Is my clutch going?
#11
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Originally posted by nownor
how slow should you be letting the clutch out?
how slow should you be letting the clutch out?
Clutch release should be a smooth motion in sync with shifting during 'normal' driving. 'Slow' usually means you will need a new clutch much sooner than later. Consider this paying for lessons when you do have to buy a new one. As a point of reference, I've had seven vehicles and driven over 1,000,000 miles in the past 20 years and have never had a clutch replaced (all were manual). What I mean to say is, you usually should never have to have a clutch replaced if you have good technique.
Everyone drives differently, but there's definitely a wrong way to drive a clutch (like giving it gas before the clutch is all the way engaged). I'm no race car driver, but a Honda clutch (on my past CRX, Del Sol and Nighthawk motorcycle) was either in or out. Anything else was burning it.
Personally, I release the clutch right before it clicks into gear (my foot has let off on the gas but not all the way so as to keep the revs from falling too much). This matches revs and provides a smooth transition. I guess it's really hard to explain in words. Maybe someone else can do a step-by-step on Positive Clutch Engagement and shift technique.
#12
Originally posted by JohnnyG
(I'm no expert, but this is how I drive)
What I mean to say is, you usually should never have to have a clutch replaced if you have good technique.
(I'm no expert, but this is how I drive)
What I mean to say is, you usually should never have to have a clutch replaced if you have good technique.
#14
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I got 120,000 clutch miles on my 79 Toy pu and 88,000 on the front brake pads. Raced auto x for 5 years with the same clutch in a heavily modified Fiat. Never wore out a clutch in 100k miles in a full size work truck. 90,000 pad life in my Loyale (auto trans). Its how you drive.
#15
I think I have averaged between 50K ~ 70K on the cars that I've had before replacing clutches. Depending on where I lived, and whether I was autocrossing, my brakes lasted anywhere from 10K miles ~ 30K miles.
I don't think I would feel comfortable using the same set of brake pads for more than a couple years, whether they were worn out or not. I would expect that age, climate changes, heat cycles, etc. would ruin pads eventually.
I don't think I would feel comfortable using the same set of brake pads for more than a couple years, whether they were worn out or not. I would expect that age, climate changes, heat cycles, etc. would ruin pads eventually.
#16
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JohnnyG,
1 million miles in 20 years is 50k miles per year. I would assume that you must get in a lot of highway miles. Even with highway miles, you must be using the clutch wisely to get the kind of clutch life you're getting, but I don't think someone who does a lot of stop-and-go city driving can have the same expectations.
1 million miles in 20 years is 50k miles per year. I would assume that you must get in a lot of highway miles. Even with highway miles, you must be using the clutch wisely to get the kind of clutch life you're getting, but I don't think someone who does a lot of stop-and-go city driving can have the same expectations.
#17
As far as expectations go, I don't think I'm going to get more than 20K out of the S2000's OEM clutch. It doesn't grab very well for me already, and I've only got 12K miles on it. Of course, I rarely ever get on the highway, and I've been autocrossing the hell out of it.
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Originally posted by RedY2KS2k
JohnnyG,
1 million miles in 20 years is 50k miles per year. I would assume that you must get in a lot of highway miles. Even with highway miles, you must be using the clutch wisely to get the kind of clutch life you're getting, but I don't think someone who does a lot of stop-and-go city driving can have the same expectations.
JohnnyG,
1 million miles in 20 years is 50k miles per year. I would assume that you must get in a lot of highway miles. Even with highway miles, you must be using the clutch wisely to get the kind of clutch life you're getting, but I don't think someone who does a lot of stop-and-go city driving can have the same expectations.
I'm always thinking about how I shift when I'm driving, to this day. It keeps me engrossed while driving, it's like a game and I like driving a clutch. My dad always told me that if I drove a clutch correctly, I shouldn't ever have to have it worked on and I didn't question it since he works on cars and his brother raced sprint cars when he was younger. I hated the Eagle Talon clutch though, it was the pits.
Agreed, consistent S&G city driving will eat your clutch and front pads up. I lived in Phoenix for 3 years and it was awful on my car at the time because the intense summer heat probably made it worse. No matter where you go in Phoenix, it's stop and go.
Positive clutch engagement, baby!