How long should it last

even at its worst?

with a standard untuned car

60k seems to be a common number, even the local taxi companies moan about that

so my clutch going @ 32,000 miles is really bad

and most of my mileage is motorways :confused:

It's dependant on how you drive - my grandmother managed to burn out a clutch on her 205 (1.1 - wow!) in just over 4000 miles through poor driving.

Do you slip the clutch a lot or drive with your foot resting on the pedal?

The quickest way to burn out a clutch is not using the handbrake for hillstarts (and holding on inclines using it too)

i always use hand brake at lights hills n junctions

but i dont take it out of gear just force my foot right down on the clutch so should be out ??

also don't ride the clutch

I'm more worried it's something else

as Skoda are gonna make me pay for the new clutch when i don't think it's my fault or could be something different

here's what im getting

only in 4th 5th and 6th

drive along at a steady 2,000rpm(or just over)

put foot down

and rev counter runs away to 3,000 then drops back to 2,250 etc

i.e seems like a wobbley needle

1st 2nd and 3rd all seem fine

and occurs with traction set to both on and off

:confused:

32k on mine and all seems fine (albeit abit of clutch slip if I boot from too low down the rev range).

As other have said it depends on your driving style

Hi

I agree with the above.

Also accelorating in 6th gear is no good for it either.

Sorry :(

Sarah

so the clutch really will only last an average of 35,000 miles :eek:

:eek: what bout everyone who has tuned there cars they only gonna last 10,000 miles or something :eek:

i had no signs

until a few days ago

im upto about 32,000 and expect it to be gone by 35,000

I could guess art how long it would last but i think i'd just be CLUTCHing at straws! Geddit?!

hhmmm this doesn't seem a long time for a clutch, I had a saxo VTR used as a learner car, and the clutch lasted until the gearbox broke at 115,000 miles! I would expect it to last 100,000 miles.

but then I sit in traffic ques with my handbrake on and watch the person infront, edge their car forward biting the clutch five or six times, when the que has hardley moved (riding it each time they bite and edge) and then when there's space, I lift my clutch gently, dont edge dont ride, and let it all the way up, then let the tickover take me to the end of the que. hence, the person in front wears their clutch out ten times more than me (never letting it all the way up) (and I use my clutch once), in that traffic cue moment alone!!, think how much more hammer the other person has done compaired to me by the time we get to the end of the road?! (eccalsall road is my exaple for those living in Sheffield!)

I find it's more relaxing using the hand brake and sometimes I will knock it out of gear if the traffic is really slow

or turn the engine off if its dead

thats what really confuses me is I thought I treated my clutch really nice

The amount of torque the VTR has at those revs is non-existent (no offence) compared to what the PD130 engine sticks out at 2k rpm. That said I totally agree with the rest of your post

If you plant it with 2k rpm on the rev counter, and you're in 5th/6th, you are putting a LOT of strain on the clutch. The standard clutch won't last as long if you do that.

I've done 26k and there is zero sign of slippage - I'd be shocked if there was as apart from a green filter (which probably has been removed by the garage ) and the PD160 air intake, the car is standard engine wise.

Next year things will change but I'm saving up for a replacement clutch, will no doubt end up having to deal with that cost at some point LOL

Hi

I am having trouble understanding how using a lot of acceleration in higher gears wears the clutch out or puts strain on it. Anyone care to explain?

Chris

It's not that 'as such' - it's when you do it at low revs.

You get the highest spike in torque. The engine will take it for sure, the gearbox does too. The amount of force required to accelerate the car is high at speed, loads of air resistance, tyre friction etc. Relatively speaking the clutch gets the worst amount of force put through it at that point.

Nothing wrong with accelerating in the higher gears though, just don't start too low in the rev range.

Hi

The clutch is a friction lining, a consumable like the brakes. Now if the clutch is fully engaged, there is no wear occurring no matter how much force the engine is dolling out. The wear is a result of the clutch being allowed to slip. The metal plate removes lining from the friction plate as they rub together. Once it is worn, you will first begin to see the effects in higher gears as the engine speed flare becomes more aparent. In lower gears, you will notice it less because the cars acceleration masks it more. In higher gears, you also spend more time in each gear, so the creep / slip will heat the lining surface more. Also, once it begins to slip, the effect is to accelerate wear by quite a high degree. All these effects only apply to a clutch that is already worn out.

Now if you uprate te engine beyond the clutches normal working limit, there can be creep, which is when the plates are being rubbed against each other under the full force of the clutch spring. This also leads to fast wear and obvious slipping in te long run.

When the throttle is open in 1st, the clutch sees the same torque as when the throttle is open in top.

What kills the clutch is material loss from the lining and this is only happening when the clutch is partially engaged. Sure fire ways to speed the process along are big high rev launches off the line, slipping the clutch in 2nd instead of doing the right thing and changing down, riding the clutch at junctions and particularly on hills. The more revs while any of this is being done, the greater the wear.

Use of the torque to accelerate in higher gears will not lead to premature wear of the clutch, but will show up a wear problem if you have one.

Chris

agreed chris, If it slips at low revs in high gear, its already worn, accelerating hard from low revs in high gear wont wear it prematurely, unless its already worn, (I drive everywhere in 6th [above 40mph] when not chasing yashimacat down derbyshire roads over ice! or wanting to drive fast, lol..) and the second gear thing too, if you need to slip the clutch in second, and cant just let it up, you should be in first! so many "normal" drivers do this in second at junctions, in traffic ect, and this slipping wears the surfaces........

so lisening to all this

My clutch has still worn out really early :eek:

and i can't understand why

I never ride the clutch or pull away in 2nd and only put foot down once in gear

also whats the normal price to get a clutched replaced?

as i feel £350 is a bit steep?

£350 seems about right at a dealer, Will.

£600 for the 400 lb/ft clutch. materials only.

What do you mean not thrashing it? I remember a certain incident on a dual carriageway outside Bridgwater!

35k is too quick though in my opinion.

Hmmmmmm

Should I be concerned about a my impending one-click upload with a clutch that has done 44500 miles?

Hmmmmmm

Should I be concerned about a my impending one-click upload with a clutch that has done 44500 miles?

I thought i was really carefull with my clutch

it maybe some oil leak on it or something :confused:

as i hear that wears them out this quick or quicker

so if it is an oil leak

you shouldn't need to worry about your clutch

also if it is an oil leak on the clutch whats the best way to check this?

and what else could this harm :confused:

Tak to the dealer, explain that you think it's prematurely worn and you believe there to be a manufacturing fault or something - maybe email skoda uk and see if they'll meet you half way. Tell them you have never replaced a clutch before etc despite covering high mileages so it can't be driving style etc... They might meet you half way.

I thought i was really carefull with my clutch

it maybe some oil leak on it or something :confused:

as i hear that wears them out this quick or quicker

so if it is an oil leak

you shouldn't need to worry about your clutch

also if it is an oil leak on the clutch whats the best way to check this?

and what else could this harm :confused:

Hi

Driving style can wear a clutch out quickly. Fast starts are the prime suspect. Also, keeping ones foot resting on the clutch pedal when in gear and driving can start a creep related wear off.

35,000 does seem an awfully short service life for a clutch though. An inspection will determine if oil has got onto the lining.

Chris