To check the condition of the clutch in vehicles with mechanical box gears, it is not necessary to be a professional auto mechanic, it is enough to use this manual.
With the engine off, press the clutch pedal several times and listen. The presence of extraneous sounds (creaking, grinding, knocking) is an indicator of poor clutch condition. But it is worth making sure that the sound does not come from the pedal return spring. We start the car, not including gears, again press the clutch pedal. The resulting hum, rustle or noise may be due to wear of the clutch release bearing. If the clutch is cable operated, a worn cable may be the source of the noise.
When driving, it is important to be sure that the clutch mechanism is working properly. After all, failures in its operation can not only cause accelerated wear of other parts, but also cause serious dangers on the road.
When buying a car, it is very important to check the performance of as many components and assemblies as possible. The clutch is one of the expensive parts in a car. It is also recommended to check it when buying a used car. Our method, which we will share with you below in the article, is effective and works both on the VAZ Priora and on the KIA Surato, Toyota Corolla, Mazda 3 and others budget cars. Here you will learn how to check the clutch on a manual transmission car.
The clutch is considered an expensive consumable in a car; it can be put on a par with a turbine at a price. Maybe a consumable — it's highly said. But still, an average clutch kit runs 100 thousand km. The clutch kit itself and the work to replace it is not cheap. That is why before buying a car it is worth checking it carefully.
How to check the clutch on a manual transmission car with your own hands
We start the car, turn on the 3rd speed, lower the handbrake and try to move. If the car immediately stalls, then the clutch is good. In our case, the car moved forward a little. We can conclude that the clutch is not new.
We turn on the 3rd speed, put the handbrake and try to move again. If the car continues to drive now, then the clutch is definitely not all right. In our case, the car stalled.
With confidence, guided by our methods, it is impossible to say that the clutch is normal or broken. But as for an express check before buying, this method is effective.
If the car starts off from 4th gear, then we can safely say that the clutch will soon have to be changed, and these are additional costs. The car should immediately stall if you try to move out of 4th gear.
How to check the clutch on an automatic transmission car with your own hands
This test is suitable for a non-robot and non-DSG box. We put on the drive and without releasing the brake, press the gas for a couple of seconds. If the automatic transmission is working, then the engine speed should not rise much. Diesel is about 1500, and gasoline is 2500. If it rises, it means that the clutches are already worn out and the automatic transmission does not have long to live !!! The main thing in the test is not to keep on the brake for a long time and to accelerate, since at this moment there is a large load on the automatic transmission.
How to check the clutch on a car?
Checking with a measuring gauge . There are several methods by which you can check the clutch of a car. The main evaluation technique is based on the use of modern measuring equipment. That is, you need a measuring gauge.
Advantage this method is that it does not require complete dismantling of the clutch. You can check it on the lift.
Of course, this will take a lot of time, but it will be possible to get a more than reliable result.
In cases where you do not have access to a lift or special equipment, you can use alternative verification methods. They are less reliable, but the approximate state of the node can still be established.
Slip wear test without special equipment . As a rule, verification is carried out under the presence of certain prerequisites. In addition, depending on the nature of the malfunction, the technique itself can radically differ.
For clarity, consider one of the most common situations when the clutch begins to slip.
In such cases, the check is performed according to the following scenario:
- We put the car on the handbrake;
- We activate the engine;
- We turn on the third or fourth gear;
- Squeeze the clutch and squeeze the gas pedal;
In cases where the engine stalls, then it is necessary to replace the clutch disc, as it is too worn out. But the result of such a check can be more accurate only if hand brake properly adjusted.
Checking the slip . There is another method that allows you to check if the clutch is slipping. To do this, while driving, you must carefully monitor the behavior of the car. Slippage may be indicated by the smell of burning, slow entry to climbs and a drop in speed indicators.
