Signs that your clutch is going bye-bye..

[SIcivic07]

well, i have 13,500 miles on my FA5...i was wondering what the signs would be of a dying clutch? its impossible that my clutch is going already. i dont beat on the car, at ALL. but it grabs more towards the top than it does the middle or bottom. wtf!

[nayilsi]

thats weird....my cars at 23 500

sumtimes the clutch feels mushy ...and thats about it

[whitecivicsi]

I have about 48k on mine and it still seems to run fine.

[anavrin351]

The clutch will slip and you will feel it not grabbing the flywheel properly. If you are pressing the gas peddle and the clutch peddle is released all the way, but there isn't any power transfering to the tranny, that is a good sign. It usualy happens right after the clutch starts to engage, then when the clutch does grab the flywheel sometimes it will jerk the car forward a bit.

The release point is not what determins if a clutch is going out. The release/engage points in these cars also seem to be at different spots depending on what gear you are in.

[portabuddy]

well i beat on my car a bit(ok nore then i should), and winter is hell on my clutch. also i had to pull my dads truck with a boat trailer out of the water... and i trained a buddy how to drive standard on my car. and i know my chutch has seen better days... it engages half way up... in another year ot two i will need a new one. so i will get a stage 2 clutch and a lightened alluminum flywheel... any excuse for a upgrage.

[anavrin351]

with racing clutches, you have to launch at a higher RPM than a standard clutch. I am not sure the secs on why or how, but i know you do. I think it has something to do with the the lack of power at lower RPMs, but that is only my assumption.

[Bboy_Burst]

My 96 Civic EX Vibrate/Shake In 1st When The Clutch Starts To Engage. Is My Clutch Running Out? If Only Happens When The Car Is Cold. Once The Car Is Warmed Up, It Goes Away. Anyone Experience This Before ??

[portabuddy]

no, your rpms are too low. im sure its fine... these cars surge quite a bit... its the whole not having any torque thing... having half asmuch torque as HP is no way to build a motor.

[nycclaye]

Originally Posted by anavrin351

with racing clutches, you have to launch at a higher RPM than a standard clutch. I am not sure the secs on why or how, but i know you do. I think it has something to do with the the lack of power at lower RPMs, but that is only my assumption.

Um.... I beg to differ. The only thing that will GUARANTEE to change when you upgrade your clutch/flywheel is the "Clutch Travel" distance or your engage point. It shortens tremendously and it can seem a little more "stiff". I have the Exedy Stage 2 Clutch/Flywheel on mine currently. Love it...

Originally Posted by Bboy_Burst

My 96 Civic EX Vibrate/Shake In 1st When The Clutch Starts To Engage. Is My Clutch Running Out? If Only Happens When The Car Is Cold. Once The Car Is Warmed Up, It Goes Away. Anyone Experience This Before ??

Yea, just take a few min, let your car warm up. It'll go away. We lack TQ remember...
You'll know when it's going. On my lude when it went, you could mash the gas and you'd see the rpm's raise but the car wouldn't go anywhere. But if you "feathered" the gas pedal you were fine.

Originally Posted by portabuddy

well i beat on my car a bit(ok nore then i should), and winter is hell on my clutch. also i had to pull my dads truck with a boat trailer out of the water... and i trained a buddy how to drive standard on my car. and i know my chutch has seen better days... it engages half way up... in another year ot two i will need a new one. so i will get a stage 2 clutch and a lightened alluminum flywheel... any excuse for a upgrage.

I bought mine last summer. Love it. My excuse was at month 5 I tought my wife how to drive it, and told her she messed it up so itt needed a new one and i just happened to find one cheaper than the honda dealer. Cheaper in price anywayAnd my car just celebrated it's first birthday yesterday!!

Originally Posted by SIcivic07

well, i have 13,500 miles on my FA5...i was wondering what the signs would be of a dying clutch? its impossible that my clutch is going already. i dont beat on the car, at ALL. but it grabs more towards the top than it does the middle or bottom. wtf!

You'll give it full throtttle, and the RPM's will raise without your car acceleratting.

