Whether you are a long-time manual transmission owner or new to stick shift cars, it’s important to know how your vehicle works and how to take care of it. The way you handle your clutch on the road affects its health and longevity. Understanding how it functions and best practices for operation can help you avoid calling a tow truck after your clutch wears out while you’re stuck in rush hour traffic.
What is a Clutch?
A clutch acts as a bridge between the car’s engine and gearbox, transmitting power to and from the wheels. Controlled by the left-most pedal, it allows the driver to momentarily disconnect the engine’s energy from the transmission, enabling the driver to smoothly shift through gears without interrupting the function of the engine. While the clutch’s framework is made up of many parts, there are three main elements to understand:
- The Flywheel: Connected to the engine’s crankshaft, the flywheel is a disk that rotates with the engine. Storing rotational energy, the flywheel kickstarts the engine’s combustion process, keeps the car running even when you’re not accelerating, and evens out the changes in the engine’s speed.
- The Clutch Plate: The clutch plate is located between the flywheel and the pressure plate. This thin disk connects or disconnects the two by applying friction, with the friction material that covers either side of it.
- The Pressure Plate: The pressure plate is engineered to secure the clutch plate in place while the pedal is raised, causing it to connect with the flywheel so the car keeps driving. When the pedal is pushed down, the pressure plate lifts off the clutch plate, disconnecting it from the flywheel and removing the power from the engine to the wheels.
Each of these components comes together to create the clutch system, and is looked over when you take your car in for servicing.
Automatic VS. Manual Transmissions
Even though an automatic transmission won’t have that far left pedal or gearbox, seen in a manual transmission, they do have an internal clutch that works with a torque converter. A torque converter is a fluid connecting device that allows power to move from the engine to the wheels, shifting gears automatically. There are many benefits to having either an automatic or manual transmission. Most people prefer the easy use of an automatic transmission and its convenience in stop-and-go traffic. Those in favor of a manual transmission enjoy the control they have over shifting gears and acceleration, as well as the manual transmission’s lower cost.
How to Extend Clutch Life
The average lifespan of a clutch can fall anywhere between 20,000 and 150,000 miles, typically lasting about 60,000 miles before needing to be replaced. Though wear is inevitable when driving your car, there are a few things you can do to increase the longevity of your clutch’s life.
- Avoid Riding the Clutch: Constantly leaving your foot on the pedal will wear the clutch out over time. The tiniest bit of pressure affects the clutch’s system, meaning that you shouldn’t rest your foot on the pedal when you’re not shifting gears. Instead, practice leaving your left foot flat on the floor next to your pedal to avoid extra wear.
- Keep Your Hand Off the Shift: Much like riding the clutch, when you rest your right hand on the gear shift, the extra weight applies unnecessary pressure to the shift fork, damaging the gear system. Make a habit of keeping your hand on the steering wheel, only holding the stick shift when changing gears.
- Change Gears Quickly: When shifting gears in a manual transmission vehicle, change gears quickly. This will help prevent stalling and a sluggish or jerky acceleration that will create extra friction and wear on the clutch plate.
- Gently Accelerate: Forcing the car to launch at high speeds from a stop can overheat and warp the flywheel, or shatter the plates, causing unnecessary and dangerous damage to your car. Similarly, pushing into high gears when driving at lower speeds puts extreme pressure on rod bearings and causes unnecessary damage. Shift gears as you accelerate with the vehicle’s speed, gently pulling away from stops and slower speeds.
- Stay in Neutral at Stops: Refrain from leaving your car in a higher gear or shifting it into a lower gear when stopped. After braking and coming to a complete stop, it is best practice to shift the car into neutral and remove your left foot from the clutch pedal while your right foot stays on the brakes. This reduces extra wear on the pressure plate and extends the life of your clutch.
Clutch and Transmission Services
If you notice signs of a worn-out clutch, such as scraping noises or stuck gears, make an appointment with Ray’s Muffler for professional diagnostics and inspection. For over 45 years, our family-owned business has been providing the best transmission repair services in Bountiful, Utah. We provide quality transmission rebuild services that keep your vehicle working correctly and prevent future replacements. Call Ray’s Muffler at 801-292-4731 for expert manual transmission care today.
