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How To Tell A Bad Clutch


HeadShoT2009
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Hi was wondering how you can tell when your clutch is gone/ or on the way out as my focus has 70350 on it and ive owned it since 66500 and ive only been driving about 2 years ( to begin with first year was borrowing my dads new car as i didnt have part time work yet) which was a diesel and only 20k on the clock and driving instrutors two 1.3 diesels which one had 45k and the second was brand new. So when i got mine as it petrol and older tje clutxh felt really different( first time in a petrol) thanks in advance

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I always thought if your biteing point on the clutch pedel was high that's when I is on it's way out.

I have drove a lot of different cars in my time and to be honest all clutches feel different.

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As suggested all cars will ‘feel’ different especially when changing between petrol and diesel. Clutch wear can generally be gauged by the pedal travel, if the pedal is over half way up before the biting point is found then there is a good chance it’s starting to wear out.

But unfortunately on some older cars it may simply be a badly adjusted clutch

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Hi was wondering how you can tell when your clutch is gone/ or on the way out as my focus has 70350 on it and ive owned it since 66500

right what makes you think the clutch is on the way out? Pretend your at the car doctors, what if any are the symptoms your suffering?

Where is the "biting point" of the clutch? ie: in relationship to the travel of the clutch pedal, from fully depressed [to the floor] to fully extended? If it's at the top or near top of the travel, that usually indicates it is "near" the end of it's working life. Don't get me wrong it can still go on for thousands of miles yet if at the near stage. Considering I have had clutches go in a Mondeo and a Focus circa 79/80k, you usually get for warning of imminent failure of the clutch.

Example:- you increase the revs especially in higher gears, yet the car does not speed up as it normally did [clutch slipping]

Test:- find a level bit of road or your drive. In park, hand brake on, in neutral, switch engine on, select third gear. Now balancing the clutch and gas, attempt to pull away in third gear. It is does, you have a good clutch, try it again but in fourth gear, if pulls away you have an excellent clutch. If on doing these tests your revs increase but the car does not pull away, the clutch is on the way out.

In effect what you are doing by doing those tests is this. You, by selecting higher gears are asking the clutch to prove how much it can lift [as if it was a weight lifter in a competition] Climbing gradients, overtaking these are both times when clutch failings are exposed. Doing it as I suggest, just means your doing it in an environment that does not expose you or other road users to the consequences of a failing clutch in traffic.

At 70350 you could well be near the time to needing the clutch replaced, all depends how it has been driven. There is no hard and fast rule, in that it goes at X amount of miles.

Edit: A Mk1 Focus like you have, Ford Dealer will be looking for £500+ to do the job. Well they did on a 1.8 Mk1 Focus I had back in December 2008. I got it done at an independent for £300, so add 17 months inflation onto those costs, for a ball park figure.

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What catch says, plus:

Drive along at about 20mph or so and put it into top (5th or 6th) and floor the accelerator.

If the car slowly builds up speed, then your clutch is ok. If it builds up speed but revs shoot up erratically, then this is a sign that your clutch is starting to slip.

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  • 4 years later...

i have a ford mondeo 1.6 diesel i have had dmf changed under warranty but not the clutch 2 years ago now i month from warranty end my clutch has gone still having same noises when cold farm tractor in ford dealer today to see if they will do clutch under warranty 29,000 miles any help

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High clutch from purchase of my Focus, never had an issue. Just been told that it's normal as it's a hydraulic clutch.

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Fords have a high bite new or old.... theres no way to tell my clutch went there was no slipping noises or issues it just went

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Don't modern clutches self adjust anyway? Last clutch (and only one) I had started to slip up hills but the biting point was the same after I had a replacement fitted?

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Most modern clutches self adjust, certainly the majority if not all of the clutches in modern Fords do. Focus clutches tend to have a high bite point even from new & mileage wise a clutch can go at 20K if the driver has been driving like a spanner (lots of burn outs/launch starts etc) or it can go well over 100K.

My Mk2 Focus 1.8 TDCI is on it's original clutch & has just passed 120K with no slipping or vibrations (famous last words) :rolleyes:

If it still drives OK I wouldn't worry TBH.

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My Focus is nearly at 128k, still on original clutch and is okay. My brother's mk4 mondeo is on 170k and still going on original clutch, and that gets abuse as it is a taxi

Sent via the 'Clacks'

GNU STP

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Most modern clutches self adjust, certainly the majority if not all of the clutches in modern Fords do. Focus clutches tend to have a high bite point even from new & mileage wise a clutch can go at 20K if the driver has been driving like a spanner (lots of burn outs/launch starts etc) or it can go well over 100K.