What if the clutch "leads" . Sometimes the clutch starts to “lead”. Usually similar effect accompanied by difficulty in shifting gears, it is also possible extraneous noise And unpleasant sounds. In such cases, the node must be checked according to the following algorithm:
- The car engine is at idle;
- Depress the clutch pedal;
- We turn on the first gear;
In cases where, when switching on the gear, you have to apply too much great effort and strange sounds are heard, then this tells us that the disk does not unhook from the flywheel. This problem can be solved by pumping hydraulics. In addition, you will also need to adjust the corresponding pedal. At the end of the procedure, we check again.
How to check the clutch disc?
Before proceeding to determine the degree of wear of the clutch disc, I recommend recalling its resource. Everyone knows that in the urban rhythm of driving a car, the clutch works out a third less than in a mixed one, and when constant driving exclusively on country roads, there were also such cases when, with a range of 300 thousand kilometers, it could not be changed. So if you have already skated 80 thousand miles while living in the city, it's time to think about replacing it.
How to determine clutch disc wear . The wear of the clutch disc, namely the thickness of the friction linings, is not difficult to determine by the way the pedal travels.
To do this, we first need to correctly set the stroke of the pedal. At the same time, it should be noted that different models cars it is different, but on average, in most cases, the clutch pedal should be 1-2 cm higher than the brake pedal.
- Park the vehicle on a level surface and release the parking brake.
- We start the engine and warm it up to operating temperature.
- Shift into 1st gear and slowly lower the clutch pedal. At the same time, do not allow the engine to stall. When gradually lowering the clutch pedal, we pay attention at what stage the engine begins to transmit torque to the wheel. When vibration appears on the body, we finish the work.
- The clutch began to seize at the very beginning of the pedal stroke, which means the disc and its friction linings are in excellent or in good condition. Most likely it was just recently installed.
- Picking up torque begins in the middle of the pedal stroke, indicating 40-50% wear on the clutch disc.
- The clutch seizes at the end of the pedal stroke or does not seize at all (starts to slip). Wear in this case approaching the final stage. If there is a burning smell, the clutch disc must be changed urgently, otherwise it may damage the flywheel.
In addition to this, vibration when starting off and slipping when driving at the moment of gas supply are also evidence of severe wear of the clutch disc.
How to check the clutch release bearing?
The transmission of torque to the release bearing is carried out only when the clutch pedal is depressed. He goes back and pulls the clutch disc behind him. That is why the clutch pedal should not be held too long in gear. This leads to the appearance of unstable loads on it, which leads the part to rapid wear.
A clear sign of wear on the release bearing is the appearance of various sounds when the clutch pedal is depressed in the form of rustles and knocks. However, do not worry if such sounds appear during the cold season.
The fact is that this part has a small coefficient of expansion at low temperatures. This is due to the high strength of the steel from which the bearing is made. And the glass, in which the entire node is located, on the contrary, has a large coefficient of expansion. Therefore, when the engine warms up, the sound disappears.
In addition, there are a number of other signs, of which it is worth noting incorrect gear shifting. Some gears simply do not turn on, or turn on and at the same time pull the car, both at the start and while driving.
How to check clutch pedal free play?
The clutch pedal of a car is used to connect the gearbox to the engine and to separate them. When the clutch pedal is at rest, the engine is connected to the gearbox - the clutch is engaged.
To begin with, we will describe how to measure the amount of pedal travel, and then correct the shortcomings in this value.
- We put the car on a flat area.
- We press the brake pedal until it rests and fix it in this position. For example, you can substitute a hammer.
- We install a ruler next to the pedal, resting its end on the floor. Note the distance of the pedal from the floor.
- We lower the pedal, without tearing off the ruler from the floor. We install the upper part of the ruler on the accelerator and take measurements.
- We press the pedal until we feel tangible resistance.
Difference between top position and the last readings and will be the value freewheel.
After receiving the results, it will become clear whether the adjustment of the free play of the brake pedal is necessary. If, nevertheless, it is required, then for this we lower the brake light lock nut by only 1 turn.
By screwing in or out of the switch, set the desired clearance between it and the brake pedal.
After completing the described setting, tighten the lock nut and carry out re-check move.
The clutch accelerometer is also adjustable with a nut, it is located on the cable.
