[tamxdx]

sometimes after some hard driving I can smell a burnt rubber kind of smell coming from the car.. I assume it's my clutch. I gotta learn to keep off the throttle before I downshift.. I know I should do heel toe downshifting... I'm a newbie and I'm learning..

anyways.. how can you tell when it's time to get a new clutch?
and typically how much is it to get a heavy duty one with installation included?

 

[Guest]

It's time to get a new clutch when the old one starts slipping. For example, when I killed the clutch in my parent's miata, I was driving along in 1st, then shifted into 2nd, and then into 3rd (in a 25mph zone, I wasn't on it at all). And in 3rd gear at 25mph I gave it a bit of gas to go up a hill, and I didn't accellerate MPH-wise, but RPM-wise I did. I turned around and quickly went home, as that was all she wrote.

In an Oldsmobile Firenza wagon (cavalier) with a 5-speed I stopped at a light with one foot on the brake and one foot lightly on the gas, in 3rd gear, hovering around 1000rpms. When the light changed I let off the brake and slowly accellerated up to the speed limit. That clutch was toast too.

 

[meebs]

i killed an old little ford pickup's clutch... waaaayyy out on the edge of a wheat field far away from the house. Rubber smell first... then started losing gears. Not a fun walk. :T

 

[2Point5RS]

I think a good way to tell is to get in a high gear (5th) and go about 30. Floor it. If you're rpms go up and your mph stays the same or goes down, it's time for a clutch.

 

[COwannago]

Is there any way to tell how gone the clutch is by how far out or far in it takes for your clutch to engage?

Nick C.

 

[2Point5RS]

If it's not slipping, I wouldn't worry about it.

It would be really hard to tell by the points of engagment, just because every car is different. You can't really compare present to stock because the clutch is broken in.

 

[Caddy Daddy]

my first gear is behaving differently.
2 months ago, I adjusted the clutch tension. it made the worn clutch action snappier in every gear as well as moved the engagement point closer to the floor (it was all complete mush before).
starting yesterday i noticed 1st gear studders at the familiar friction point. I have to start more cautiously, and adjust revs and clutch release from what was "normal". Fun to do without a tach
Is this a sign or premature clutch failure? Or is this a contribution to the colder weather (didnt happen last year @ wintertime).
-C.D.

 

[jrgiza]

CaddyDaddy - The cold weather shudders have just started up with mine again (New England). I had that last year, and the year before...

COwannago - The point of engagement changes over the life of the clutch, and can be adjusted to compensate


Basically, when your left foot is to the floor and you can't shift, or you have released your left foot from the clutch pedal, but the clutch doesn't believe you - you need a new clutch.

 

[Caddy Daddy]

CaddyDaddy - The cold weather shudders have just started up with mine again (New England). I had that last year, and the year before...

warmed up a bit and clutch works fine now :sunny: