How can you test if your clutch is on its way out?

MingBluS3

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My car has done 38,000 miles, it does not seem to have any real pulling power over 80 - 90mph, it really feels like it has lost it's edge. Is there anything i can check for, ive tried puttting the car into 5th and 6th at a low speed to see if the revs build up but it all seems fine.

I just wanted to know if anyone else has the same problem and if my car could have a faulty clutch?
 
I doubt you'd experience any symptoms of a clutch going at high speed as there is relatively little load being transferred through the clutch. Symptoms of a clutch going will be in first and second, and a simple test is to pull the handbrake on and gently release the accelerator if the car pulls down on the suspension and tries to pull away then you've confirmed your clutch is fine.

If your lack of performance is at high speed under load then maybe you need to be looking more towards the engine, MAF? Are there any other symptoms that you have?

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/beerchug.gif
 
When I got my diverter valve replaced the other day, I noticed better pull above 80 - I think that and cleaning the throttle valve meant mine sits at 80mph at about 3300 revs, whereas before it was doing about 3900 to do 80mph.
The bad DV meant I could hear turbo pressure releasing between gear changes - I can't hear it anymore. (Thanks to Gambba among others for assisting with diagnosis on that one).
 
Unless you changed the gear ratios at the same time as the dv then that is not possible!
 
maybe its turbo boost then, it feels fine up to 80 but after that its does not seem to pull hard at all.

It had a new DV the other week but it feels no better.

During acceleration sometimes i notice a power fluctuation where it feels like it wants to go then hesitates and then it goes as if it's clearing something out. I seem to drive in 5th now to make up for the loss in power whereas before 6th was more than sufficient and plenty of torque/power.
 
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MingBluS3 said:
ive tried puttting the car into 5th and 6th at a low speed to see if the revs build up but it all seems fine.


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This is the best test for checking the clutch .. engage top gear at about 20 mph, if the car doesn't judder ( ie the clutch plates are slipping) and just pulls nicely the car is fine..

As someone else posted above though unless your changing gear at 80/90 mph you aint going to be using the clutch so its more likely to a problem with something else.
 
Ju: I see what you mean about gear ratio for my revs - I don't get it either - but it's definitely reduced revs to do same speed!? Maybe it's that the aircon has sucked some of the power as I have had that on since the service and usually have it switched off - although I would expect the ecu to compensate and kick revs back up to normal. Would aircon on mean more revs needed for same speed?
 
Well i did this test and the Car juddered immensely, i was doing 25-30mph and put it in 6th tried to accelerate and the car nearly stalled, i also did not like the sound the engine made.....

does other peoples cars judder at that speed in top gear or is there something up with mine??
 
My coils went about 4 months ago which were replaced, its also had a new DV...
 
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Well i did this test and the Car juddered immensely, i was doing 25-30mph and put it in 6th tried to accelerate and the car nearly stalled, i also did not like the sound the engine made.....


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ive just done this one the way home, the car was at 30 and i put it in 6th and put my foot to the floor on the accelerator. The car never tried to stall or hugely juddered, it just felt like most cars do when your in too high a gear for the speed your doing, and it did accelerate very slowly.

Im not too sure what your problem is but id almost certainly say it wasnt your clutch.

Mark