As manual cars become more and more niche, so do instructions on how to diagnose problems with manual transmissions. Soon enough manual transmissions will be perceived as being exclusively the domain for race car drivers, older generations, and people with taste.
Due to this lack of widely distributed knowledge, Gulf Breeze Automotive has found it necessary to produce this guide. Today we will be looking at how to know if you have clutch problems. Cars are complex, and even if you have a problem with your clutch, that does not mean the problem starts and ends there.
Noises in the Clutch Pedal
This is the easiest way to identify that your problems are related to the clutch itself. The noises you hear will usually sound like grinding or squealing. Keep in mind though that grinding and squealing indicate two very different kinds of problems with the clutch. Grinding indicates an oil problem, squealing a problem with a part.
If the noise is a grinding noise, then you are hearing parts rub together that are usually able to glide by each other when there is more oil in the car. This can strip the parts, or even break them, so go in for an oil change and diagnostics quick. Squealing means that there is some metal strain going on somewhere.
Metal strain is not as easy to fix as just changing the oil. The strained part will have to be identified and replaced. This has the potential to be easier than changing the oil, but it can also be harder, so watch out.
Engine Overworking
This is not to be confused with the engine overheating, although it may lead to that. Engine overworking is when a problem with changing gears results in the engine trying to reach a certain speed in the wrong gear. For instance, if a car goes above 45 but does not change gears to accommodate its speed, this will happen.
This indicates a lack of responsiveness between the clutch and the gearbox. Since that is the clutch’s one job, this can prove to be a pretty big obstacle to getting the car to work properly. The important thing to remember is that this is a symptom you will notice in the engine, but it really indicates a problem with the clutch.
How Long Does the Clutch Last?
The clutch and its component parts will usually last between 50,000 and 100,000 miles. This is a good amount of use out of your clutch system before it starts to show its age. At this point in the history of cars, however, it is likely that any manual transmission car will be a used car that already has some miles on it.
Moreover, once you have driven 50,000 miles in a manual transmission car, the probability of an issue arising with the clutch begins to increase. Going from 50,000 miles to 50,001 miles is more taxing on the car than going from 500 miles to 501, to use a rather specific example.
If any of these symptoms come around too frequently, do not be afraid to head into our shop and ask for help.