How to check the clutch on a motorcycle?
Conclusion
And in conclusion, I would like to add that a reliable clutch is the key to the health of the entire car. Do not throw the pedal sharply, release it smoothly, this will increase the life of all mechanisms. Also should not for a long time keep the pedal depressed.
Clutch system, used in all modern cars paired with manual transmission. This node has the main task of transmitting and adjusting torque from the car engine to its chassis. Medium resource of the main parts of the clutch it is considered to be 120-150 thousand kilometers. When the first symptoms of a malfunction appear, it is recommended to immediately carry out repairs with the replacement of worn parts, otherwise there is a risk of staying on the track with a stationary car.
What parts wear in the clutch:
1. Clutch disc.
Under a load of high torque, the friction linings wear down and become ineffective. Among other things, severe wear of the linings leads to a high probability of damaging the engine flywheel. The rivets holding the pads to the disc itself are exposed and begin to scratch the flywheel, causing it to overheat and become unbalanced.
Damper springs - serve to dampen vibrations and softness of load transfer. In a constant process of frictional friction, the temperature of the clutch disc can reach about 200-300 degrees, which is not favorable for steel springs. They lose their elasticity, burst, become shorter. Their productivity drops.
2. Release bearing.
The main task of the release bearing is to move the clutch disc away from the release disc (basket) and flywheel. The wear of this part is manifested primarily in the appearance of play in the bearing itself.
3. Release plate (clutch basket)
As a rule, the clutch basket itself is capable of nursing a resource greater than the disk and release bearing, 2 or even 3 times more. But we do not recommend doing this. From overheating, the release disc petals burst and can damage not only parts of the clutch system, but also the engine. The release disk is subjected to grinding during operation, its thickness becomes smaller, with high temperatures, there is a possibility of its splitting into several parts.
4. Clutch drive.
By definition on cars, a mechanical and hydraulic clutch drive system is used. The second option is much more common and is used on most modern machines.
In its turn hydraulic drive divided by:
Clutch slave cylinder - which drives the movement of the release bearing directly.
Clutch master cylinder - transmits the force of the driver acting on the clutch pedal, through the pipeline system, to the working cylinder at the basket.
How can you determine clutch disc wear?
Before proceeding to determine the degree of wear of the clutch disc, it is recommended to recall its resource. Everyone knows that in the urban rhythm of driving a car, the clutch works out a third less than in a mixed one, and with constant driving exclusively on country roads, there have been cases when, with a mileage of 300 thousand kilometers, it could not be changed. So if you have already skated 80 thousand miles while living in the city, it's time to think about replacing it.
Clutch disc wear, namely the thickness of the friction linings, is not difficult to determine by the way the pedal travels.
To do this, you must first of all correctly set the working stroke of the pedal. (For all cars it is different on average 13-15 cm, in most cases the clutch pedal should be 1-2 cm higher than the brake pedal).
- - Park the vehicle on level ground and apply the parking brake.
- - start the engine and warm it up to operating temperature.
- - Shift into 1st gear and slowly release the clutch pedal. In this case, the engine of the car must not be allowed to stall. When gradually releasing the clutch pedal, note at what stage the engine begins to transmit torque to the wheels. If vibration occurs on the body, complete the work.
Visually try to divide the pedal stroke into 3 parts, if:
1. The clutch began to seize at the very beginning of the pedal stroke, which means the disc and its friction linings are in excellent or good condition. Most likely it was just recently installed.
2. Picking up torque begins in the middle of the pedal stroke, indicating 40-50% wear on the clutch disc.
3. The clutch seizes at the end of the pedal stroke or does not fully grasp at all (starts to slip). Wear in this case is approaching the final stage. If there is a burning smell, the clutch disc must be changed urgently, otherwise it may damage the flywheel.
In addition to this, vibration when starting off and slipping when driving at the moment of gas supply are also evidence of severe wear of the clutch disc.