My Mk2 Focus 1.8 TDCI is on it's original clutch & has just passed 120K with no slipping or vibrations (famous last words) :rolleyes:

If it still drives OK I wouldn't worry TBH.

My clutch went on my old focus mk2 pretty much straight after it hit 120k

Knew something was wrong as it started to change gear erraticly, like I'd change up from 3rd to 4th, 4th to 5th etc and the revs would shoot right up pretty much red lining it and it would be hard to get them back down.

Another time was using cruise control, say I was driving along using the pedals, then pressed the resume button to return to my set cruising speed, again the revs would shoot right up really rapidly and as a result knock the cruise control off.

Knew something was up and I was actually driving to my mechanic to get it looked at when it completely died just coming onto the m42 20min away from my destination. I would have made the rest of my journey had it not been for complete morons hogging the outside lane repeatidly slamming their brakes on infront of me even though nothing was infront of them, then later getting bogged down in heavy traffic caused by scum bag lorrys drivers leap frogging each other on the a42. All of this meant I couldnt maintain a steady speed and had to keep clutching and braking and changing gear.

Clutch died, couldnt gain any speed, dropped from 70 - 60 - 50 - 40. Got dangerous, knew as soon as I stopped it wouldnt pull off again so I coaxed the poor old girl into the hard shoulder and she made the last 20mile journey to my mechanic on the back of an AA van.

Focus is currently on 125k and declared sorn as I now have a mondeo with 75k on it so whoever buys the focus will have a nice new clutch

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complete morons hogging the outside lane repeatidly slamming their brakes on infront of me even though nothing was infront of them, then later getting bogged down in heavy traffic caused by scum bag lorrys drivers leap frogging each other

Absolutely hate this!

Anyway, i wouldnt worry if its just a high clutch, its things like binding gears, binding in the clutch travel, vibrations and chattery noises and clutch slip that would be the signs of a worn clutch

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While your in 5th gear accelerate, if your revs climb but your speed doesn't, your clutch is slipping, as easy as that. You could also start the engine, keep your handbrake on and put the car in 2nd gear and try to drive off, if it stalls your clutch is ok.

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what about a clunking noise either before or after changing gear.

for example driving along, pop it in to a higher gear and after releasing the clutch I get a clunk, it feels like the sudden change of torque is doing it, even without changing gear an just doing the motion with the clutch does it, can some times do it with the accelerator but its usually the clutch that does it. no concern changing gear other than down to first in the morning. no slip whilst driving, taking off in second is possible, not tried 3rd and 4th yet

ive just hit 70k...

any thoughts?

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  • 2 weeks later...

The main thing i notice when a clutch is on its way out is the smell. They chuffing stink, bit like burnt hair.

Sent from my iPhone using Ford OC

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The main thing i notice when a clutch is on its way out is the smell. They chuffing stink, bit like burnt hair.

Sent from my iPhone using Ford OC

Similar smell when you slip it for a little way.

Another test (albeit dunno how useful) is putting it into 4th and letting the clutch up with the handbrake on. If it doesn't stall then the clutch has gone.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Ford OC mobile app

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  • 1 year later...

Not to dig up an old thread, but this seems to have been on/off since 2010 so feel it is appropriate.

 

I have recently bought a 2010 Ford Focus Titanium DPF 1.6 Diesel, I am very happy with the car (although not achieving the 70+mpg) but still good. My problem is something I have never experienced in my old car.

 

Driving up a steep-ish hill at 70mph in 5th gear, when I floor the accelerator the revs increase by around 500 for a second (the recommend change-up light illuminated - even though in top gear) and then drop back down to the normal 2100ish revs, change-up light goes off and the revs then start to raise slowly with the speed.

 

It just seems really odd to me, and wonder if others have experienced this and if it is a sign of a clutch on the way out?

 

Thanks in advance

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2 hours ago, TomG1987 said:

70mph in 5th gear, when I floor the accelerator the revs increase by around 500 for a second (the recommend change-up light illuminated - even though in top gear) and then drop back down to the normal 2100ish revs,

I would first check that the engine revs really are rising, and it is not an instrument problem.

On a manual car, when the clutch starts to slip, you have to release the throttle quite a lot to get it to re-engage. At least that is how it was on the two cars I have had with clutch slip.

It is possible that the heat of the slip is expanding the plate enough to make it grip, or oil on the plate is being burnt off.

Another indication of instrument/electrical problem is the change up light. I would not expect this come on at 2600rpm in top gear?

