted from factory and isn’t relevant to normal servicing. According to the Ford AU Falcon Workshop Manual (1998–2002) and common Australian service texts such as Gregory’s Ford Falcon AU 1998–2002, the manual Falcon of this era uses a cable-operated clutch, not a hydraulic system. Ford’s electronic parts catalogues (Microcat/EPC) likewise list a clutch cable assembly and pedal/quadrant components for AU models, with no slave cylinder shown. Hydraulic concentric slave cylinders don’t appear on Falcon manuals until the BA series launched in late 2002.

Why no cluth-slave-cylinder on a 2000 Falcon? Ford kept the AU’s clutch actuation simple: the pedal pulls a cable that moves the release fork in the bellhousing (typical with the Borg-Warner/Tremec T5 manual). That setup avoids the extra plumbing, seals and bleed points of a hydraulic master-and-slave. It’s lighter on parts costs, and dead easy to diagnose—either the cable slides freely and the pedal feels right, or it doesn’t.

What should owners service instead of a cluth-slave-cylinder? Focus on the clutch cable and the bits it talks to. A fresh, correctly routed cable with a smooth pedal quadrant keeps take-up nice and predictable. On these cars, it’s worth checking:

• Cable condition and routing (no sharp bends, no melted sheath near exhaust)
• Pedal box/quadrant wear and pedal bushings
• Firewall area for cracks where the cable passes through
• Release fork pivot and throwout bearing condition when the gearbox is out

If the pedal gets heavy, squeaky, or engagement is erratic, a stretched or frayed cable is often the culprit. Replace the cable rather than soaking it with oil, many techs prefer a light dry lubricant at the ends only, keeping the sheath clean. If someone’s telling an AU owner they “need a new cluth-slave-cylinder,” odds are they’re mixing it up with the later BA/BF hydraulic setup—or the car has had a non-standard gearbox conversion.

Popular questions about the 2000 Ford Falcon cluth-slave-cylinder

Does a 2000 Ford Falcon have a cluth-slave-cylinder?
From factory, no. AU-series manual Falcons use a cable-operated clutch, so there’s no slave cylinder to replace or bleed. Only a later-model gearbox swap (e.g., BA/BF with a concentric slave) would introduce one.

What should be serviced instead of the cluth-slave-cylinder on a 2000 Falcon?
Look after the clutch cable, pedal box/quadrant, and release fork. If the pedal is heavy or engagement is inconsistent, check for a stretched cable, worn pedal bushings, or issues at the fork pivot. Replace worn parts and ensure correct cable routing.

When did Falcons start using a cluth-slave-cylinder?
Hydraulic clutch systems with a concentric slave cylinder show up on BA-series Falcons (launched late 2002) and onwards. That’s a different setup to the AU’s cable system.