Clutchless gearchanges - what's going to break?
Discussion
I have a Ford Puma which is my bangernomics motor and which I am running into the ground.
Now as I will be getting a company car in the next 3-5 months I am very loathe to spend any money on the car as, in reality, it's a total shed and worth f
k all.
Problem is that the clutch has started to slip quite badly once it gets warm. I do not want to spend the money on getting a new clutch fitted to a car that I'm going to scrap in the short term.
As it only seems to be a problem when it gets hot I am currently trying to drive without the clutch as much as possible.
Obviously I still need to use the clutch from standstill but for upchanges I can slot home the next gear quite easily but applying just enough pressure to the gearstick that it slots home without 'graunching' as wheel and engine speeds come into synch.
Down changes are easy as it's a case of knocking it into neutral, H&T to match revs and they are pretty much seamless.
So here's the question - will i get my clutch to last another 3-5 months doing this? And if I do am I likely to break anything else in the process?
Now as I will be getting a company car in the next 3-5 months I am very loathe to spend any money on the car as, in reality, it's a total shed and worth f
k all.Problem is that the clutch has started to slip quite badly once it gets warm. I do not want to spend the money on getting a new clutch fitted to a car that I'm going to scrap in the short term.
As it only seems to be a problem when it gets hot I am currently trying to drive without the clutch as much as possible.
Obviously I still need to use the clutch from standstill but for upchanges I can slot home the next gear quite easily but applying just enough pressure to the gearstick that it slots home without 'graunching' as wheel and engine speeds come into synch.
Down changes are easy as it's a case of knocking it into neutral, H&T to match revs and they are pretty much seamless.
So here's the question - will i get my clutch to last another 3-5 months doing this? And if I do am I likely to break anything else in the process?
Mr Gearchange said:
It slips under load - so I can be driving along - on a DC for example - and the revs suddenly climb without increasing road speed.
But this only happens if I have been using the clutch - if I only use the clutch from standstill it ceases to slip under load.
So when the car is in 5th, and the accelerator is floored, does it slip? But this only happens if I have been using the clutch - if I only use the clutch from standstill it ceases to slip under load.
davepoth said:
So when the car is in 5th, and the accelerator is floored, does it slip?
Yes if I use the clutch for each gearchange.So on my drive to work I potter through town - couple of sets of roundabouts - couple of traffic lights. Onto the DC - another couple of roundabouts then 15 miles down the M1.
If I use the clutch for each gearchange on the way to the motorway then once I'm on the motorway the clutch slips in 5th when I have my foot down.
BUT - if i minimise the use of the clutch on the way to the motorway (i.e only from standing start) then the clutch doesn't slip at all - and hasn't done for a week.
You could get a clutch done on it for less than £200 if you know a friendly mechanic in your area and get some cheap bits from fleabay or similar
If its slipping then doing clutchless changes might extend the life a little but not by a huge margin, it will let go eventually and leave you with no drive.
Having said that we've MOT'd a ropey old KA for 3 years in a row now and every year the clutch has been slipping quite badly, still hasn't let go completely yet although the chap does <5k a year in it
Interesting symptoms - I'm wondering whether it's actually a leaking clutch slave leaking fluid onto the clutch when it's under pressure? That would probably be enough to make a clutch slip if it was worn, but then when the fluid had burnt off it was ok.
Are you losing clutch fluid at all?
Are you losing clutch fluid at all?
No clutch fluid leaking. I think it's a hydraulic operated clutch - but then again I am to motor mechanics what Stephen Hawking is to the 110m hurdles.
The car is a total shed - and I can't honestly be arsed to spend a single penny on it as it would be throwing good money after bad.
The cam belt needs doing as well and it 30K overdue. The car is only worth the weigh in value so i don't feel like spending 600-700 quid on it for a new clutch and cambelt.
I don't even want to spend a couple of hundred quid + parts for a new clutch as the cam belt would probably go the following week rendering the car a write off!
