After Affects of Burnt Clutch

[MS3Buckeye]

I got my MS3 last Sunday and am very pleased. After I drove it home I took it out with my Dad and let him drive it. He has been driving sticks his whole life, always done fine, never a problem. However, I don't think he had ever driven anything with a clutch as grabby as ours. He stalled it out several times at a light and burnt the clutch. Not too bad, but there was a difinative smell in the car for several minutes. Surprisingly, I wasn't too upset, I mean that kind of stuff happens right?

Now like I said, I've only had it for a little over a week, but since then it seems whenever I slip the clutch lightly (always under 1800 rpm, never for more than 2 sec) like say in traffic or going in reverse, I smell a hint of burnt clutch.

I will clarify traffic to mean slipping the clutch 4 or 5 times in about 5 min to move up at a light that is backed up. And I don't smell it much, just barely over the new car smell, but it is enough to make me think. I don't consider the treatment I'm giving the clutch to be hard.

Is what I am experiencing due to my Dad's treatment? Can I expect it to go away?

 

[3.slow]

Yea, after you burn the clutch, the smell might last for months. 1800 rpm is a little much, but not that big of a deal. After you get used to this car, you will at 1100 rpm on take off's no problem

 

[ForceFed]

The smell will go away..you will be fine.

 

[autoxes]

I freaking hate that smell.

 

[Ghost Rider]

Don't worry about it! Most of us have done this and it does go away, you'll get better with practice

 

[lestat13]

OMG!! Your story is almost EXACTLY what happened to me a few months ago. My father burned the s*** outta my clutch. After a few days the smell and feelings went away and it continued behaving normally. Give it a few more days and if it's still acting weird, post back up and let's see what we can figure out.

:: still shocked :: whoa, that is the same thing that happened to me almost to the letter....... at first I seriously thought I had posted this. I had to check the username!

 

[MS3Buckeye]

Yeah, most of the time in my driving its fine, I can drive properly without slipping the clutch. Its just those situations where you need to slip it a little more that it was giving me a little smell. I'm not new to driving sticks, so I was wondering what was up because I wasn't doing anything different than I had before in other cars.

Anyway, thanks all for the peace of mind.

Lestat, thats crazy, and great avatar BTW.

What are we to do with our fathers.....

 

[nextcar]

Yea, after you burn the clutch, the smell might last for months. 1800 rpm is a little much, but not that big of a deal. After you get used to this car, you will at 1100 rpm on take off's no problem

1100 rpm?? you routinely engage the clutch at 1100? the car feels dead at that rpm, and you have to wait an eternity for it to reach 3000 rpm where you feel the power.

i usually rev the engine to 2000-3000, then slowly let the clutch engage. is this too harsh for the clutch? i think i drove this way with my previous manual car (1998 nissan maxima) without any problems.

 

[dandydaniel]

1100 rpm?? you routinely engage the clutch at 1100? the car feels dead at that rpm, and you have to wait an eternity for it to reach 3000 rpm where you feel the power.

i usually rev the engine to 2000-3000, then slowly let the clutch engage. is this too harsh for the clutch? i think i drove this way with my previous manual car (1998 nissan maxima) without any problems.

As time as went by, yeah, I am now able to engage and am off and running at around 1,100-1,200 rpm. 2,000-3,000 is a bit high in my opinion...

 

[hilmar2k]

1100 rpm?? you routinely engage the clutch at 1100? the car feels dead at that rpm, and you have to wait an eternity for it to reach 3000 rpm where you feel the power.

i usually rev the engine to 2000-3000, then slowly let the clutch engage. is this too harsh for the clutch? i think i drove this way with my previous manual car (1998 nissan maxima) without any problems.

How you take off should vary with how you are driving at that moment. For normal, everyday driving, you should be taking off from <1500 RPMs. For spirited driving, 2000-3000 is correct.

 

[imac]

How you take off should vary with how you are driving at that moment. For normal, everyday driving, you should be taking off from <1500 RPMs. For spirited driving, 2000-3000 is correct.

+1

there's really no reason to engage the clutch with the engine rpm that high for regular daily driving, puts way too much unneeded wear and tear on the clutch. if you're looking to launch, thats a different story, and 2k-3k is fine, but i really wouldnt want to be doing that on an every-stop basis.

i agree with pretty much everyone else. when im not in a particular hurry, i roll into gear not much higher than idle, 1.5k if im not paying much attention and my foot rests a little heavy on the gas pedal.

 

[SSMS3]

I can guarantee I burnt my clutch much worse than you and your Dad combined. The smell will go away and the car will be fine. BTW, you shouldn't try to launch this car at 4,000+ rpm while slipping the clutch lol

 

[AFcadet]

1100 rpm?? you routinely engage the clutch at 1100? the car feels dead at that rpm, and you have to wait an eternity for it to reach 3000 rpm where you feel the power.

i usually rev the engine to 2000-3000, then slowly let the clutch engage. is this too harsh for the clutch? i think i drove this way with my previous manual car (1998 nissan maxima) without any problems.

You can tell if someone really knows how to drive a manual by listening to how they go from a stop. You should not hear the car rev up...then rev back down as the clutch engages...then rev back up again as the clutch is engaged.

You should be able to feather the clutch and add power at the same time so you keep your RPMs as close to 1,000 untill the clutch is fully engaged. Now if your trying to accelerate quickly its a different story, but for normal starting from a stop, you should stay as close to 1,000 as possible by letting the clutch out and giving it gas at the same time.

giving it gas...then letting out the clutch is the cheapo way...and it does put uneeded wear and tear on your clutch.

 

[coteyma]

I wasn't that experienced in driving manual when I got my 3(used with 7000 miles, so it was already broken in)... took it out the second night i had it to a nasty stop light hill by my house.. burnt the CRAP out of my clutch and the smell lasted for the rest of the night, since then i've gotten better, smell went away, launching smooth as a baby's bottom now.. I'm sure you'll be fine as well

 

[mazdaspeedster3]

Can you start your car out without using the gas pedal? That is a question for all as well. I can move through traffic (stop and go) without using the gas. I can also change gears up and down from 1st to 4th and back with the clutch. NO SMELL!

 

[AFcadet]

Can you start your car out without using the gas pedal? That is a question for all as well. I can move through traffic (stop and go) without using the gas. I can also change gears up and down from 1st to 4th and back with the clutch. NO SMELL!

Yea...as you get better you learn to use the clutch...instead of having the clutch use you lol.

And changing from 1st to 4th is fine...as long as you arnt starting from a stop in 4th (ughdance)