Clutch Wear

im2kwik4u · Apr 2nd, 2003, 05:40 PM

when do u know when you're clutch needs to be replaced? i have a 98 sentra se with 45k miles on it

McLaren F1 2003 · Apr 2nd, 2003, 06:05 PM

itll start slipping

in case you dont know what the signs of that are:
when you engage the clutch(take ur foot off the pedal) and start hitting the gas, the revs go up slightly and then fall back down, and youll accelerate.

make sure that your foot is completely off the clutch because you could be 'double clutching', and if it still slips, check to see if it needs to be adjusted. if that doesnt work...time for new clutch

but with 45k miles it shouldnt be slipping, unless you drive like my friends, he goes through an average of one clutch a year in the vw bug...

Equivocal · Apr 2nd, 2003, 09:54 PM

Hey is it safe to assume increased weight causes the clutch to slip more, or maybe bigger wheels? What Im getting at is, I just got 18s, and theyre pretty heavy, Do you think its the increased weight or just the problem of turning those huge wheels? I have my header sitting in my room right now, Im thinking when I put that on along with my exhuast my clutch is going to be total crap.

McLaren F1 2003 · Apr 2nd, 2003, 11:10 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Equivocal
Hey is it safe to assume increased weight causes the clutch to slip more, or maybe bigger wheels? What Im getting at is, I just got 18s, and theyre pretty heavy, Do you think its the increased weight or just the problem of turning those huge wheels? I have my header sitting in my room right now, Im thinking when I put that on along with my exhuast my clutch is going to be total crap.

im pretty sure that the stock clutch will hold up with the headers and exhaust...

now about the weight, my merely adding 18's, i doubt it'll affect your clutch that much, if at all...i can see where ur getting at though...the more weight, the more it takes to get your car moving...

anyone else have any input about the weight issue?

By Nature · Apr 2nd, 2003, 11:17 PM

disclaimer: this is just an educated (maybe) guess...

I don't think clutch will be the weakest part when considering weight issue.. I think it should still grab flywheel and put all the pressure on gears and decrease engine torque ???

XtremE · Apr 3rd, 2003, 03:28 PM

got 87K on stock clutch......with I/H/E

Apr 3rd, 2003, 04:15 PM

yeah i get the rpm slightly going up and dropping but mine does it cuz i hit the gas a little too early

Equivocal · Apr 3rd, 2003, 09:05 PM

well, also, witht he newly added weight and when I have the AC on the car drops real low in rpms when im leaving a red light. I dunno, my car has like only has 25k miles on it, but it was a rental car for less then a year, and I also learned how to drive stick on it. Just a few weeks ago, when I hadnt put on my rims I was trying to launch from 4000 rpms, and my clutch slipped pretty bad until it would finally catch and I would take off. So with all that said, I would just think the clutch is in bad shape? Im not sure though, first time with a standard so im not too experienced.

McLaren F1 2003 · Apr 3rd, 2003, 11:46 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Equivocal
well, also, witht he newly added weight and when I have the AC on the car drops real low in rpms when im leaving a red light. I dunno, my car has like only has 25k miles on it, but it was a rental car for less then a year, and I also learned how to drive stick on it. Just a few weeks ago, when I hadnt put on my rims I was trying to launch from 4000 rpms, and my clutch slipped pretty bad until it would finally catch and I would take off. So with all that said, I would just think the clutch is in bad shape? Im not sure though, first time with a standard so im not too experienced.

when youre leaving the red light, ur dropping revs. it isnt ur clutch, its you

to fix that, just hang on the clutch a little longer to get it going, it sucks that the ac compressor steals like 50 hp, or it seems like it anyway

i do that sometimes too...lol

but when i do it its when im turning right into traffic and i wanna floor it...sometimes i screw up and drop the revs and the ac isnt even on

Greg200SE-R · Apr 3rd, 2003, 11:47 PM

Hey man, I read somewhere a few years back that there is a good way to check your clutch for excessive wear.

It said to drive at a steady speed, relatively high RPM (say, 4-5000) in 2nd gear, and then push your brakes slowly. But, as the car starts to slow down, try to keep the speed steady by pushing the gas a little more. As you can already tell, if your clutch is shot it should start slipping as you brake/gas harder. You don't have to do this for very long, since you'll notice the slippage pretty fast. Keeping the RPMs high is important otherwise the car won't generate enough torque to overcome the clutch and you won't know if it's bad.

Of course, this method won't tell you HOW worn your clutch is, only if it is ready for changing. Happy speeding.