Here is the short....long version of the story:
2000 cougar 5 speed 2.0

Live in germany (military)....Over here it is a FORD cougar not mercury but same car...wife was at a stop light, waiting in neutral...could not get it into any gear when light turned green( she said it felt a little strange when she got to work...happened about 100 feet from her parking spot at work.) Towed it to FORD dealership....the next day they said it would be 1000 euro to fix it. I said screw that and ordered a new clutch assembly to change it myself (never worked on a front wheel drive tranny though) Went back to the dealership the next day and called a tow truck to take it back to the house...when the truck pulled up I started pushing it out of the spot so it could be pulled onto the truck and the dealer said "you can drive up the truck, we fixed it a little" I went from ok to pissed in like 3 seconds. DROVE it up the tow truck and had it dropped of at the house.

gave it a quick look over and then drove it like 60 miles close to home with no noticeable problem....when I got back home and parked it by the house however I could here the clutch "skipping" on the flywheel with the clutch pressed fully down. Upon closer inspection I noticed they had serviced or bled the clutch from a nipple port on the top of the tranny...(there was about a half dollar sized stain from fresh fluid that was not there when I dropped it off.)

So, the cougar went from totally undriveable (could roll through the gears with the car off...would not go into any with motor running, and if it was in gear when started it made terrible grinding noises but would not move) and needing 1000 euro (1200 dollars or so) to fix, to smooth shifts and 110mph on the autobahn with no problem and a skipping sound on the clutch with the clutch pressed. A friend told me it sounds like I have a leak from the master or slave cylinder but I have no Idea where these are. (the only tranny Ive played with was a cable)

What do I have to do get the tranny out? What tool is needed to service this nipple port on the top of the tranny? A new clutch kit that comes with a slave cylinder is on the way so should I just change it anyway? Any info, pics or repair manual scans greatly appreciated. THANKs

Edited by: boa279

Here:


Manual_Transaxle_Assembly.zip


a) you can only upload picture/zip files here, this is an Adobe file


b) don't be scared, lots of pages, they describe every single step.


Hydraulic clutch: if you have air in it, it wont work. Try to get it bleeded first, then search for a leak.


Greetings!Edited by: 92Mercury

Here, the one for the Slave Cylinder tells you how to bleed the system:


Master_Cylinder.zip


Slave_Cylinder.zip

I just reciently had the same promblem with my 99 5speed. Before you tear into your tranny Iwould tryputting the recomended break fluid in it.(dot 3) I believe.I know it sounds strange, thats what I thought too but its a hydrolic clutch andit shares the same resavour. I dont know why it worked but it did so Im not going to complain.I think there was air in the hoses or something like that. Not sure though. I filled her up and havent had any problems. Hope this helps.