am i killing my clutch? please help

[andyturbo]

Hey everyone. Just got my P's last week and am pretty new to manual. Anyway ive recently purchased a vt S2 manual and today when coming out of my school (we have a very long driveway on a hill) the traffic was terrible, moving 1m at a time and i was burning the clutch bad. It smelt terrible and my mate on the left said he even saw smoke. Anyway once out on the main road traffic was really stop start and i could NOT go from stand still into first gear without the tires spining then griping then spining (like bunny hoping) I think the clutch was sliping and i was really pissed that i had burnt the clutch out. But after leting the car cool down its back to normal now. Im really hoping i havnt done any perminantly damage but from the smell+smoke im guessing i have. Any advice or thoughts on this would be great as i dont know much about manual transmissions besides how to drive them (which im still not great at)

Thanks

 

[vt_lover]

try not to move 1m at a time. there is no need to sit on the ass of the bloke in front. if he moves only 1m you don't have to move too. just wait until there is a car space or two then move you will find your clutch will get nowhere near the use. Traumatics make it so you can move like a sheep in the pack but, why would you?

 

[Not_An_Abba_Fan]

You have probably worn about 10 000kms off the clutch by doing that. Avoid holding the car by the clutch and use your handbrake like the instructor would have told you.

 

[Bax]

How come your bunny hopping to start with? Are you still being a bit rough on changing gears?

I'd say you have done some permenant damage, a clutch does wear, however I don't think you will notice it. The burning could be from lots of things, whether it is an aftermarket clutch burning organic fibres, fluid or oil on the clutch plate - which is a problem, just general heat etc. But I really wouldn't worry, just sounds like what happens after a burn.

I'd seriously practice with the clutch a bit more though, I doubt you have a button clutch because there would be generally no slipping, but if you are creeping forward and stopping, you should be able to do this without slipping the clutch at all, or bunnyhopping. Sounds like you need a smoother left foot.

 

[andyturbo]

thanks for the replys. No its not bunny hoping when i was going up the long hill in traffic..i think my probem was i was over reving it and going on off on the clutch which burnt it. The bunny hoping was about 3 minutes after it back on straight roads.. I can shift fine by the way. This is really the first problem ive had. Yes using the handbrake would help, stoping me feeling like i need to over rev so it doesn't roll, but the handbrake in my car is really ****. It has to go right to the very highest click before it engauges. The handbrake in my driving instructors car was easy as, as well as the 'contact point' very easy to find

 

[Marks-VY]

Do yourself a favour and adjust the handbrake - much cheaper than a new clutch! Also, you should be able to take off without touching the go-pedal, if you are smooth. Get this right and then learn to apply just enough revs for the slope and the speed at which you need to take off (the faster you need to launch, the more revs you will need).

You should not be slipping the clutch to take off for any more than a couple of seconds at most. And just like VT_lover says, give yourself some room when there is traffic so you don't need to keep engaging/dis-engaging the clutch.

Hope that helps!:thumbsup:

 

[azkwazere]

all you did was heat the **** out of the clutch and it was sticking... youve taken some life off it but thats it...

let it cool down and it will be fine.

Ive done worse to clutches....mmmmm power changes.....

aZK.

 

[Jesterarts]

lol, yeah... You burnt that clutch up GOOD! lol
As everyone has said... if ur in heavy traffic don;t move a meter at a time... your wasting ur clutch and ur fuel!

If there was smoke then DAMN you must have been riding it like hell! Last time my clutch was smoking was after i drove 100km, at the end of its life with it slipping like there was butter in there!

It should be alright but keen an eye on it... if its slipping more its probably on its way out.

How many km has the car done and do u know if the clutch has been replaced before?

On average from what i have read (depending on how the car has been driven) the clutches in the VX S-Packs need replacing about the 100,000 - 120,000 mark. Im gonna assume this rings true with the VT's also.

It should be alright, good luck with it!

 

[rpm]

a smoking clutch does not sound good, what did it smell like? A burning clutch smells different to burning rubber. Make sure you do not ride your foot on the clutch whilst moving in first, this will burn your clucth which will mean you will need to replace it sooner rather then later. Do you pocket a favour practice in the car park and on a hill by yourself till you perfect it:thumbsup: