How do I know if my clutch is going bad?
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 8,287
Likes: 786
From: Naples Florida
How do I know if my clutch is going bad?
When I accelerate hard or even at a low rpm my car seems to "miss". I dont know if it is the clutch or maybe I need some plugs and some new plug wires. It doesnt miss all the time, just sometimes. Some people tell me that maybe my clutch is going south seeing that I have 85K on the car. I dont have a single clue to know what a clutch feels like when it slips or what. What do you guys think?
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 11,945
Likes: 12
From: Vancouver
2015 C5 of Year Finalist
St. Jude Donor '05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10
Well when your clutch goes south, you press on the gas pedal and rpm's go up but you don't go any faster. No missing is involved. If you can press on the pedal, and the engine loads up and the rpm's go up with the speed of the car, your clutch is fine. Unless your peeling rubber all the time and slipping the clutch to do it, there's no reason your clutch should be toast. If you've never replaced your wires or plugs I'd do it, and see what happens. At the very least pull the plugs and see if there's any significant differences between them. They are the barometer of your car and how it's feeling. If your plugs aren't happy neither is your engine. My .02
Keep us posted and hope you find the answer.
Keep us posted and hope you find the answer.
Last edited by Stock Man; Jul 16, 2004 at 12:26 AM.
Advanced
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 54
Likes: 1
From: New Fairfield CT
Stupid responce, but have you tried disabling the traction control? If your wheels are slipping, the TC will engage, cut the gas off and give the appearance of a slipping clutch. (DIC won't always report if it's a quick slip).
This may at least give you an idea if the tires or worne, or if your shifting too hard from gear to gear. Not recommending to drive full-time with TC off btw.
This may at least give you an idea if the tires or worne, or if your shifting too hard from gear to gear. Not recommending to drive full-time with TC off btw.
Team Owner
Joined: Jul 2003
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From: [Enter Unoffensive Comment Here]
Cruise-In VI Veteran
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St. Jude Donor '06
Clutch will either have no go like Stock Man says, or the pedal will be mush for slave or oil problems. If you rclutch itself is bad, you would have smelled it burning. :*****
Racer
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 460
Likes: 0
From: N. Potomac MD
On a few ocasions I smelled clutch when either I missed the shift or wasn't very good on the launch. Does that mean the clutch is at the end of its useful life. Also with a hydrolic clutch will there be any difference in peddle height or feeling as the clutch wears? This has been a nagging question that I've never really been able to answer. Does one know that the clutch is bad after it goes bad. You know what I mean. Or can you tell it is going bad say a couple of thousand miles before it needs to be replaced.
Advanced
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 54
Likes: 1
From: New Fairfield CT
I've been told by the GM mechanics that on the C5 if you ever smell the clutch burn badly, it's in poor condition. The clutch plate heats up and glazes over as it cools, which is a bad thing. It makes it slip more often and will degrade more quickly. Not that I appear to be experiencing that.
Only being familiar with previous manual cars, I can only assume that there should be a loss of feeling and catch height as it wears. Wish I knew more about that on the C5 myself.
Only being familiar with previous manual cars, I can only assume that there should be a loss of feeling and catch height as it wears. Wish I knew more about that on the C5 myself.
Race Director
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 19,459
Likes: 48
From: Schaumburg IL
CI 7-8-9-11 Veteran
St. Jude Donor '06-'10, '13
Originally Posted by Perceval
I've been told by the GM mechanics that on the C5 if you ever smell the clutch burn badly, it's in poor condition. The clutch plate heats up and glazes over as it cools, which is a bad thing. It makes it slip more often and will degrade more quickly. Not that I appear to be experiencing that.
Only being familiar with previous manual cars, I can only assume that there should be a loss of feeling and catch height as it wears. Wish I knew more about that on the C5 myself.
Only being familiar with previous manual cars, I can only assume that there should be a loss of feeling and catch height as it wears. Wish I knew more about that on the C5 myself.
also your shifter will shake because the plates are warped and are not smooth due to wear/tear..kinda like when your break rotors are warped because of hard use or too much heat
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Drifting
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 1,471
Likes: 1
From: Pensacola FL
Try this- cruise in 3rd or 4th gear at a low speed- say 30 mph or so. Get in the gas like you were trying to spped up. If the clutch is worn, it will slip. Like the above post mentioned, the rpm's will jump up, but you wont accellerate. If you are have problems with the feel of your clutch, you could have hydraulic issues. I am currently having problems with my hydraulics- the release point is erratic, sometimes high and sometimes low. The pedal sticks to the floor under WOT shifts. The clutch, however, never slips. My clutch disk is fine, but the slave &/or master is shot. In short, if you are not having any issues, it's probably OK. Scott
Racer
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 355
Likes: 14
I (2000 6sp) had a slight miss at 1200-1400rpms in high gear only when applying light throttle. It was #5 plug firing through the plug boot to the metal canister over it. Replaced plug wires...fixed. And this at only 49,000 miles.
Team Owner
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From: D*ck ina Box
CI III & IV Vote Ho
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St. Jude Donor '03-'04
Check your intake duct, boot, etc as well....I blew mine off (too much boost) at the track and didn't know it. Car would start bucking, sputtering, lurching, etc at any rpms over 1500-2000 rpm....any small air leak thru the intake will really disrupt the operation of the car, so much so I was extremely suprised!
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2000
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From: Just trying to make it through each day.
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St. Jude Donor '03-'04
If your clutch is slipping you will know it. As stated, watch your rpm gauge when accelerating.................
Racer
Joined: Jun 2021
Posts: 257
Likes: 75
I've had my C5 for five years now, and have always wondered what condition the clutch was in. I have Rangered the clutch fluid because it looked like it had never been done, and the dealer gave an advise on it..
But my question is, if the clutch were worn, would the fluid level go down and need to be filled? I haven't noticed that, but somehow I hope the guy before me had to put a new clutch in it since it had 78K on it when I bought it. Also, I had to replace the emergency brake shoes so I assume he was drifting it from time to time, which makes it more likely someone else had to put a clutch in it.
I hear it's the most dreaded thing you can do to a C5, so I guess I would sleep better at nights knowing it was newer.
But my question is, if the clutch were worn, would the fluid level go down and need to be filled? I haven't noticed that, but somehow I hope the guy before me had to put a new clutch in it since it had 78K on it when I bought it. Also, I had to replace the emergency brake shoes so I assume he was drifting it from time to time, which makes it more likely someone else had to put a clutch in it.
I hear it's the most dreaded thing you can do to a C5, so I guess I would sleep better at nights knowing it was newer.
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2018
Posts: 1,364
Likes: 414
From: New Jersey
When I accelerate hard or even at a low rpm my car seems to "miss". I dont know if it is the clutch or maybe I need some plugs and some new plug wires. It doesnt miss all the time, just sometimes. Some people tell me that maybe my clutch is going south seeing that I have 85K on the car. I dont have a single clue to know what a clutch feels like when it slips or what. What do you guys think?
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2015
Posts: 1,256
Likes: 157
From: Pennsylvania
On a few ocasions I smelled clutch when either I missed the shift or wasn't very good on the launch. Does that mean the clutch is at the end of its useful life. Also with a hydrolic clutch will there be any difference in peddle height or feeling as the clutch wears? This has been a nagging question that I've never really been able to answer. Does one know that the clutch is bad after it goes bad. You know what I mean. Or can you tell it is going bad say a couple of thousand miles before it needs to be replaced.
if it is not slipping it is not bad
yes the pedal will feel different as the clutch wears. When it gets really thin it will engage really close to the top of the pedal.