If the clutch goes pop I'll spend a grand on an interim shed where I can get my money back - but I'm hoping it'll last until new company car time.
The car is a total shed - and I can't honestly be arsed to spend a single penny on it as it would be throwing good money after bad.
The cam belt needs doing as well and it 30K overdue. The car is only worth the weigh in value so i don't feel like spending 600-700 quid on it for a new clutch and cambelt.
I don't even want to spend a couple of hundred quid + parts for a new clutch as the cam belt would probably go the following week rendering the car a write off!
If the clutch goes pop I'll spend a grand on an interim shed where I can get my money back - but I'm hoping it'll last until new company car time.
I had this last year. I noticed it starting to go when I drove to the alps, with a very full car. 2200 miles later, of mostly motorway driving, it finally ceased to function. I was lucky enough to be in a petrol station when it went, but I wouldnt want to be on a busy road, or in traffic..
Mr Gearchange said:
Went pop last week. 8 months of daily driving and 10k miles of clutchless changes before it eventually went completely.
Amusingly enough it went while the mrs was driving - on a dc roundabout at rush hour.
Good effort, certainly makes me think twice about changing my clutch. Bet the missus wasn't pleased though!Amusingly enough it went while the mrs was driving - on a dc roundabout at rush hour.
I had a punto with a slipping clutch
took it too a clutch place to see if it was a worn clutch or something to do with the hydraulics as it had been replaced less than 2 years ago
i didn't see what the guy did to test it, but from the smell inside i assume he must have reved it up and dropped the clutch with the brakes on
he said yeah it's definitely slipping (which i knew in the fking first place) but he couldn't tell without taking apart if it was worn out or something else
after his test which i thought would have pretty much finished off my clutch it was actually fine for several more month, then i tried to trash the clutch again and the problem went away and never came back, i think the places must have been getting glazed and just needed ruffing up
took it too a clutch place to see if it was a worn clutch or something to do with the hydraulics as it had been replaced less than 2 years ago
i didn't see what the guy did to test it, but from the smell inside i assume he must have reved it up and dropped the clutch with the brakes on
he said yeah it's definitely slipping (which i knew in the f
king first place) but he couldn't tell without taking apart if it was worn out or something elseafter his test which i thought would have pretty much finished off my clutch it was actually fine for several more month, then i tried to trash the clutch again and the problem went away and never came back, i think the places must have been getting glazed and just needed ruffing up
FRA53R said:
Mr Gearchange said:
Went pop last week. 8 months of daily driving and 10k miles of clutchless changes before it eventually went completely.
Amusingly enough it went while the mrs was driving - on a dc roundabout at rush hour.
Good effort, certainly makes me think twice about changing my clutch. Bet the missus wasn't pleased though!Amusingly enough it went while the mrs was driving - on a dc roundabout at rush hour.
Me: "I'll drop you at work today as I need your car"
Her: "I'll take yours - it will be fine"
Me: " Er, not a good idea - you can only use the clutch to pull away from standstill - for all other gear changes you'll need to match the revs which means..."
Her: "I DO know how to drive you know"
Me: "OK dear fine"
Anyway a bit later on I get a phone call
Her: "Oh my god the car is full of smoke and it won't go faster than 20"
Me: " Have you been using the clutch?"
Her " s
t st <unintelligible> I have to go". Hangs up2 minutes go by and she phones back
Her: "Great I've broken down completely on a roundabout"
Me: " We'll I'm an hour up the M1 now - hang on and I will call my mate Gav to come and help"
Her: "OH MY GOD. NO. NO. THE POLICE ARE HERE NOW" (blind panic)
Me: "Great - they will help you push it off the road"
Her: "BUT I HAVEN'T GOT MY DRIVING LICENSE"
Me: <laughing hard> "They won't want to see your license before they push you off the road darling"
Her: "I f
kING HATE YOU" 
Anyway it all gets resolved - old bill move car to side road - my mate picks her up and everything is sorted. Later on we go back with the scooby and a tow rope. She doesn't want to anywhere near the Puma so insists on doing the towing.
