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manual transmission drivers: replacing clutch

Spikesoldier

Spikesoldier

Diamond Member
ok i think its time for a new clutch, mines just STARTING to go ive been told. pedal effort is less and it doesnt catch as well as it used to.

my question is

at about what milage do you change the stock clutch

and

how much does a new regular clutch replacement / flywheel resurfacing cost at an independant shop?
 
Originally posted by: Spikesoldier
1999 mazda protege es 1.8l
Click to expand...

I just got my clutch changed for the first time. My older Mazda has 140,000 miles on it. A 1999 car should be fine. In my car the clutch fluid is shared with the brake fluid. I'm not sure if it's the same for you but it might be worth checking. Have you had brake work done lately?
 
There is no real answer to the first question, its going to totally depend on your driving habits and environment.

With one driver a clutch may last 200,000 miles.. with another it may only last 100,000 miles. The less you let it slip, the better... but you can't expect it to last forever, it's a wear item like brakes.

The answer to the second question is that it totally depends on the car.

FWD cars are generally considerably more expensive than a RWD car or truck.

Call around and find the best price.
 
how to tell your clutch is slipping...


Pull handbrake..

Put in first, release clutch without gas, if car continues to run = bad clutch, if it dies immediatley its good.. if its somewhere in between.. your fine for a while.
 
Originally posted by: Thera
Originally posted by: Spikesoldier
1999 mazda protege es 1.8l
Click to expand...

I just got my clutch changed for the first time. My older Mazda has 140,000 miles on it. A 1999 car should be fine. In my car the clutch fluid is shared with the brake fluid. I'm not sure if it's the same for you but it might be worth checking. Have you had brake work done lately?
Click to expand...

The first thing I'd check is the master cylinder and the slave cylinder considering the age of your car. These could cause the "less pedal" effort you describe if they are malfunctioning. If indeed the clutch is worn out, then it should run you no more than $400 total.

New clutch kit (clutch, throwout bearing, pressure plate) is $200 retail, $140 wholesale. Add about $15 for new tranny fluid and the rest is labor plus flywheel resurfacing.
 
would continuous *near* stalls kill my clutch or wear it faster? i had a girl drive my car around and she was a novice at stick and like she almost made it die like 8 times. my car is incredibly difficult to stall in. just when you think its going to die it springs back to life
 
i am also much harder on my car than others. i have been to the drag strip twice, for about 10 runs each. this was my first manual car and needless to say that i had to learn how to launch properly for racing purposes.
 
Originally posted by: Spikesoldier
would continuous *near* stalls kill my clutch or wear it faster? i had a girl drive my car around and she was a novice at stick and like she almost made it die like 8 times. my car is incredibly difficult to stall in. just when you think its going to die it springs back to life
Click to expand...

Doing it just 8 times won't kill it. Doing it 8 times a day for a month might.

My car has 186k miles on the first clutch and that includes both myself and my sister learning to drive on it.
 
Originally posted by: Spikesoldier
would continuous *near* stalls kill my clutch or wear it faster? i had a girl drive my car around and she was a novice at stick and like she almost made it die like 8 times. my car is incredibly difficult to stall in. just when you think its going to die it springs back to life
Click to expand...

I don't think it'd wear it out that fast, how many miles do you have on the car? If anything, perhaps the clutch friction surface got glazed, though unlikely. Did it smell of burnt clutch when you let this girl drive your stick? (Sorry for the wording 😉)
 
nope no glazing, but i think the pedal effort is like making the "distance" that there is to catch the clutch, (excuse my bad description)

but its like since there is less its more difficult for me to balance the clutch on a hill, and also to engage properly without concentrating alot on it.
 
Originally posted by: The_good_guy
how to tell your clutch is slipping...


Pull handbrake..

Put in first, release clutch without gas, if car continues to run = bad clutch, if it dies immediatley its good.. if its somewhere in between.. your fine for a while.
Click to expand...

not a good way to do it. that test is relational to the torque at idle of the car.

my camry would die if i dumped the clutch like that. even if the clutch were worn.
 
Originally posted by: Spikesoldier
nope no glazing, but i think the pedal effort is like making the "distance" that there is to catch the clutch, (excuse my bad description)

but its like since there is less its more difficult for me to balance the clutch on a hill, and also to engage properly without concentrating alot on it.
Click to expand...

What you describe sounds more like a problem with the clutch engagement point. In this case, I'd definately get the master and slave cylinder as well as the fluid chekced out. It could be low or leaking. If your clutch were worn, then to me, that would sound more like a situation where it took longer for it to engage (not really having to do with the position of the clutch pedal).
 
If I recall correctly, the last time I had to have it done was in 93. It was $1500 then. Probably closer to $2000 these days. Edmunds figures your car is worth about $5500 private party so it makes sense to get it fixed.
Most of the cost as far as I know is labor. So if you have a friend or know how to do it you can save a LOT of money.
 
I've seen people wear out clutches in 10,000 miles. Really not that hard to do if you're driving improperly. 200,000 miles isn't unreasonable at all as an upper limit. I do a lot of stop and go so I got about 100k out of mine, replaced it myself, $160 later it's good as new. I don't know what kind of shop would charge $1500 for a clutch, but um, FreeJack...well, I'll shutup there.
 
Originally posted by: Freejack2
If I recall correctly, the last time I had to have it done was in 93. It was $1500 then. Probably closer to $2000 these days.
Click to expand...

Uhhh...No. I got my engine + ECU + water pump + alternator + timing belt AND clutch replaced all for under $2000...
 
Originally posted by: Freejack2
If I recall correctly, the last time I had to have it done was in 93. It was $1500 then. Probably closer to $2000 these days. Edmunds figures your car is worth about $5500 private party so it makes sense to get it fixed.
Most of the cost as far as I know is labor. So if you have a friend or know how to do it you can save a LOT of money.
Click to expand...

Damn son...........I hope they used vasoline when you were bent over holding your ankles. I can get a factory rebuilt auto. trans. for that price and manuals are much cheaper, but we're talking clutch replacement, and since a clutch/pressure plate/throwout bearing kit is around $200 or so for most cars and labor for replacing should run in the $300 range, I'd say you got screwed. I did a clutch replacement on a car several years ago and paid $250 for labor...I provided the parts.

But these days I'm not very used to paying retail for parts or labor......guess it pays to have a brother who is a mechanic these days. Almost always free parts and labor is paid with a box of golf balls or new hard drive.
 
Originally posted by: Freejack2
If I recall correctly, the last time I had to have it done was in 93. It was $1500 then. Probably closer to $2000 these days. Edmunds figures your car is worth about $5500 private party so it makes sense to get it fixed.
Most of the cost as far as I know is labor. So if you have a friend or know how to do it you can save a LOT of money.
Click to expand...

:Q:Q:Q

No way.... Like someone else said, you could get a whole new engine+transmission for that much.....

If you have ever been charged 1500$ for "clutch work", you were severely ripped off..........
 
i paid $800 for a new clutch + some u joints...parts were around 350-400, the rest was labor...
'81 f250 4x4 with about 140k miles...

man it sucks when the cluch goes, hard to get goin 🙂 the new one is quite nice...

anyone have any advice on how to keep the clutch from wearing quickly?
 
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