When Should You Repair or Replace Your Clutch Pressure Plate
The clutch is a critical part of a manual transmission vehicle as it connects the engine with the gearbox. It provides the motive force for the car.
Clutch pressure plates also go through high wear and tear depending on your driving style and your environment.
If you drive your vehicle in bumper-to-bumper city traffic, the clutch wear will be more than moving in moderate traffic conditions or on the highway. Similarly, you drive your car in hilly areas, you will see more clutches wear than going in the plains.
But how can you identify when your clutch is about to pack up?
Below are some warning signs that you need to identify to get adequate time to get to the workshop.
Slippage
Clutch slippage is the primary sign of a worn-out clutch plate. It reduces your car’s pick-up and increases engine rpm than necessary for a given speed before the vehicle matches up.
Such a slippage happens when all the friction materials on the clutch page worn out. And that’s the time when you need to replace the clutch friction plate.
The slippage problem can reduce your car’s fuel economy, so never ignore this part.
Shuddering
Another sign that shows if you have problems on the clutch pressure plates is excessive shuddering when you release the clutch pedal, mostly at low speeds.
If you drove through water-logged roads, this could be due to contamination on the clutch plate’s surface like grease or oil, or even water and sludge.
If you find the shuddering goes away after running for a while, then you don’t need to worry much. But if you see it remains, it could mean that the clutch pressure plate is worn and not pushing the clutch friction plate against the engine flywheel properly.
Sometimes a misaligned gearbox and engine due to a lousy gearbox or engine mount also come with similar symptoms.
Grinding Noise
Sometimes you may hear a chirping noise coming from the gearbox or engine area when you press the clutch pedal and release it. The sound would usually go away when you press down the clutch pedal. But as soon as you release the clutch, it will again come back.
Also, sometimes you may hear a humming or grinding noise. That’s a symptom of a worn clutch release bearing. Although, you can replace the clutch release bearing (CRB). But if you don’t check on time, it could lead to a bent clutch fork. A bent clutch fork is a mechanism that releases or pushes the clutch inside the clutch housing.
It can cause pressure plate problems, and ultimately you need to change the entire clutch assembly.
The trouble with Shifting Gears
Another problem indicative of clutch failure is when you find it challenging to shift gears even after pressing the clutch.
The gear will either refuse to move from neutral to another or move out of a given gear into neutral. And even if you can do it, you will hear a greeting or gnashing noise.
This is because the clutch doesn’t release fully even though you press down on the pedal. Such a problem isn’t associated with clutch plate failing. Still, it points to a leaking slave cylinder (in the case of a hydraulic clutch system), bent clutch fork, or a poorly adjusted clutch cable linkage in mechanical clutches.
You can sort this out by making a simple adjustment in mechanical linkages. Also, you can replace the clutch fluid and slave cylinder in hydraulic clutch systems.
Things to Replace If You Identify a Problem
If you do half clutch to crawl in city traffic, you may need to replace clutch pressure plates frequently.
If you find clutch slippage, then you need to replace the engine clutch plate assembly. And if you are shuddering too, you need to replace the clutch friction plate assembly and pressure plate.
If you hear a chirping noise, then you may need to change the clutch release bearing. The trouble with shifting gear requires a minor repair. If it is a cable-operated clutch mechanism, then making a simple adjustment to the linkage can solve this problem. However, for the hydraulic mechanism, inspect the clutch fluid level and replace it if required.