How do you know it's time to change your clutch?

kiddo · 10-10-2008, 04:01 AM

Hi guys, this is my first manual car and I have about 10k miles on the car now. How do I know it's time to get a new clutch?

Voodooking · 10-10-2008, 06:12 AM

The clutch on a modern BMW should last the life of the car. No replacement should be necessary.

I had a renault 19 16v when I was younger, and had to replace the clutch on that at approx 110k miles.

If indeed your clutch does need replaced, you will notice that when you stick it in say 3rd or 4th gear and accelerate from 2k - 3k rpm to 5k - 6k rpm, the revs will increase, you will hear the increase in engine noise, and see the rev needle rise, however the speed of the car will not increase in relation to the increase in revs. This is because the clutch plates are worn, and instead of pressing together tightly and creating a good seal, they have worn and the material has gone fluffy and the plates start slipping when you apply torque to them.

However, like I say, it is very rare to need to replace a clutch on a decent quality car. Like I say, the only time I needed to was on a Renault.

I have run a Vauxall Cavalier to 150k, a Ford Sierra to 130k, a Ford Mondeo to 140k, an E36 M3 to 98k, and a Vauxhall Astra to 86k, and never had to replace a clutch apart from in the Renault.

scalbert · 10-10-2008, 07:46 AM

As Voodooking mentioned, get into a higher gear like fifth at about 2k revs and floor it. If the revs climb and the speed doesn't, clutch is going out.

Another method is to be at idle and put it in fifth or sixth and slowly engage the clutch. It shoudl stall out but if it doesn't...

You would have really had to beat on it to destroy it in that short amount of miles. Why are you questioning the clutch?

bdkevoIX · 10-10-2008, 07:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Voodooking

The clutch on a modern BMW should last the life of the car. No replacement should be necessary.

Wrong, it all depends on your driving habit and the amount of abuse the clutch sees.

shift330 · 10-10-2008, 08:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bdkevoIX

Wrong, it all depends on your driving habit and the amount of abuse the clutch sees.

BMW should last. I had a POS '99 F150 back in highschool that I used to abuse the hell out of, doing burn-outs at every light and just stupid teenager stuff and when I got rid of it with 80k miles, it was still on the original clutch with no signs of trouble.

ezatnova · 10-10-2008, 08:35 AM

You can also put the car against a tree or wall (prolly wanna put a pillow/sheet, etc to stop it from getting fugged up) and slowly let the clutch out in 5th gear. If you successfully release it and the car is running, teh clutch is shot. It should obviously stall.

Noize · 10-10-2008, 09:14 AM

Rev jump as has been said. Could be a concern if you're very modified and making a ton more torque than stock, but not common in these cars.

joec500 · 10-12-2008, 12:59 AM

Just as a data point, I had a B5 Audi S4 Modified....Had over 90k miles and original Clutch and no signs of it failing.

ATSR · 10-12-2008, 10:28 AM

Another way to tell the clutch is worn is that your clutch pedal will be much harder to push and you can shift by just pressing 1/3 of it.

Sniz · 10-12-2008, 10:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Voodooking

The clutch on a modern BMW should last the life of the car. No replacement should be necessary.
.

wrong

BALLAJL15 · 10-12-2008, 10:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by shift330

BMW should last. I had a POS '99 F150 back in highschool that I used to abuse the hell out of, doing burn-outs at every light and just stupid teenager stuff and when I got rid of it with 80k miles, it was still on the original clutch with no signs of trouble.

well how much torque did your f150 have? I bet not as much as our cars with the same gearing

10-10-2008, 04:01 AM	#1
kiddo Captain 55 Rep 966 Posts Drives: 335i coupe Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Madison, WI iTrader: (8)	How do you know it's time to change your clutch? Hi guys, this is my first manual car and I have about 10k miles on the car now. How do I know it's time to get a new clutch?
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10-10-2008, 06:12 AM	#2
Voodooking Banned 25 Rep 47 Posts Drives: Vauxhall Astra Coupe SE2 Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Aberdeen, Scotland iTrader: (0)	The clutch on a modern BMW should last the life of the car. No replacement should be necessary. I had a renault 19 16v when I was younger, and had to replace the clutch on that at approx 110k miles. If indeed your clutch does need replaced, you will notice that when you stick it in say 3rd or 4th gear and accelerate from 2k - 3k rpm to 5k - 6k rpm, the revs will increase, you will hear the increase in engine noise, and see the rev needle rise, however the speed of the car will not increase in relation to the increase in revs. This is because the clutch plates are worn, and instead of pressing together tightly and creating a good seal, they have worn and the material has gone fluffy and the plates start slipping when you apply torque to them. However, like I say, it is very rare to need to replace a clutch on a decent quality car. Like I say, the only time I needed to was on a Renault. I have run a Vauxall Cavalier to 150k, a Ford Sierra to 130k, a Ford Mondeo to 140k, an E36 M3 to 98k, and a Vauxhall Astra to 86k, and never had to replace a clutch apart from in the Renault.
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10-10-2008, 07:46 AM	#3
scalbert Major General 153 Rep 5,780 Posts Drives: '13 S4, '15 Q7 Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Woodstock, GA iTrader: (8)	As Voodooking mentioned, get into a higher gear like fifth at about 2k revs and floor it. If the revs climb and the speed doesn't, clutch is going out. Another method is to be at idle and put it in fifth or sixth and slowly engage the clutch. It shoudl stall out but if it doesn't... You would have really had to beat on it to destroy it in that short amount of miles. Why are you questioning the clutch?
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10-10-2008, 08:35 AM	#6
ezatnova Colonel 97 Rep 2,188 Posts Drives: C63 AMG Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: West Chester, PA iTrader: (5)	You can also put the car against a tree or wall (prolly wanna put a pillow/sheet, etc to stop it from getting fugged up) and slowly let the clutch out in 5th gear. If you successfully release it and the car is running, teh clutch is shot. It should obviously stall.
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10-10-2008, 09:14 AM	#7
Noize Under the radar 41 Rep 840 Posts Drives: FWD in reverse Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: In traffic at idle iTrader: (1)	Rev jump as has been said. Could be a concern if you're very modified and making a ton more torque than stock, but not common in these cars.
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10-12-2008, 12:59 AM	#8
joec500 Brigadier General 125 Rep 3,004 Posts Drives: it has 4 wheels Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: San Francisco iTrader: (10)	Just as a data point, I had a B5 Audi S4 Modified....Had over 90k miles and original Clutch and no signs of it failing.
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10-12-2008, 10:28 AM	#9
ATSR Captain 43 Rep 852 Posts Drives: 1977 Honda Civic Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Wellington, FL iTrader: (0)	Another way to tell the clutch is worn is that your clutch pedal will be much harder to push and you can shift by just pressing 1/3 of it.
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