How do you know if you have a bad clutch?

[BlackIce]

Also, what do people mean when they ask if the clutch slips? Obviously ive never exerienced a bad clutch if im asking this, but how can i tell?

[stevenma188]

One test I've heard is to put the car into 3rd gear, and accelerate hard. If the revs increase significantly without the car accelerating, the clutch is slipping.

[Donutz]

Use 4th gear, rolling from about 30 kms/hr peg it. If the RPMs fly up and the car doesn't accelerate you have a bad clutch.

[BlackIce]

Great thanks.

[Riftler]

Use 4th gear, rolling from about 30 kms/hr peg it. If the RPMs fly up and the car doesn't accelerate you have a bad clutch.

peg it?

[Donutz]

peg it?

Depress the accelerator pedal until it can be pressed no further.

[condor888000]

Aka WOT, full throttle, to the floor, pedal to the metal, etc...

[Riftler]

I see, thanks

[sudz]

4th gear? at 30Kph? How would that provide enough torque to cause a clutch to slip? Maybe there's something I don't understand, but it doesn't make a lot of sense to me. I would think that 2nd would be a much better candidate.

[condor888000]

Because in second the car will rev as normal. In 4th the car should lug like mad, so if it does anything other than lug your clutch is slipping.

[Impressive]

Because in second the car will rev as normal. In 4th the car should lug like mad, so if it does anything other than lug your clutch is slipping.

So if it doesn't lug, your clutch is bad?

I would think if your car lugs your clutch would be bad.

[Donutz]

I'm not trying to be a d!ck, but do you understand the test and the mechanics involved? The objective of the test is to try and get the flywheel to spin against the clutch disk. The engine outputs the same amount of power at the flywheel, regardless of the gear you have selected. The transmission relays the power to the wheels. The connection between the engine and transmission is the clutch being pressed against the flywheel.

If you are travelling at low speed in low gear the power travels through the transmission to the wheels relatively easily. However, if you are travelling at low speed in high gear the power output from the engine is lost in the transmission (same as riding a bike on a flat surface in high gear at low speed; you will be pedaling like mad and going nowhere). To address your question about using second gear, as Condor pointed out, at low speed the power would travel normally to the wheels and encounter little resistance in the tranny. You might spin the wheels and see the RPM's increase, thinking it is a bad clutch. Why use 4th? Because you are trying to create a condition where the flywheel can spin against the clutch plate. Why would you think the lugging engine is indicative of a bad clutch? If your flywheel is slipping against the clutch would you not agree that the engine RPM will increase and the momentum of the car would not be equal to the increase in RPM (you would not speed up, or would very very slowly)?

[condor888000]

Car lugs at 30KPH in 4th, your clutch is fine. Rev's increase when you pin it in 4th at 30KPH, clutch is slipping.

[dhlwtu]

Also finding it hard to get into gear. Even not being able to get in at all

[Soyabean]

Also finding it hard to get into gear. Even not being able to get in at all

LOL

I have to test out my clutch too. It feels weird recently and im wondering if my clutch is about to go but i highly doubt it as im only at 80k and im only a spirited driver very rarely

[grex]

phheewww well i know it chugs hard at low speed in 4th so i must be good, latley i noticed the clutch pedal feeling really light and people were telling me it was just because im getting used to it since this is my first manual t.

[Donutz]

My clutch is funny amd from the questions and responses I've read on the forum, my clutch is normal. At various times, during various conditions and seasons it crunches, squeeks, its stiff, it engages hard, sometimes I swear the engagement point changes, etc, etc. At the end of the day it still isn't burned out and it still grabs. That said, I've been eyeing a stage 1 clutch for over a year.

[BlackIce]

My clutch is funny amd from the questions and responses I've read on the forum, my clutch is normal. At various times, during various conditions and seasons it crunches, squeeks, its stiff, it engages hard, sometimes I swear the engagement point changes, etc, etc. At the end of the day it still isn't burned out and it still grabs. That said, I've been eyeing a stage 1 clutch for over a year.

ya my old golf was the same! sometimes i wouldnt be able to get into First Second or Reverse gear but other days it would glide in!

[Addison]

Also, what do people mean when they ask if the clutch slips? Obviously ive never exerienced a bad clutch if im asking this, but how can i tell?

Under acceleration the clutch slips. It essentially feels like you're depressing the clutch pedal and just revving the engine as little to no power is being transferred to the transmission. It usually starts that you'll only have it happen under HARD accel, but as time goes on and the clutch becomes more worn down, it can happen all the time. Sometimes a flywheel resurfacing is enough to fix the problem for a few years.

[Riftler]

After reading this, I am still uncertain about my clutch, I dont know if the previous owner was riding clutch or not.