Best way of testing a clutch?

bledd. said:
does it damage anything? or are you simply wasting fuel until you get it fixed..
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From what the RAC bloke told me, it is only the clutch that gets damaged.


He said to me something about the clutch slips which then heats the clutch up, and when the clutch heats up the clutch will slip. :p
 
If its slipping you need to replace it realy, If you drive it sensibly and don't allow it to slip it should be fine for a short time..

Driving with it slipping constantly can damage the flywheel though! Not good..
 
ive got a ford fiesta and my clutch used to be pretty bad, like every time i put it into reverse no matter how far the clutch was down it would grind, any way after that started happening, the clutch started making bell like noises when idling and the clutch was depressed. when it was replaced a few days ago the guy said he took it out and it fell apart lol.. when i got my new clutch it turned into a totally different car and i felt it was well worth 300
 
Lopéz said:
Without wishing to sound rude, how can people not know if they have a slipping clutch? It's staggeringly obvious.
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Before I say the next bit, I know what a slipping clutch looks like.
But, that video could be a number of things as well.

Note "could be", I know it is not.
 
It could also be caused by the crankshaft oil seal leaking, allowing oil into the bellhousing between the clutch and gearbox, causing slip.

This happened in my Fiesta 1.8D and caused the clutch to overheat epically one day, requiring a new flywheel, clutch and of course oil seal. If you're going to do it, do it properly eh :p

And I'd get it done sooner rather than later.
 
Vigoro said:
From what the RAC bloke told me, it is only the clutch that gets damaged.


He said to me something about the clutch slips which then heats the clutch up, and when the clutch heats up the clutch will slip. :p
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Well it depends on what's happened to it - slipping could be caused by an oil leak. I suppose thats not going to damage anything further (unless you run out of oil!) but would be a much more expensive fix!
 
ChrisJSY said:
Before I say the next bit, I know what a slipping clutch looks like.
But, that video could be a number of things as well.

Note "could be", I know it is not.
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Not really.

There are only 2 things that can give you that relatively smooth rapid rise in engine revs and lack of accompanying acceleration - wheelspin or clutch slip. And if your car is wheelspinning you really should know about it.
 
Flywheel could become damaged too if the rivet heads on teh clutch plates hit it!

Another method to check it is put the handbrake on (this wont work on a car with a naff handbrake unless the clutch is majorly slipping), put the car i first and try to pull away. If it stalls the clutch is fine, if the engine happily revs away with the clutch out its shot.
 
if you're parked facing upwards on a very steep hill, in first gear (engine off) with the handbrake off

I'm guessing a bad clutch wouldn't be able to hold you, and you'd roll backwards?
 
I found that the easiest way to tell whether the clutch is slipping or not it to put the car in the wrong gear and try and accelerate. For example 5th gear @ 35mph and floor it, that usually does the trick. Mine began to slip in the high gears first so its usually a good early indicator
 
You wear a clutch out too much theres a chance you'll rape your flywheel.
Last time i changed a clutch it was lucky, somehow there was still some material on the flywheel side and none on the other on the disk.
 
It's a lot of work tbh mate, i dunno what a garage would charge but it's a few hours labour, one of those awkward time consuming jobs, see what an independant will offer.
 
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Did not think £260 Inc vat was too bad from main ford dealer? If the new one last as long as the old one I will be happy : ) it's being fitted this Monday. Any tips in bedding new clutch in??
 
Not sure, never paid a garage, 260 aint too bad i guess. I paid £60 for my new clutch trade price but mines a banger.

Just be gentle for a couple of hundred miles, no hooning or stressing the clutch (wheelspinning etc.), it'll be really bitey and potentially easy to stall for a while, biting point will probably be quite low down too.
 
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