AltezzaRoku

The engagment on my clutch has been behaving strangely lately. This is my first manual car, so I'm not too sure what to look for in terms of clutch problems.

I've noticed that I have to get into first gear much slower in order for my clutch to fully engage, and the other gears feel a bit jerky at times. It seems that lately the car is much more difficult to drive smoothly, and that I need to put a lot more effort into driving it comfortably.

Most noticeably is first gear, because at very low speeds (parking etc) it is not bad at all. But in normal driving, just sitting at a light is a disturbing experience, because getting into first gear feels like such a pain in the *** lately. I almost have to rev up to 2k RPM and very slowly let out the clutch for it to catch properly. Otherwise I just feel as if the clutch is trying to engage, and sort of stutters until it catches.

The clutch also feels a bit more 'heavy' lately.

Is this my clutch going at 8000 miles? Or do I just need to go do more squats at the gym and improve my driving technique? thx!

nebolic

iTrader: (1)

I don't know if this makes a difference, but when i used to pimp around in my ex's 2001 prelude, whenever the car is almost due for an oil change, the clutch gets jerky etc... and hard to drive smooth, exactly like you're describing, however after the oil change, it runs good. I think one way to test the clutch is to put it in first gear and slowly let the clutch out, if it stalls then you're good, (or it almost stalls) if it doesnt virbrate or stall at all, then maybe your clutch is gone.

keviin

iTrader: (2)

I'm not really sure what slippage feels like.. but when my clutch went out.... here's the little test i did to find out if it was my clutch... put the car in 1st.. put on the E brake. let clutch out... if the car dosen't stall.... your clutch is bad..... if you clutch engages it should kill the engine..

GottaGoFaster

You can really tell if your clutch is slipping if you put it into gear, press the gas and the revvs and tach go up and you are barely going any faster

me612

your clutch is not slipping. a slipping clutch is the exact opposite. when u put it into gear, it will be really smooth, because instead of insantly engaging it will "slip". also like the guy above said, just stick the car in like 3rd gear at like 3k rpm, then floor it, once the turbo spools up, instead of accelerating, your RPM's will rise rather quickly, yet you will not be accelerating as much as you would think you should be, because the clutch disk is not gripping the flywheel or pressure plate. so it sounds to me your clutch is doing fine

3K

iTrader: (9)

I agree with me106, if your clutch were slipping you'd only feel it in 3rd gear or higher. First and second gear will hold no matter what.

At WOT your revs will increase very rapidly but it feels like you have the parking brake on.

I don't think you have a clutch problem. My clutch acts up once in a while too.

So what I usually do is TURN DOWN THE RADIO'S VOLUME!!! It helps me at least.

erioshi

Oil getting past the seals and getting onto the friction material will cause a car to jerk and buck when engaging the clutch at low RPMs from a stop. You might want to have the transaxle and oil levels checked to make sure one of them isn't low, or there isn't any visable oil on the bottom on your flywheel housing.

ducaticorse

if ur clutch is bad enough, it won't hold first or second either, i'm speaking fro m current experience with my failing evo clutch at 10k