I think i have burnt my clutch. I noticed my car was having trouble accelerating. My engine was reving as i gave it gas but my speed was not matching the out put of the engine. As i came to stop lights it got worse with the car accelerating less and less. Finally my car would not engage my transmission going up the hill on my way home and i had to pull over. I had been smelling my clutch burning as i drove around this last week. So i am pretty confident that it is the clutch. Now i just hope i can get it fixed before this weekend because i really need it. Man why does this happen when we just got our tax return. Bye bye tax return.

 

how many miles are on your car

 

27,700

 

i guess i got a while to go. im at 14K

 

My wife said it should have lasted longer. She says its my driving, she could be right. But i bought it used with 18,000 on it. Plus i learned how to drive stick for the first time on it, it proabaly was me. Now i get to drive the gas guzzling suv to work.

 

I've seen clutches go in less that 7,000 miles with harsh and or incompetent driving. Do yourself a favor and get an aftermarket clutch like an ACT that will take the abuse.

 

Yeah have been looking at some ACT clutches, not to bad a price but i may go with a stock one depending on availiability of the part. I kind of may hold of on upgrading, i really need my car this weekend so i might just go stock.

 

Clutches last only as much as the driver.

I know from 3rd hand experience that a guy's wife drove a manual Ranger to 118K before replacing the clutch. The average can last 50-75K.

 

That's fast for a clutch to go, as you're probably aware, but learn how better to drive it even if you get a stronger clutch.

Ideally, every time you shift, you should minimize the time that you're slipping the clutch by giving the car too much gas while pulling out on the clutch. That's generally indicated by a high tach that comes down as you pull back on the clutch, but ultimately, it's a feel thing.

Further, try rev-matching more - especially, if you're not sequentially upshifting and you let your tach drop to idle while you roll for a bit. Just give a blip of gas to jump the tach before you start pulling off the clutch.

Basically, any time the tach moves a lot because of you pulling off the clutch, you're wearing it down. So work on that and you're next clutch should last a lot longer, stock or otherwise.

And I don't mean for this to sound negative - but you're new to clutching you said, so perhaps no one's told you how to keep your clutch in good shape.
-N

 

Thanks for the helpfull hints guys. I'll keep them in mind. I talked to the shop doing my work today and my wife and i decided to go with a racing clutch. I forgot what brand it is, but he said the stock clutch ran about 400 bucks. And the racing clutch was about 80 bucks more so we went for it. The guy doing the work even offered to show me how to drive with this new clutch. My wife said she has driven a car with a racing clutch, when i asked her what was the difference she said you'd have to be more precise about shifting. I didnt get it but i will find out tommorow.

 

confused.. 480bucks for a racing clutch? doesn't rrm sell a clutch for 99bucks?

 

Yeeeaaahhhh! OOkkkaaayyy!
Anyway yeah the clutch was expensive but omg, i cant belive how much of a difference this clutch makes. My car accelerates faster then before. And this thing is like a steel trap when it grabs the gears. I am still trying to learn how to take of in first with out peeling out. Anyway, now i really want to add some more little power adders to my engine.

 

that sounds hot man, i can't wait to get get rid of our stock clutches. their almost as bad as vw clutches.. thier like jello! the only reason i brought that up about the rrm clutch is becuase i was also looking for a performance clutch and i was thinking about getting that one. you must have gotten one serious clutch for 480. you don't remember the brand name? that would help alot.

 

Take some time to really learn exactly where your clutch engages, then learn how to balance that with the throttle for a smooth and quick transition.

 

Yeah, i am still trying to find that smooth and quick transition. Oh and the clutch is a Centerforce clutch Melaz.