Clutch question

[350zwelgje]

Just had a lovely drive out and all is fine (except for the electric fan that had already packed up).
During spirited acceleration on the motorway I started to notice that after a gear change up (any up change and back on the power immediately), it looks like it takes longer for the clutch to be fully engaged and feels like it 'slips' longer than I was used to. After this I noticed it also does it when changing gears during not-spirited driving.
Clutch is the same as when I got the wedge in 2001, and as everything was fine, I wasn't planning on changing it. Biting point to me is normal, about half way and gear changes are as smooth as can be expected on a lt77 box when warm.

Is this a sign of the standard pressure plate starting to show fatigue after over 10 years of good use?

Rob

[TOPTON]

Certainly sounds like the symptoms of a clutch starting to give up. When in 4th at about 45ish, floor the gas pedal, if it is the clutch, slip should be well noticeable then. It will only get worse but its not the end of the world. Just done mine and now its spot on

[350zwelgje]

Read about your 'clutch exercise', well done and from pistonheads point of view in a jiffy.

Not slipping at all in 4th or 5th. At least not yet.... Must say that a standard 350i with 175000km on the clock isn't fresh and many horses and torque have gone walkabout as we know.

Not to worried myself to replace the clutch (have all the parts on stand by...), if required. Just curious as normally the clutch plate is the first thing to go, but looks like it is something else this time.

Rob

[TOPTON]

I think mine started to go in the same way, almost as if the foot wasn't taken off the clutch pedal all the way after a gear change. Also noticed on the down change, there wasn't as much immediate engine braking as there is now. As you say, its probably the first signs of the pressure plate springs giving up. Think it was AQ that mentioned that on my thread. My clutch plate had definitely seen better days though. Yours hasn't done so bad after that many klms on the original clutch.

My work car, a Clio managed 166000 miles on its original clutch. learners aren't all bad

[adam quantrill]

Either way round the only way you're going to find out if it's the clutch plate or the pressure plate, it to take it all out!

Once you've done that, it's obviously silly not to replace both with new ones....

[350zwelgje]

Thanks for the replies, and.... on the next drive after posting noticed the clutch starting to slip in 4th gear...

Have another project planned first, to get my '81 rover sd1 back on the road, and then will replace the clutch on the wedge. Until then it will be cruising and no standard wedge 'behaviour' mode from time to time.
Won't do the Continental Zolder trackday now due to preserving the clutch as much as possible in the mean time, and was looking forward to that (club member living in Belgium )

Rob