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Q.
My clutch chatters and
feels "jerky" when I start
out
from a dead stop. Do I need a new clutch?
Q.
I hear noises when operating
the clutch. How do
I
know what they mean?
Q.
How are clutch problems
diagnosed?
Q.
Is my clutch covered under
warranty?
Q.
How long should my clutch
last?
Q.
My clutch needs to be
replaced. Are there other
things
that should be replaced at the same time?
Q.
My clutch has started to slip. Do I need a
new clutch?
Yes,
almost certainly.
Just
about the only time slippage could occur and
the clutch still be in serviceable condition
would be if someone actually mal-adjusted
the clutch, adjusting it so poorly that they
create slippage. Slippage usually indicates
a worn or damaged clutch.
There are several internal failures that can
cause a clutch to slip, but all result in
the same requirement. Replace the clutch.
Be sure the servicing technician checks closely
for oil contamination. Clutch failure is often
caused by engine or transmission oil contaminating
the clutch friction material. If there is
oil contamination, be sure you fix the oil
leak before completing the clutch replacement.
Once clutch linings are contaminated, there
is no way to clean them. Replacing the clutch
is the only way to restore proper clutch operation.
The
clutch and flywheel should be carefully inspected
when the parts are removed. Professional clutch
technicians can usually tell what caused the
clutch to fail. You can benefit from knowing
if the clutch failed from overloading, overly
aggressive driving, slow tentative engagement
of the clutch, internal mechanical malfunctions,
or just plain wear. Don’t be tempted
to save a few dollars by replacing only one
or two pieces of the clutch kit. The slight
difference in cost does not justify the risk.
Always replace the clutch cover, disc, release
bearing, and if equipped, the pilot bearing.
Be sure to have the flywheel inspected and
resurfaced. In some cases, flywheels must
be replaced. Do not reuse a cracked or warped
flywheel.
Q. Can I replace the
clutch myself?
Yes,
but only if you have the proper tools and
a solid level of competence in automotive
repair. Changing a clutch is a considerable
job on a rear-wheel drive vehicle, and an
even tougher job on any front-wheel drive.
On
a rear-wheel drive vehicle, the driveshaft,
transmission and bellhousing must be removed
in order to access the clutch. The clutch
can then be unbolted from the flywheel. Remove
the flywheel, inspect carefully for cracks
and resurface. Some flywheels are flat, some
are stepped. Be sure the proper step measurement
is achieved.
Always
replace the full clutch kit, disc, cover,
release bearing and, if equipped, pilot bearing.
Reinstalling
the transmission is one of the most difficult
parts of the job. The transmission is heavy
(you will need a floor or transmission jack,
or a strong helper) and the clutch must also
be perfectly aligned (with a pilot tool) so
that the transmission input shaft will slip
into place.
In
any front-wheel drive vehicle, replacing the
clutch is an even more difficult task. It
involves either pulling the engine or dropping
the transaxle. Either approach is a major
undertaking. because of all the disassembly
that's involved). For this, you'll need an
engine hoist to pull the engine or a hoist
or beam to support the engine from above while
the transaxle comes out.
Q. My clutch
chatters and feels "jerky" when
I start out from a dead stop. Do I need a
new clutch?
Probably.
Chattering
and jerking can be caused by oil contaminated
clutch linings (due to an oil leak on the
back of the engine, usually the rear main
crankshaft seal), or by damage to the clutch
itself.
For
the clutch to engage smoothly, the pressure
plate must come down evenly on the disc. In
other words, the surface of the pressure plate
must be parallel to the flywheel otherwise
it won't engage smoothly. If the flywheel
is warped (which can happen as a result of
overheating and abuse), it can make the clutch
grab.
On
rare occasion, a manufacturing defect in a
new or rebuilt clutch can cause uneven engagement
as can improper installation of the clutch.
If someone allows the weight of the transmission
to "hang" on the clutch, it can
bend the clutch disk causing shudder, grabbing
or chattering.
Damaged
splines on the transmission shaft can cause
the clutch disk to hang up and grab.
