How to take care of the clutch

[npoe1]

I'm kind of worried about the feel in in the clutch of my car. I haven't driven it in a while so it must be my imagination.

So, does anyone have tips about how to use the clutch and how not to use it? (Like do not keep the pedal pressed while waiting for the green light.

Thanks,

 

[Zenmervolt]

I'm kind of worried about the feel in in the clutch of my car. I haven't driven it in a while so it must be my imagination.

So, does anyone have tips about how to use the clutch and how not to use it? (Like do not keep the pedal pressed while waiting for the green light.

Thanks,

Don't slip it.

Other than that, there's no real tips.

And as long as you have the pedal fully pressed down, it doesn't hurt anything at all to keep it pressed down at a red light. Yes, this puts a slight amount of wear on the throw-out bearing (not the clutch), but that's not an issue in all practicality. The throw-out bearing is designed to be replaced when the clutch is replaced and as long as the throw-out bearing was installed and lubricated correctly it will easily last the entire service life of the clutch.

Worrying about wearing out the throw-out bearing is like worrying about running the engine because you don't want to wear out the rod bearings or worrying about ever driving the car because you don't want to wear out the wheel bearings.

ZV

 

[heymrdj]

What ZV said. Basically, use the vehicle. The clutch and some of the other moving parts are still wear items. Eventually they *will* need to be replaced, but they last awhile, so it's not very often you're replacing them. Just factor it in as another cost to owning a car .

 

[SpatiallyAware]

I disagree about the throw out bearing... It's best to not get into the habit of staying in gear with the clutch held in unless you think you might need to scoot off really quick.

The throwout bearing is dry, no lube. While they should last the life of the clutch I've had two older cars that had throw out bearings start to squeal well before the clutch was bad.

You also might look into replacing/bleeding the clutch fluid.

 

[npoe1]

Thanks for the advice!!!

I always try to switch gears quickly to avoid the slipping but I'm not sure if that can be a bad thing. I do an effort to make the shift imperceptible.

 

[NutBucket]

As long as you're not smelling burning clutch you're probably fine

Emphasis on probably

 

[Zenmervolt]

The throwout bearing is dry, no lube. While they should last the life of the clutch I've had two older cars that had throw out bearings start to squeal well before the clutch was bad.

Interesting. The vehicles I've worked on have had sealed throwout bearings and they're definitely lubed behind the seals. I've always lightly lubed the input shaft splines and the pilot bearing as well (if the pilot bearing isn't a sealed assembly).

Usually when I see a throwout bearing die before the clutch it's age related and not use related. That is, the seals have cracked from age and the bearing has dried out.

I understand why some people worry about it but I've never seen one fail where the failure could actually be traced to sitting at a stop with the pedal pressed down. /shrug

Anyway, back to the OP:

Shifting fast doesn't really make things better or worse because the difference in the amount of time the clutch pedal is pressed down doesn't change significantly. Being smooth is the more important part. It sounds like you're doing just fine. Keep it up.

ZV

 

[Murloc]

if it doesn't smell, it's fine.
Everyone in my family has always kept the friction pedal down at red lights and cars last 10 years anyway, and it's not the transmission that breaks.

Assuming normal functioning of the car, just make sure it's all the way down when you change the gear, and don't release until the gear is in.

 

[jagec]

And as long as you have the pedal fully pressed down, it doesn't hurt anything at all to keep it pressed down at a red light. Yes, this puts a slight amount of wear on the throw-out bearing (not the clutch), but that's not an issue in all practicality. The throw-out bearing is designed to be replaced when the clutch is replaced and as long as the throw-out bearing was installed and lubricated correctly it will easily last the entire service life of the clutch.

Keeping the clutch pressed down at red lights in German cars is a great way to build those leg muscles.

 

[bdude]

Keep it running by using it lightly. Don't wear it down with heavy sudden use.

 

[phucheneh]

Interesting. The vehicles I've worked on have had sealed throwout bearings and they're definitely lubed behind the seals. I've always lightly lubed the input shaft splines and the pilot bearing as well (if the pilot bearing isn't a sealed assembly).

Usually when I see a throwout bearing die before the clutch it's age related and not use related. That is, the seals have cracked from age and the bearing has dried out.

I understand why some people worry about it but I've never seen one fail where the failure could actually be traced to sitting at a stop with the pedal pressed down. /shrug

Anyway, back to the OP:

Shifting fast doesn't really make things better or worse because the difference in the amount of time the clutch pedal is pressed down doesn't change significantly. Being smooth is the more important part. It sounds like you're doing just fine. Keep it up.

ZV

Surprisingly, I agree with everything ZV has said, although I do go with 'better safe than sorry' when it comes to idling with the clutch in. Personally, I'm not sure why anyone would do that in the first place- give your left foot a break.

