Hey guys...

My clutch has been playing up for a little while now, i.e.: not engaging gears properly, rough take-offs, etc... I've been really careful with it as I was hoping to not have to change the fugger 'til after X-mas!!

The other night, while leaving an underground city carpark, I think I accidentally fried it a lil' more...

Really busy, slow, heaving traffic going up a really steep incline going back up to street level... Long story short... impatiently inching up the ramp I didn't bother using the handbrake for the hill-starts after about the 50th time... but I probably should've :roll:

Anyway, now the clutch seems to be slipping (at least I think that's what's happening) in the first three gears! I can't accelerate anywhere past around 3,500 rpms in the first few gears without it feeling like I've got the clutch pedal slightly depressed... Engine's revving but wheels ain't turning with the same vigour... if that makes sense?! It's a pain in the arse!!

So here's where I need some assistance...

Has the clutch had it? As cash is a bit of an issue right now (with X-mas hols just booked & paid for & X-mas pressies yet to be paid for) is there any sort of temporary fix to get it through the next month or two without it completely shitting itself?
Might it just need a simple adjustment of the clutch pedal or something? Should I check or replace fluids?
Or worse yet, could it be the gear-box?! :?

Any help would be great!

 

definatly sounds stuffed to me... generally though, you should get more slippage in the higher gears than the lower.

 

Your clutch is owned. Until you can get a new one... don't even hit 3500 in the first 3 gears. You don't really need to anyway. Shifting at 3k, I'm still driving faster than 70% of the people on the road. Take it easy on the poor thing. If it dies, sell your kidney for 1200 dollars and get a stage 3 clutch and flywheel so you can beat the poop out of it if its a good one.

 

well if your in 5th and punch it do the rpms shoot up with very little increase in speed?? if so clutch is on it's way out. if you do the replacement yourself you could probably get by for ~250, but it's a real pain if you don't have a nice place to work... 02.gif

 

That's exactly what mine is doing. The engine revs but it doesn't transfer to the wheels.

Unfortunately, my mechanic (who I'm conversing with far too often of late) says I need a new clutch, and he laughed when I said that perhaps it just needed to be adjusted. It's toast. The dealership I bought it from said the clutch was brand new. evil.gif

I'm planning to buy this clutch on ebay, an oem Valeo with 12k mile warranty:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAP...ssPageName=WDVW

That's $100+ cheaper than I can get it locally. Or possibly this Exedy:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAP...ssPageName=WDVW

Finally, there is an XTD stage 3 clutch for $239:

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAP...ssPageName=WDVW

Anyone have experience with the latter, or other recommendations? I doubt I need that even if I'm a bit hard on clutches, and my primary concern is long clutch life and not HP handling capability. I have no plans to go turbo, although next year I would like to upgrade pulleys, IM and TB. If I was ever going to put in a better clutch, now would be the time, since my car is disassembeled and waiting for me to get a clutch. I'm going to buy sometime tonight. I definitely can't afford the Kspec clutch, although that lightweight flywheel included looks very nice.

 

While your in there, you really might as well change the flywheel. Save up a little more and get it put in while your in there, save you a few hundred dollars in the end. Wouldn't be really smart to put in a new clutch if your flywheel has seen some abuse as well.

If your stock or minor modded, try and find an OEM clutch. Stage III would be overkill. If, however, you plan on going turbo or heavy N/A with nitrous, then Stage III might be practical.

Cars with an aftermarket clutch/flywheel will probably become chattery. Meaning you can hear the flywheel vibrate since its lightened and the newer clutch is so much stronger. So from a stop you'll be able to hear the "chatter" inside the transmission. This is normal, even OEM cars do it, but the larger flywheel absorbs the vibration. Stage III's are still daily drivable though.

 

Yeah, I thought it'd had it! :?

On my way into work this morning I paid a bit more attention to the revs & it's more like 2,800 to 3,000 rpms when it starts to do it... Not the 3,500 that I'd previously thought... Either that or it's quickly getting worse!

Eventually, when I get the new clutch, should I get a heavy duty clutch? I don't want or need a racing clutch as I don't ever intend on turbocharging this car but would something a bit better than stock be of any benefit? If so, what would you guys recommend? Ebay clutches any good?

 

I'll ask about the condition of my flywheel tomorrow. This would be a good time to do it, but I'd be dipping into my student loans even more. lol.gif If my mech says go for it, I'll get a nice aftermarket one for the price an OEM goes for locally (that's the theory anyway). Anything else I should do at this time?

Your other comments agree with what I have been reading on various sites. Also, the OEM can supposedly handle quite a bit more HP than stock, so I'll just get that.

Oz, the Valeo clutches on ebay are what come in your Tib, and a lot cheaper than buying from your dealer. Also a warranty that is actually honored from what I have read.

 

if he needs a new cluch, what is the best he can get?? and from where?

I am wondering this too