Me: "Right, you have never towed a car before so please don't pull out into small gaps - for gods sake don't amber gamble, and take then tension up gently and progressively otherwise you will snap the rope so...
Her: "Alright I'm not an idiot"
She snaps the tow rope 3 times in 2 miles. At one point the car is completely stranded on a massive traffic lighted roundabout.
I just ditched it at the side of the road and went back with my mate the next day and recovered it with zero drama.
FFS.
Mr Gearchange said:
She really wasn't happy - but as usual with women you can't tell then anything.
Me: "I'll drop you at work today as I need your car"
Her: "I'll take yours - it will be fine"
Me: " Er, not a good idea - you can only use the clutch to pull away from standstill - for all other gear changes you'll need to match the revs which means..."
Her: "I DO know how to drive you know
Me: "OK dear fine"
Anyway a bit later on I get a phone call
Her: "Oh my god the car is full of smoke and it won't go faster than 20"
Me: " Have you been using the clutch?"
Her " st st <unintelligible> I have to go". Hangs up
2 minutes go by and she phones back
Her: "Great I've broken down completely on a roundabout"
Me: " We'll I'm an hour up the M1 now - hang on and I will call my mate Gav to come and help"
Her: "OH MY GOD. NO. NO. THE POLICE ARE HERE NOW" (blind panic)
Me: "Great - they will help you push it off the road"
Her: "BUT I HAVEN'T GOT MY DRIVING LICENSE"
Me: <laughing hard> "They won't want to see your license before they push you off the road darling"
Her: "I fkING HATE YOU"
Anyway it all gets resolved - old bill move car to side road - my mate picks her up and everything is sorted. Later on we go back with the scooby and a tow rope. She doesn't want to anywhere near the Puma so insists on doing the towing.
Me: "Right, you have never towed a car before so please don't pull out into small gaps - for gods sake don't amber gamble, and take then tension up gently and progressively otherwise you will snap the rope so...
Her: "Alright I'm not an idiot"
She snaps the tow rope 3 times in 2 miles. At one point the car is completely stranded on a massive traffic lighted roundabout.
I just ditched it at the side of the road and went back with my mate the next day and recovered it with zero drama.
FFS.
That sounds like one stressful evening Me: "I'll drop you at work today as I need your car"
Her: "I'll take yours - it will be fine"
Me: " Er, not a good idea - you can only use the clutch to pull away from standstill - for all other gear changes you'll need to match the revs which means..."
Her: "I DO know how to drive you know
Me: "OK dear fine"
Anyway a bit later on I get a phone call
Her: "Oh my god the car is full of smoke and it won't go faster than 20"
Me: " Have you been using the clutch?"
Her " s
t st <unintelligible> I have to go". Hangs up2 minutes go by and she phones back
Her: "Great I've broken down completely on a roundabout"
Me: " We'll I'm an hour up the M1 now - hang on and I will call my mate Gav to come and help"
Her: "OH MY GOD. NO. NO. THE POLICE ARE HERE NOW" (blind panic)
Me: "Great - they will help you push it off the road"
Her: "BUT I HAVEN'T GOT MY DRIVING LICENSE"
Me: <laughing hard> "They won't want to see your license before they push you off the road darling"
Her: "I f
kING HATE YOU" Anyway it all gets resolved - old bill move car to side road - my mate picks her up and everything is sorted. Later on we go back with the scooby and a tow rope. She doesn't want to anywhere near the Puma so insists on doing the towing.
Me: "Right, you have never towed a car before so please don't pull out into small gaps - for gods sake don't amber gamble, and take then tension up gently and progressively otherwise you will snap the rope so...
Her: "Alright I'm not an idiot"
She snaps the tow rope 3 times in 2 miles. At one point the car is completely stranded on a massive traffic lighted roundabout.
I just ditched it at the side of the road and went back with my mate the next day and recovered it with zero drama.
FFS.
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