I just wanted to add something about quick shifting- this is probably the worst thing people do to the guts of a manual transmissions. Other than maybe sidestepping the clutch or other means of inducing large amounts of shock to the driveline. Although a manual trans should last a very long time, that time is shortened substantially by very heavy-handed shifts. Particularly the 1-2 synchro parts, since they get manipulated the most. Your average road car just isn't designed to be slammed between gears; move the shifter slow enough that the synchros actually have time to do their jobs.

This helps preserve any wearable parts between the shift knob and the trans, as well. I once let a friend drive a manual I owned one time and he managed to destroy an entire bushing (no trace of it left). Granted, I'm sure it was rotted to begin with, but it probably would've stayed in place a good bit longer with more careful shifting.

 

[alevasseur14]

In 10 years of owning vehicles, I've had two and they were both manuals. I've always kept the clutch pushed in at a red light with the transmission in gear because, well, that's what I was taught in drivers ed. Something about being rear ended and having the car fly off a cliff in neutral. I just asked someone I know who drives a manual too and she said she takes it out of gear and releases the clutch. It probably just comes down to how you were taught to drive a stick!

I sold my first truck (Ford Ranger) after putting 60k on it and replacing the master and slave cylinders. I bought my second car with 133k on it and am still driving it 47k miles later with no clutch issues whatsoever. I'm in the 'if you can't smell it you're good' camp!

 

[boom314]

depending if i just rolled up to the light as it turned red or not will determine if i keep the clutch depressed. If the light just turned red, I will put the car into neutral and foot on the brake. If I come up to a light that is already red, I put the car in 1st and keep the clutch depressed.

Some clutches can take abuse. My old car had 130k on the original clutch and I beat the crap out of it. I only replaced it because i was swapping in a rebuilt engine. But I kept that clutch as a spare.

 

[exdeath]

Although a manual trans should last a very long time, that time is shortened substantially by very heavy-handed shifts. Particularly the 1-2 synchro parts, since they get manipulated the most. Your average road car just isn't designed to be slammed between gears;

Do it in a T56 and it will laugh at you and taunt you for worse.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Keeping the clutch pressed down at red lights in German cars is a great way to build those leg muscles.

It is in American muscle cars too... especially one with a heavy duty race clutch.

 

[phucheneh]

Do it in a T56 and it will laugh at you and taunt you for worse.

I guess I was mostly referring to FWD's. Fast, positive shifts are easier on something with the shifter linked much more directly (and a bigger case with room for bigger parts).

Though I would think even a RWD race trans has a limited lifespan under the constant harsh shifts it has to endure.

It is in American muscle cars too... especially one with a heavy duty race clutch.

Shit, have you driven a Cobra like exdeath's? A stock one, I mean- not sure what mods he might have.

That clutch is brutal. I understand the 'manliness' of the heavy clutch, but I don't want to walk lopsided. Between my left leg and my beatin' off arm (also left) I'd fall over every time I tried to stand up.

I mean, it has to be intentional, right? Couldn't they just change piston sizes to achieve more force multiplication if they wanted to?

 

[npoe1]

Thanks for all the experiences and good advice. I don't have experience with clutches for more than 30,000 kms since I don't keep my cars around for over 3 years. I'll have to keep this one for economic reasons so I really need to take care.

 

[_Rick_]

blip all the downshifts! :awe:

 

[JulesMaximus]

I guess I was mostly referring to FWD's. Fast, positive shifts are easier on something with the shifter linked much more directly (and a bigger case with room for bigger parts).

Though I would think even a RWD race trans has a limited lifespan under the constant harsh shifts it has to endure.



Shit, have you driven a Cobra like exdeath's? A stock one, I mean- not sure what mods he might have.

That clutch is brutal. I understand the 'manliness' of the heavy clutch, but I don't want to walk lopsided. Between my left leg and my beatin' off arm (also left) I'd fall over every time I tried to stand up.

I mean, it has to be intentional, right? Couldn't they just change piston sizes to achieve more force multiplication if they wanted to?

I've driven a few Cobras. Not as heavily modded as his though.

I owned a mildly modded Mustang GT and put a heavy duty clutch in it. Driving that to and from work in rush hour traffic was definitely a leg workout.

 

[exdeath]

I mean, it has to be intentional, right? Couldn't they just change piston sizes to achieve more force multiplication if they wanted to?

SN95-2 clutch is cable+quadrant operated, which contributes quite a bit to the pedal effort in and of itself. Throw in something like a full face metallic Spec Stage 3 clutch and pressure plate on top of that, and have fun creeping in rush hour....

The only real weaknesses of the T56 under constant race conditions are the plastic fork bushings and the aluminum 3/4 fork? Replace with all bronze bushings and steel forks, problem resolved.

S197 (GT500 anyway) went to TR6060 with a hydraulic TOB. Pretty sure it would be straight forward to do a conversion, but there are more important things to me than worrying about a few lbs of pedal effort. I'll buy a CTS-V when I want heated pillows under my feet.