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Really tough to say.. Posted by Ari [Email]  (#2847) [Profile/Gallery]
(more from Ari) on Mon, 21 Jan 2002 12:47:43
In Reply to: How long should a clutch last..., KenB, Mon, 21 Jan 2002 09:37:37 Members do not see ads below this line. - Help Keep This Site Online - Signup |
Sounds like a wearing throw-out bearing.
There are basically three parts to the clutch system- the clutch plate, the throwout bearing, and the hydraulics to move the clutch around (master and slave cylinder).
The clutch plate is the actual friction material that makes contact. With a decent ratio of highway driving (fewer shifts) and someone who is kind to the clutch, the clutch plate can last the life of the car. But if someone is hard on a clutch - lots of hard, fast shifts, or just slips it a lot, then you can destroy a clutch in less than 10k miles. I've seen folks that will hold the car on a hill with a clutch, not the brake - those clutches don't last very long. Even if you're very kind to the clutch, if you do a lot of stop and go driving, or live someplace with a lot of hills, like Seattle or San Fransico, it'll be harder on the clutch plate.
The throwout bearing holds the clutch plate away from the flywheel when the clutch is pressed. It gets most of its wear when the clutch is pressed. If you spend a lot of time stop-and-go driving, and spend a lot of time holding the clutch down, the bearing will wear faster. Not time, but the number of clutch actuations matter here.
Lastly, there is the clutch hydraulics. Wear there is a function of how many clutch actuations there are, how long you keep the pedal down (system pressurized), and the condition of the fluid (you DO change it very two years, don't you?) will limit life.
They should replace a throwout bearing with a clutch change, but some places don't. But years don't mean anything here - how many miles, how many times was the clutch pedal pressed? Lastly, just because you install a new bearing, don't assume they all last the right amount of time. Some parts last forever, and some fail sooner. Just like people - we should all get our four score and ten, but some folks don't make it quite that long. Why should you expect more of some metal and grease? If you went through a bunch of throwout bearings in a short time, then you've got an issue. But a sample of one, is, well, a sample of one. I've had parts fail two weeks after installation. Yes, it sucks, but it does happen.
Good luck!
posted by 140.157....
, Mon, 21 Jan 2002 12:47:43 <-- Viewing This Message
, Mon, 21 Jan 2002 11:01:08
, Mon, 21 Jan 2002 11:14:01
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