Why is my Clutch so important

There are three main parts of a clutch, the clutch plate, pressure plate and flywheel. The clutch is one of the most important parts of your vehicle. It separates the power of the engine from the wheels allowing you to press your brakes and come to a stop without you turning off your engine.

What is the lifespan of my clutch?

A clutch lasts anywhere from 90 000km to 150 000km on average. However, this is also very much dependent on the driver of the vehicle. Riding your clutch or keeping it in at a stop prevents the clutch from disengaging causing it to wear out faster

Another cause of your clutch wearing out could be because of an oil leak. Oil seals are made of rubber, over time rubber can harden, crack, or simply stretch out. This type of damage causes oil to slip past the seals and leak out onto the clutch.

• If your rear main oil seal or input shaft seals are leaking, the gearbox oil will leak onto the clutch plate. This would cause the clutch to not engage correctly.

Because oil seals wear out over time Autoworks recommends replacing your seals at the same time as the clutch. This is to ensure the old seals do not leak oil onto the new clutch assembly. And to avoid you the cost of additional labour when you have to remove the clutch again to replace the seals

What signs will there be if my clutch starts to fail?

Below is a list of things to look out for when it comes to your clutch. However, it is always best to have a professional mechanic look and confirm to ensure that no other parts, such as the gearbox, are damaged.

• Burning Smell

This smell will be quite obvious and will remain with you for an extended period of time while driving through the city.

• Sticky clutch pedal

By sticky we are referring to one of three things. Your clutch pedal is closer to the floor than what it is supposed to be, does not come up from the floor or is difficult to press down.

• A slipping clutch

When your clutch is slipping your revs will stay up high and your car will feel like it is accelerating at a very low rate compared to what it used too.

• Difficulty selecting gears
  • Grinding noise – It will almost sound like the slipping of metal gears
  • Stiff gear change – When you have to use more force than normal to change gears

The above faults are the most common ones you will experience if your cars clutch is failing. Should you experience the above it is recommended to contact your nearest trusted workshop/mechanic so that they can confirm the diagnosis, replace your vehicle’s clutch, or attend to any repairs the vehicle may need.