You'll smell something similar to a burning under your hood when you pop it after daily driving and somewhat spirited driving...

It'll feel "squishy" when you push it it.

If it's gone, you'll be able to start your car, but won't be able to change gears. If that happens, do what we did to a friends. And we made it 80 miles doing this.

Start your car in 2nd gear. accelerate until you're about to redline. Turn the car off. Put it in third. Start the car. keep rolling and get to the 3rd redline. Turn it off while still rolling about 60mph. Put it in 4th or 5th. restartt the car. Take it to the house

[nandro]

wot in 3rd gear from 4,000 rpm's up. rpm's will shoot up but speed won't.

here's a great tell tale sign of a slipping clutch. under normal driving when putting the car in the next higher gear it will feel like you are riding on a bouncing ball. you will feel the shudder of the slippage. when it's at this point it won't be long before it slips all the time.

i'm in my 30's now and done with all the redlight redline stuff. all i can say is stop launching this car and don't mash the gas while shifting into the next gear if you are concerned about clutch slippage.

[galaxygrey13]

Pulled a truck with a boat out of the water? wow.

[nycclaye]

^^^wtf?

[BigLarr2121]

My first manual car was a 1990 Chevy Corsica. It had 120,000 miles on it, and the original clutch. Three months after I bought it the clutch went. I can tell you that at the end, I could let off the clutch without giving it any gas, and the car would not die right away. I could be off the clutch for about 4 seconds before the car would die. That was the most obvious sign that the clutch was dead. Hope that helps!

[User_name:]

Originally Posted by anavrin351

with racing clutches, you have to launch at a higher RPM than a standard clutch. I am not sure the secs on why or how, but i know you do. I think it has something to do with the the lack of power at lower RPMs, but that is only my assumption.

Dood, why even post if you just assume??? Go read a book or something

[whitecivicsi]

Originally Posted by User_name:

Dood, why even post if you just assume??? Go read a book or something

[anavrin351]

Originally Posted by User_name:

Dood, why even post if you just assume??? Go read a book or something

Its what i had been told when i was looking into getting one. Thats why i said i wasn't positive, because i had not read anything on it. If i am not positive on a subject, i am atleast smart enough to post that i am not 100% sure about it.

I am also still learning about cars and taking it one step at a time. I let him know what i was told by a mechanic. Go put a stage 3 clutch in your car and tke off at 1500RPM, it won't happen, but it will with the stock.

And good job sharing your knowledge in this thread also, i am sure you are used to being a waste of space though

[08civicman]

On my 1991 Mustang GT that I sold 2 years ago.

I had 230,000 KM on the original clutch AND transmission.

I used to drive that car like I stole it and bang through the gears no other, No grinds, no miss shifts, no weird shifting crap.

God i miss that car.

NO clutch should burn out in 13,000 km. was your car a demo? It could be possible that on the few testdrives when it was new someone glazed the clutch over, setting up future clutch failure.

[ArmyofOne]

Originally Posted by galaxygrey13

Pulled a truck with a boat out of the water? wow.

i could see it, if the truck were pulling also and he just needed that little bit of extra power...
believe me, every little bit helps. my dad's F150 has plenty of power to get his 28 foot Trophy out of the water...but damned if he has enough traction without the 4wd on. LMAO




i can also see rubber chunks and smoke flying from the civic if this is done imporperly...

and i can see...no...wait...*BOOM*...no more manny tranny.

2 bald tires, a blown clutch, a ****** up differential and about $4,000 later... your car might run right...

maybe.

at least he doesnt wonder why his clutch might be bad...no speculation there. LOL

oh and BTW...if the truck cant pull the boat up the ramp (no wheel slippage, just straight up wont go)...time to get a bigger truck, a smaller boat or just stop fishing.

(im just messin around FWIW, nobody get butt-hurt)

EDIT:

NO clutch should burn out in 13,000 km. was your car a demo? It could be possible that on the few testdrives when it was new someone glazed the clutch over, setting up future clutch failure.

seen 7,000 miles on an STi...someone shoulda taught that kid to drive.