How to check the release bearing
To begin with, it should be determined that the release bearings installed on modern passenger cars are of two types. The first type is a conventional release bearing for mechanical impact(usually with a clutch fork), and the second is hydraulic, using a fluid coupling. By design, the second option is considered more capricious, but its use is being used more and more often today.
Common symptoms of severe wear of the release bearing:
- there is a buzz when pressing the clutch pedal. Aconditioned by the fact that the torque and load begin to flow to the broken bearing, which in turn makes such sounds.
- occurrence of vibration at the moment of starting the car from a place, occurs due to the coaxial displacement of the working plane.
Hydraulic release bearings have:
1. Airing the hydraulic drive circuit through the hydraulic coupling cylinder. The pedal becomes soft, the clutch stops working.
2. A leak brake fluid through violation of oil seals and seals, as a result of which it will not work to turn off the clutch.
What a good clutch should look like:
The work on the transmission of torque occurs smoothly, without jerks and shocks.
The travel of the clutch pedal from the moment of engagement to the moment of disengagement is approximately half of the total distance.
Gear shifting occurs without a characteristic sound from not stopping the gearbox shafts.
When you press the clutch pedal, and exactly as when you release it, there should be no extraneous sounds
In general, the clutch system is considered a strong and reliable unit that does not require frequent and constant outside interference, and its resource and degree of wear largely depend on the style and place of driving.
A working clutch mechanism on a manual transmission is a guarantee of the safety of the driver and passengers of the car. The working resource of this node is quite high, but if used improperly premature wear secured. For those who love "sporty" driving with fast acceleration and frequent gear changes, the clutch needs to be repaired more often than those who prefer a calm driving style. However, from time to time it is necessary to check this mechanism in any case.
On most vehicles, both imported and domestic production assessing the condition of the clutch is easy. You can do it yourself without contacting service center.
Symptoms
Here are the main signs that are highly likely to suggest a clutch problem:
- At the moment of gear shifting, a crunch or rattle is heard from the box.
- When changing gear, the car starts to move jerkily.
- One or more speeds will not turn on.
- The transmission does not engage or disengage completely.
Any of these signs are strong argument in favor of checking the node.
How to check the clutch: method number 1
You can assess the condition of the mechanism by following these simple steps:
- Get in the car, close the doors and roll up the windows. Don't start the engine.
- Click on the clutch. Ideally, the pedal should move silently and smoothly, without getting stuck or falling through.
- If extraneous noises are heard, there are dips or jams, then this may indicate wear on the return spring (replacement is required).
- Next, turn on the engine in neutral and depress the clutch. If heard extraneous sounds, then, most likely, you need to replace the cable or bearing.
Method number 2
You can only check the assembly in this way if you are sure that the hand brake is in perfect condition:
- Pull up the handbrake.
- Start the engine.
- Depress the clutch and engage 1st gear.
- Release the pedal slowly.
If the engine speed slowly decreases, and it eventually turns off, then this means that everything is in order with the mechanism. If the motor does not stop working, then this may indicate a malfunction.
Method number 3
Here is another way to check:
- Start the engine on neutral gear and raise the handbrake.
- Fully depress the clutch pedal (do it smoothly).
- Wait a few seconds and turn on the reverse gear (it should turn on smoothly, without effort; if not, repair is needed).
- Alternately turn on the 1st and reverse gear. If everything is in order, there should be no jams, rattles and other anomalies.
What are the most common faults?
Most often there are problems with the closing / opening mechanism. The essence of the malfunction lies in the fact that the discs do not diverge well or are not pressed tightly enough against each other. In practice, this manifests itself in the fact that the clutch "leads" or "slips". There may also be accompanying symptoms:
- The smell of burnt metal in the cabin.
- Spontaneous braking when driving uphill.
- Loss of speed when changing gears.
If you notice at least one of these symptoms, we recommend that you contact a specialized service center as soon as possible, otherwise new breakdowns will occur, and with it the cost of repairs will increase. In addition, by not paying attention to the problem, you endanger yourself and other road users.
Is your car in need of maintenance? Then contact our car service! Professional auto mechanics will quickly identify the problem, perform repairs and return the car in perfect condition!
