Help! Clutch may be toast

[fallout09890]

Being a new manual driver, I was trying to practice uphill starts last friday. My dad told me that stalling the car would ruinin your axles, so when I was practicing on the hill, I over revved the car, and I think I overheated my clutch. I did about 4000-4500RPMS while letting the clutch slip for about 30-40 sec then all of a sudden I started smelling a burning smell inside the cabin. Then I realized that I made a stupid mistake and it came to my mind that I can ruin the clutch by doing that. The clutch didnt show signs of slipping on the way home though and no smoke came out when it overheated. Its been sitting on the driveway for the past 2 days and if you sniff around the hood you can still smell it, but ONLY if you sniff near the clutch/flywheel area. Do y'all think that I may have ruined my clutch even though it doesent show signs of slipping or did I do some damage but not enough to call for a new clutch. I have also been searching for a write up on how to change a clutch on here but I cant find one. Do you have to drop the whole tranny or just slide it away from the motor, and would changing the MTF in this case help (like in autotragics) or is it a totally different lubrication system and not connected to the clutch??

 

[tunerbum147]

you will get that smell when you ride your clutch a lot especially let it spin that high for that long on it. its most likely not ruined but defiantly is not good for it.

hint if you are on a real steap hill use the e brake so you can let out clutch as you let out ebrake too. you wont have to sit on the clutch like that then.

 

[CanadianEh48]

youll be fine.

if you ever overheat your clutch again, try to avoid driving it until its cooled down.

 

[fallout09890]

you will get that smell when you ride your clutch a lot especially let it spin that high for that long on it. its most likely not ruined but defiantly is not good for it.

hint if you are on a real steap hill use the e brake so you can let out clutch as you let out ebrake too. you wont have to sit on the clutch like that then.

yea I know that now. It gave me an impression that people who use their e-brakes are amateurs, but I guess that hill is just too steep to not use ebrakes on. I mean I rolled about a foot backwards before I could even get my foot on the gas. I guess pride got in the way but at least I learned my lesson

 

[fallout09890]

youll be fine.

if you ever overheat your clutch again, try to avoid driving it until its cooled down.

Yea thats why I let it sit for two days and I drove like a grandma on the way home. Good thing I realized that it was the clutch before it was too late

 

[tunerbum147]

yea I know that now. It gave me an impression that people who use their e-brakes are amateurs, but I guess that hill is just too steep to not use ebrakes on. I mean I rolled about a foot backwards before I could even get my foot on the gas. I guess pride got in the way but at least I learned my lesson

who cares if your an amateur. your protecting your clutch and car its worth it. as you drive it more and get more used to it eventually you wont need to use an e brake at all.

 

[dcmystery21]

to answer your original post if you feel it hasnt been answered: your clutch/car is fine. just do the ebrake suggestion.

edit- 30-40 secs of clutch slippage? thats quite extreme...to say the least.

 

[finch13]

Should be fine, probably glazed the disc a little and put a few hotspots on the flywheel and pressure plate. As long as it doesn't slip when the clutch it out and you're on the throttle, it's all good.

I've been driving manual for a few years now and consider myself experienced and I still use the ebrake on hills. No shame in that at all.

 

[fallout09890]

Thanks everyone for the input. Now, is there a DIY on how to replace a clutch on here. Ive looked everywhere and cant seem to find a write up. Just in case I need a new clutch in the future, what are the advantages and drawbacks of a racing clutch. RIght now, I dont really do any racing but in the future, I want to do a little autox, and hillclimbs.

 

[HondaLuver83]

I learned how to drive standard when I lived in sf, got my licsense in 2000. been driving manual ever since, I can honestly say there is an art to shifting well and not ruining the clutch. It probably took a good 3-4 years before I mastered starting from a stop on steep hills on San Fran. You'll get there it just takes time and patience. Clutches don't matter much or axles, don't ever grind the gears that's all. Make sure ur car is in gear before u disengage the clutch.