This is quite important, a clutch change would waste a lot of money if that was not the problem.

The above assumes it is a manual transmission. If auto, then it sounds like a possibly normal kick-down feature, dropping a gear briefly. The 1.6TDCI has max power at over 3500rpm, so it can give more acceleration like that.

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  • 3 years later...

Bit of a different subject iv got a 2012 1.6 tdci mk3 which shudders when accelerating any suggestions comes through pedals and steering as well as floors 

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12 hours ago, Stilo said:

Bit of a different subject iv got a 2012 1.6 tdci mk3 which shudders when accelerating any suggestions comes through pedals and steering as well as floors 

Most likely faulty injectors.  Though it's worth trying the fuel filter if that hasn't been done for a while.

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  • 11 months later...

Hi, I have a Ford fiesta Zetec s 2014 and the clutch slips and sounds like the engines reving in third. No foot on accelerator, just clutch and only in third and I get this racing sound then shunts into action. Any ideas? I bought this car from a private dealer and discovered it's been in some kind of accident due to bodywork issues on front end so wondering if related but what could be causing it. Any thoughts?

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is it a manual (with a normal gearbox and a clutch pedal) ?

any clutch can let go at any time, it depends how its been used (abused) and if any fluid is leaking on to it.

it's easier to work things out with a rev counter and if needed someone watching that as you watch the road.  at normal operating temp, on a slight up hill slope around 30 mph in 3rd gear, give it full throttle, the car should slowly accelerate normally, with the steady normal sound of an engine gently increasing revs alongside a steady rise in road speed.... (both needles moving at a similar speed, slowly round the dials together)

if the revs flare up or the rev counter can be seen to move rapidly round the dial without a corresponding increase in road speed... the clutch is slipping (letting go / not gripping and allowing drive to go through it correctly) this is very bad for a clutch and you should never operate it like this.  If its literally doing this under almost any condition, you need to budget 500 quid and get to a garage quickly before you get stuck

usually they should do 60 to 100k miles.  However poor driving, like holding on a slope waiting for a space to pull out or using the clutch to change engine revs so you do fewer gear changes, are both shocking ways to give premature failure / a potential breakdown and large unnecessary expenditure.  Used like this 15k miles can be the life of the clutch used up.

likewise any oil or fluid leak will cause it to slip very easily.

If you need to limp along saving for the parts.... use higher revs but alongside very little throttle, avoid hills, stopping and acceleration.... some people could get a slipping clutch to do another 20k

 

 

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as for faults in the way it works...

all clutches should have smooth pedal movement, up or down feeling the same.

the gear lever should move smoothly across any gear at any engine temp / engine speed (clearly don't ever put in 1st at 100mph and if you try don't take foot of the clutch pedal)

on all focus' the pedal should have a light, easy and reasonable travel action and bite with about another 2" of upward movement of the pedal

if the pedal seems high and or getting higher and bites very late its worn out

upon take off there should be no funny noises or judder... if there is, something is worn, broken, dirty or contaminated with fluids

clutch movement should not produce any squeals, noises or vibrations

 

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  • 11 months later...

Just jumping in on this thread as I have similar symptoms and have googled it to death - two issues which I've always thought were related but reading this possibly not...

I have a 2014 2.0 diesel mondeo, 130,000 on the clock. I've noticed these symptoms for a long time but no garage has got to the bottom of it, no warning lights or codes but so annoying to drive. It doesn't happen all the time, seems to come and go during a journey but happens at least every time I drive.

So, upon hard acceleration after changing gear (like pulling away at lights) through all the gear changes there is a real lag in acceleration - a good 1/2 to 1 second of nothing, then it picks up speed. I haven't particularly noticed revs going crazy but I'll pay more attention to that. It continues to cruise quite happily once up to speed. Like I say, this isn't all the time, but at some point into a journey it will start doing it, then maybe later in the same journey it will stop.

What I've noticed though and I have thought they were linked, is that when it seems to be experiencing the lag problem, the fan is also on and there is a low, quick thumping sound coming from behind the dash. It's noticeable when you pull up stationary at lights say, hear the fan/thumping, then I know it's going to play up when pulling away.

I'm going to try the clutch test others have recommended on here, but is there any way these symptoms could be linked or is it just coincidence? Or does anyone have any other ideas? Other than that it's a lovely car to drive and I really don't want to have to change it! I'd happily (ish) pay to have the clutch done if that cured it, it's just infuriating not being able to diagnose.

Thanks in advance for anyone reading this!

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