You don’t need us here at Hummel’s Automotive & Diagnostic Repair to tell you that you can’t drive your automobile if your clutch has gone out. The clutch is one of the most important parts of a manual transmission. When you press down on the clutch, you move the power away from the engine and transfer it to the transmission so the drivetrain will turn. Without the clutch, you can’t transfer this power or shift gears. Here are five signs that your clutch is going out.
1. Unusual Noises
Using your clutch should be a silent affair. You shouldn’t hear squeaking or grinding noises, nor should you hear grumbling noises. If you hear strange sounds when you depress and release the clutch, it’s possible that there is a problem with the internal mechanisms. If you hear grinding when you shift gears, the power transfer between the engine and transmission is incomplete.
2. Gear Problems
Aside from grinding sounds when shifting gears, other gear problems include an inability to shift through the gear cycle or an inability to get your car, truck, or utility vehicle into gear. This is a sign that your clutch has slipped and it is unable to remove the power from the engine and transfer it to the transmission. Replacing the clutch will restore your ability to shift the gears.
3. Strange Sensations
Your clutch should always feel the same underneath your foot. You should get the same resistance from the clutch each time you use it. If the clutch sticks, vibrates, or sinks to the floor without catching, this is a sign that the clutch has worn out and needs to be replaced. A clutch can also begin to feel spongy underneath your foot and this, too, signals a need for a clutch adjustment or replacement.
4. Acceleration Loss
A bad clutch will slip. When your clutch slips, your engine may rev high but your vehicle will not accelerate. This means the clutch has not engaged even though you have pressed down on it. Any time you try to accelerate and the engine revs but you have no power means that the power transfer has not been completed from the engine to the transmission.
5. Slipping Clutch
Finally, a slipping clutch will cause you to lose power much like we described above. It may also smell hot when you press down on it. You may notice that the catch point has changed, and this, too, and signal a problem with the clutch. When the clutch slips, it, again, cannot transfer the power appropriately.
Let Hummel’s Automotive & Diagnostic Repair in St. George, UT, help. Call us today to schedule an appointment for a clutch inspection.
