The clutch is a system with which the gears of a car can be changed, but which, over time, wears out. Here are the symptoms of a faulty clutch and how you can test it for wear.
The clutch is a relatively simple system, generally composed of 4 essential parts: the flywheel, the clutch disc, the plate and the thrust bearing. This system connects the gearbox to the engine.
Basically, as any driver who drives a manual transmission car knows, the clutch pedal must be depressed every time a gear is changed. Through this maneuver, the engine is disconnected from the transmission. After the desired gear has been selected and the clutch pedal is released, the gearbox is re-engaged to the engine.
The same thing happens in a car with an automatic transmission. Only in this case, everything is done autonomously by the car’s computer.
What are the symptoms of a faulty clutch?
Because this mechanical system is very often used, once in a while it needs to be replaced.
Symptoms of a faulty clutch are generally:
unpleasant smell slow acceleration noises from the transmission area moisture under the clutch pedal or under the hydraulic pump does not engage clutch pedal too hard or too soft.
An unpleasant smell, similar to that of burnt rubber, is the first sign that the car’s clutch may have worn out. This smell can also be generated, however, by intensive use of the transmission. But if the acceleration of the car is also slow, then it is very likely that a new clutch kit is needed.
If you notice unusual noises when changing gears, then this is also a sign that the clutch is worn. And if you notice moisture under its pedal or in the area of the hydraulic pump, you definitely need to take the car to the service.
Sometimes, when the system is worn, it will become increasingly difficult to shift gears, especially in cold temperatures. Or, you may find that the clutch pedal is either very soft or extremely stiff. In any of these situations, you must contact an authorized mechanic or service. Your car will most likely need a new clutch kit.
Worn clutch test
This test means, in fact, to pay attention to the symptoms described earlier, when we start from the spot.
However, we can do some additional tests on cars with manual transmission.
We can also realize that the clutch is worn when we go up a hill, for example, and we find that the engine revs too fast. Basically, as some mechanics say, the clutch starts to slip. This means that the transmission is no longer properly coupled to the engine.
Another test that drivers do is in 5th gear. With the car stationary, the engine running and the handbrake applied, engage the gearbox in maximum gear. Then, gently press the accelerator and slowly lift your foot off the clutch. Normally the engine will “die” almost immediately. But the more worn the clutch is, the longer it will take for the engine to stop.
Another test is acceleration speed. The more worn the clutch, the slower the acceleration will be. For example, if the car normally reaches 60 km/h in 4-5 seconds, say, when the clutch is worn, this speed will be reached in 6-8 or even 10 seconds.
How you can protect your car’s clutch
If in automatic transmission the car’s computer is responsible for “protecting” the clutch, in the case of cars with a manual gearbox, it is the driver’s duty to do so.
Thus, to extend the life of the clutch, the specialists’ recommendations are:
depress the clutch pedal while keeping your heel off the floor so the pedal is pushed down as far as possible take the car out of gear whenever you are standing still and don’t hold the clutch down when starting from a standstill use gear 1 don’t tow heavy mari avoid, as much as possible, driving up steep slopes, especially if you have several passengers.
A clutch kit is quite expensive and so is the labor charged by the mechanics. For example, for a 2022 Dacia Logan, the price of these parts starts at around 600 lei. While for a VW Golf VIII it reaches almost 2,000 lei. To these is added the labor, which varies, in general, between 500 and 1,000 lei.
2023-10-26 06:29:57
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