An
often overlooked external cause of clutch
chatter may be loose or broken motor mounts.
Q.
I hear noises when operating the clutch.
How do I know what they mean?
In
order to correctly interpret the cause of
clutch related noises, it is important to
identify the type of noise, the exact condition
under which they become evident and when they
are silent.
Squealing,
scraping or crunching that starts when the
clutch pedal is first
depressed
and continues until the
clutch pedal is fully
released:
Usually caused by
a frozen or damaged release bearing.
The bearing may have failed on its own or
may have
been damaged by any of a number of associated
failures.
Replace the release bearing and the entire
clutch kit. Be
sure to check for wear of the metal sleeve
on which the
bearing slides and the shift fork and pivot
ball.
Scraping
"rolling", or scraping noise when
clutch pedal is
fully released that continues until the clutch
pedal is fully
depressed:
This one is usually expensive! The noise in
in the
transmission. In rare cases, it may indicate
just an
easily replaced transmission input shaft bearing.
But,
for most transmissions, even this small repair
is not
easy or inexpensive. And, this noise often
indicates
damage throughout the transmission. Requires
transmission rebuild or replacement.
Noises
only in certain gears. Some gears are quiet.
Silent or
changes
drastically when clutch pedal is fully depressed:
Transmission! Internal wear, either bearings
or gears.
Indicates required transmission rebuild or
replacement.
Q.
How are clutch problems diagnosed?
Please
refer to our separate document, "Clutch
Diagnosis"
Q.
Is my clutch covered under warranty?
If
you are a Clutch Wizard (or Clutch Mart) customer,
the answer is yes!
Any OEM-quality clutch we sell and install
carries our industry leading Clutch
Wizard Warranty
For
most other situations the answer is, unfortunately,
no.
New
car warranties are so severely limited regarding
clutches that it is nearly impossible to obtain
any warranty consideration.
Clutch
manufacturers warranty their products against
defects only.
Unless a clutch is evidently faulty upon installation,
there is very little chance of warranty coverage.
Clutch
Wizard offers the best warranty in the industry.
Under normal, non-commercial use, our clutch
parts are warranted for LIFE!
Even
if you wear out a Clutch Wizard clutch, even
after 150,000 miles
or more, even if you live, work and drive
on the hills of San
Francisco, we extend our non-prorated clutch
parts warranty. Replacement
clutch parts cost you nothing.
Our
normal use, non-commercial warranty has two
stages. For the first two years or twenty
thousand miles (whichever comes first),
our clutches are covered by our Parts and
Labor, Free Replacement Warranty. After that,
parts are warranted for as long as you own
the vehicle! We provide replacement clutch
parts. You pay only the labor.
Q.
How long should my clutch last?
This
is a little like asking "How long will
I own my car?".
The
answer depends upon several variables. What
kind of car are we talking about? What driving
conditions affect your clutch wear? What kind
of driver are you? How many people drive your
car?
Keep
in mind that a determined driver can destroy
a clutch in ten minutes! All drivers are different.
The life of a clutch depends most on the driver.
Despite
all the variables, there are some averages
we can cite:
American
performance cars with V8 engines (Camaro,
Mustang,
Corvette, GTO) average 50,000 to 80,000 miles.
Japanese
passenger cars average 100,000 to 150,000
miles.
German
performance sedans average 80,000 to 120,000
miles.
Q. My clutch
needs to be replaced. Are there other things
that
should be replaced
at the same time?
There
are certainly numerous parts that should be
examined and considered during a clutch replacement. In
fact, it is always
a good idea to perform an overall vehicle
inspection whenever any work is being done.
But in direct relation to a clutch failure/replacement,
be sure to consider the following items:
Motor/transmission
mounts
Rear
engine crankshaft (rear main) seal
Transmission
gear oil
Transmission
seals
Universal
joints/CV joints
Shifter
linkages/bushings
Clutch
hydraulic components (master & slave cylinders)
Flywheel/ring
gear
888-WIZARD8
888-949-2738
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