Clutch life expectancy

[Tamadrummer88]

Hey all,

So i haven't driven a manual in years, and so the first few weeks of ownership is gonna be a little rough getting used to driving a manual again. I will say that since i picked it up yesterday I've kinda found the sweet spot to start off but still a little jerky here and there.

That being said, I'm not rough on the car and I'm more than likely not gonna take it to the track (maybe some mild spirited driving here and there). What is the life expectancy of a clutch nowadays?

Thanks.

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[Ski3143]

I had a 300ZX from 87 with 145k miles on it in 2005. It had the original clutch. That said, it did slip occasionally and really probably should have been replaced before then.

 

[dgc333]

I put 200,000 miles on a Turbo Daytona when I pulled the transaxle to replace a leaking main seal. I replaced the clutch for good measure not because it was worn or acting up. I have also had a couple of other cars that I sold in the upper 100,000s of miles when I got rid of them and the clutches were still good.

 

[Patrick S]

I know why you ask and are worried. I will tell you, i was in an automatic for 10 years before picking up this car. The know-how stays with you and the feel of the clutch comes back quickly.

Once you get that feel from First to second, which is (i am guessing based on my own experience) where you are getting all the jerkiness from, its going to be like you never stopped driving a stick.

These will last as long as you take care of it. you will not do damage while you are getting the feel of a clutch back.

I never once stalled the car. Came close once, but that was rolling up to a light and was feeling/thinking that i was driving an auto. Lost focus there, but, regained in time to stomp the clutch before the car sputtered.

People on this forum are teaching their kids to drive a manual using this car because the clutch is so easy.

I do not foresee any early demise of your transmission in your future!

 

[Dirtleg]

My 07' GT had a transmission noise so I pulled it at 149k miles. Original clutch and it looked amazing. Not even any grooves or hot spotting on the flywheel or pressure plate. Could have gone another 75k easy but swapped out since I was in there. I drive a lot of highway miles but bail it at least once everyday. More if the opportunity presents itself.
At the same time there are guys who can't get more that 25k out of a clutch. Really depends on you.

 

[ScottsGT]

Pull out the clutch pedal spring. Makes the sweet spot more predictable. There is a thread here on it.

 

[Tamadrummer88]

I know why you ask and are worried. I will tell you, i was in an automatic for 10 years before picking up this car. The know-how stays with you and the feel of the clutch comes back quickly.

Once you get that feel from First to second, which is (i am guessing based on my own experience) where you are getting all the jerkiness from, its going to be like you never stopped driving a stick.

These will last as long as you take care of it. you will not do damage while you are getting the feel of a clutch back.

I never once stalled the car. Came close once, but that was rolling up to a light and was feeling/thinking that i was driving an auto. Lost focus there, but, regained in time to stomp the clutch before the car sputtered.

People on this forum are teaching their kids to drive a manual using this car because the clutch is so easy.

I do not foresee any early demise of your transmission in your future!

That's great advice! Yeah I'm slowly getting it smoother, but still jerky here and there. At least I'm not coming close to stalling out!

On the test drive I stalled it twice. On the drive home from the dealer I stalled it once.
Since then I haven't stalled it!


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[ScottsGT]

Ok, I'll admit it. I stalled mine yesterday. I was on a steep hill at a red light. Some little twit female college student pulled up behind me and was too damned close to comfortably allow a little roll back. I gut nervous and tried to do a zero roll start and stalled it.

 

[Todd15Fastback]

Ok, I'll admit it. I stalled mine yesterday. I was on a steep hill at a red light. Some little twit female college student pulled up behind me and was too damned close to comfortably allow a little roll back. I gut nervous and tried to do a zero roll start and stalled it.

You can enable hill assist. Works like a champ. Keeps the car from rolling back for 3 seconds.

 

[ScottsGT]

I played with it once, but this was one of those moments where there just wasn't time to fumble through the menu to look for it. She pulled up just before the light changed.
A great option on these cars would be a programmable button like cameras and cell phones have. You can program in one function from the menu of options the car has.
Be it hill assist, line lock, my color, gauges, etc.
no fumbling through the menu for something you might need on a regular basis.

 

[yellowragtop]

question is: how long till throwout bearing squeals

The question to ask is: how long did any S197 OR S550 mustang owner go before the throwout bearing started squealing.

I went about 120,000 miles, and finally the throwout bearing squeal arrived. As I suspected, the clutch disk/pressure plate did look good, but I replaced them along with the pilot bushing since the tranny was out.

 

[Nanashii]

You can enable hill assist. Works like a champ. Keeps the car from rolling back for 3 seconds.

I almost stalled the car on the way home from the dealer 'thanks' to hill assist. Turned it off immediately after that.

 

[Charles147]

You can enable hill assist. Works like a champ. Keeps the car from rolling back for 3 seconds.

...or use the old school method and use the emergency brake. Works like a champ! If it's a quick stop, I just fan the clutch and gas pedal to keep the car from rolling back.

 

[unintelligible]

The formula is, let the clutch out too slowly = easy, smooth engagement = premature clutch wear. Let it out too quickly = rough, jerky engagement = premature drivetrain (halfshaft, driveshaft, etc) wear. If perfectly in between, you'll be okay.

Also, don't keep the clutch depressed at traffic lights, that's how your throwout bearing wears out early.

I have owned my 6MT for 3 years now and can only recall stalling it 3 times, all within the 1st year of ownership, and all due to being too quick on the clutch but not quick enough on the throttle in high pressure traffic situations... pretty easy to fix - mash that right pedal.

 

[dgc333]

Also, don't keep the clutch depressed at traffic lights, that's how your throwout bearing wears out early.

Also puts a lot of extra load on the thrust bearing in the engine which can result in premature wear.

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