RobsyUK

iTrader: (2)

You always hear people say the clutch is low, high or stiff but as a test pilot of a car your looking at with intention to buy, How do you check the clutch?

Chip

With some bellhousings it's possible to see the clutch disc, difficult to judge the amount of wear though. The difference between a new disc and a worn out one is no more than a couple of mm. Would be handy if you had a new disc to compare with the one fitted. The best test is to get the engine / transmission hot, drive in a high gear at low speed - about 2000rpm at full throttle, press and release the clutch quickly, any slipping will show up. Check for juddering when hot, try reverse. Check that the gears engage easily, hot and cold.

David Lock

With the car stationary you put the hand brake on hard, start the engine, and put it into 3rd or 4th gear. Then release the clutch and see if engine stalls or engine turns with car stationary i.e. clutch is slipping. Try it on your own car first so you know what I mean.

dl

Or drive to Wales and go up a mountain in 5th

PaulC72

thats how I do it


But the trips to wales are killing lol...

Leslie

The only effective way is to remove the gearbox, strip the clutch and check the driven plate(s) and the faces visually.

Apart from that, it the clutch takes up the drive smoothly,does not slip in a high gear. and there is no grinding noise from the clutch release bearing when you press the clutch pedal, there is not a lot else you can do but hope it is otherwise OK.

Les

tarmac terror

iTrader: (2)

depending on what car you are looking at - bear in mind a dual mass flywheel is not a cheap item to replace, check it also is not near end of life.

Ghostbly

pedal mine is very high, almost when I remove the foot engage

watching a ksb03

richs2891

Simlair to what david has posted but, say 35 or 40 mph in 5th or 6th and put acclerator hard down it car pick up slowly then its ok, it the revs flare and no extra speed, clutch is slipping. Or so I've been told.

How do you test the cluctch if the car has an auto gearbox ?

Richard

steve ex vauxhall

iTrader: (5)

Auto box has no clutch mate, torque converter instead

Gear Head

iTrader: (2)

Which works by filling with oil. If you suffering a lack of drive in an automatic, check the transmission oil. Both level and condition.