How do you tell if your clutch is wearing out?

Typical symptoms will include: Stiff operation, excessive judder in 1st gear or reverse gear, difficulty in selecting 1st gear, excessive revs when in a high gear with slow acceleration caused by the clutch plate slipping. Over revving in this situation will cause the clutch to overheat and you will smell it burning. The flywheel will also heat up and can suffer damage from excessive heat. If you experience any of these symptoms you will need to check your clutch or have it checked by your local independent garage.

What if your car has the newer type of clutch with a dual mass flywheel (DMF)? The dual mass flywheel was introduced to help smooth out vibration & noise from the transmission. Like all other components on your car they will show signs of wear. If you clutch slips for a few seconds when taking up drive, or power not getting to the wheels fully when taking off in 1st gear. This could be a sign of worn radial springs in the DMF which can cause rapid wear to the clutch friction material. Excessive engine noises and a transmission rattle while the car is idling at normal operating temperature or heavy vibration are signs of potential damage to the internal dampers of the DMF.

Clutch drive plates that show signs of slipping, overheating and movement of the friction material between rivets indicate that the DMF is worn or faulty. This should be checked before fitting a new clutch. With the clutch out a visual check of the DMF should be made. Check the condition of the driven plate. Is it bluing or is it cracking? If so the DMF should be replaced.

Check the DMF for excessive movement in the secondary mass. As a general guide you should find no more than 7 degrees of free movement*, about 5 teeth on the ring gear, before resistance is felt. More than this indicates worn dampers and possible imminent failure. If you can rotate the secondary mass freely up to 60 degrees, the DMF has failed and needs to be replaced. Rock the secondary mass from side to side it shouldn’t move more than 1mm.

*The amount of free and axial movement can vary between manufacturers. Always consult your dealer for the correct tolerances.

If in doubt take the vehicle to your local independent garage to be checked.

For more information on how to obtain replacement parts and accessories…

Please telephone The Partsmaster on: 0151 348 6300

Or email: partsmaster@thequalityfactor.co.uk

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