New clutch after 20K?
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 137
Likes: 0
From: Tallahassee FL
New clutch after 20K?
I posted a couple days ago about a clutch in an '88 that seemed to go from normal, to having almost no resistance over the course of two days. The fluid level was on the low side, so I topped it off and that didn't help. Then I took it to the shop that originally put the clutch in and they said it the clutch is bad, and that thier "clutch guy" is no longer with them. Like they didn't know they didn't have a clutch guy when I dropped the car off yesterday. And this leaves me wondering if they even know for certain that the clutch is bad.
Anyway is it normal for a clutch to go bad after 20 thousand miles? Wouldn't a clutch wear out gradually? Or does it happen quickly (fine one day, gone the next)? Is it possible that it may only need to be bled, and the service rep doesn't know what is going on? Any thoughts?
Anyway is it normal for a clutch to go bad after 20 thousand miles? Wouldn't a clutch wear out gradually? Or does it happen quickly (fine one day, gone the next)? Is it possible that it may only need to be bled, and the service rep doesn't know what is going on? Any thoughts?
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 3,886
Likes: 0
From: Northern California
Re: New clutch after 20K? (blue88vette)
Clutches can wear out quickly if they've been abused.
Are you the only one who drives the car? Oh, and have you valet-parked it recently?
But there are lots of other possible causes for your problem. Many years ago I lost "grip" suddenly on a fairly new cluch ... turned out the diaphram spring "fractured" along the outer circumference. They guy who balanced the clutch WELDED weights to the pressure plate, and the heat weakened the temper on the spring.
If I were you, I'd first check out the hydraulics thoroughly and bleed it, and check the clutch fork for binding. Eliminate all possible causes before going through the hassle (or the expense) of dropping the tranny again.
Are you the only one who drives the car? Oh, and have you valet-parked it recently?
But there are lots of other possible causes for your problem. Many years ago I lost "grip" suddenly on a fairly new cluch ... turned out the diaphram spring "fractured" along the outer circumference. They guy who balanced the clutch WELDED weights to the pressure plate, and the heat weakened the temper on the spring.
If I were you, I'd first check out the hydraulics thoroughly and bleed it, and check the clutch fork for binding. Eliminate all possible causes before going through the hassle (or the expense) of dropping the tranny again.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 137
Likes: 0
From: Tallahassee FL
Re: (scorp508)
It was broken in softly. I did street race it once in a while, but not too often and I almost never launched it hard. Can anybody think of anything else that I should check for other than what is listed above, before I get into the 'spensive stuff? :cry
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 137
Likes: 0
From: Tallahassee FL
Re: (blue88vette)
Okay, well I'm gonna check the small things. If it turns out to be the clutch, I will probably put they car up for a few weeks until the semester is over. Then I will have three weeks to replace it myself. So in either case wish me luck.
