Smelly clutch. ( I'm not Chinese btw )

[PaulIrons]

I tow a swift lifestyle 500 with a X-Trail 2.2 turbo diesel SVE of which are a perfect match for towing. The problem I get when I reverse onto a pitch that needs a bit more manoeuvrebility than normal is a right old pong inside the car, when on level ground its ok but on some sites that the pitches are a bit uneven this is when its at its worse. Im just wondering if its a commom occurence with others or is it the way Im driving.

 

[MickC1]

Hi Paul

I get it occasionally with by Terrano. But this is only when reversing up onto a sloping pitch at a tight angle. I think that you can almost get into a geometric lock which means that the car is effectively trying to push a solid object. It may also be the the caravan brakes are being applied which won't help. You'll probably find that a lesser car would just stall, but a more powerful vehicle will try it's best to keep going.

I wouldn't worry about it providing that it is restricted just to this type of manoeuvre.

 

[BigAl1]

I had the same with a Vauxhall Zafira 2.0 DTi

 

[Damian]

If your clutch is causing a smell, when manoeuvering, then it is slipping.

The alternatives are either make sure you take your foot fully OFF the clutch when moving, or get a motor mover fitted to your van, unless of course you dont mind paying out for a new clutch in a relatively short time, which btw, will NOT be covered by any vehicle warranty.

 

[parker1158]

Hi All

Agree with you there Damian, this forum seems full of people who think its ok if their clutch burns/smells when they are manoeuvering, it is not. if you get these symptoms then you are taking literally thousands of miles off the life of your clutch and push it that little bit to far and it will destroy itself in seconds.As I have posted before, during my days as a motor sport technician we tested clutches to destruction to find the best for our cars. When a clutch starts to slip the temperature rise inside the bell-housing is phenominal and when that temperature reaches a certain point the clutch simply disintegrates and the rise in temperature can also harden rear crank and/or gearbox oil seals causing a leak adding to the problems and the bill.

 

[Viking1]

Hi All

Agree with you there Damian, this forum seems full of people who think its ok if their clutch burns/smells when they are manoeuvering, it is not. if you get these symptoms then you are taking literally thousands of miles off the life of your clutch and push it that little bit to far and it will destroy itself in seconds.As I have posted before, during my days as a motor sport technician we tested clutches to destruction to find the best for our cars. When a clutch starts to slip the temperature rise inside the bell-housing is phenominal and when that temperature reaches a certain point the clutch simply disintegrates and the rise in temperature can also harden rear crank and/or gearbox oil seals causing a leak adding to the problems and the bill.

Iv got a cmaxs and my cluch did the same. I too posted a not on this page. I got the same anser as you got the drive of the car . some start by looking at whot you are doing with yoru feet fist. It will take a lot of time lern that most cars now days move slowel with no cluch on and no gas on. If you are pushing up hill so you will have to lead just to use the gas. I now this is hard to lean to do . Has yoru feet and mind thinck that riversing with a van on the back is has going forweds. I started revering with no van on car to lern to do this. We all have too some times take a step back to lean how to do thinks now days. so good look mark

 

[Viking1]

thanks marty mark

 

[PETER_5041220]

Hi,

i also have a 2.2dci x-trail and get the same smell on moving/reversing onto some pitches. It is impossible to let the clutch out fully when reversing slowly into a tight space or you'll end up in someone else's awning! It used to happen with my Freelander & CRV - thought perhaps it was a common problem with this type of vehicle - or am I doing something wrong? Took the car in for service and they said all was fine. Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks Peterc

 

[parker1158]

Hi Al again

It is virtually imposible to judge how worn a clutch is on a modern car until it is closer to complete failure. It is also unlikley that a garage would comment on a clutch that is working fine. When I posted on this subject before I made the observation that I avoid, if at all posible, reversing my van. Whenever i can I un-hitch and push it, although I appreciate I am young(ish)and pretty fit and well built, and I have a Lunar which are quite lite. I firmly believe its down to practice and driving style. Above all driving backwards is rather alien compared with going fowards and more so with a van on the back in that we tend to fix the revs and control the speed by 'riding' the clutch, solo its not so bad but trying to shove anything up to 1500kg its just to much for the poor clutch. When towing we tend to drive foward much the same only with more gas to shift the extra weight, reversing we may have more revs but slip/ride the clutch more and the more the revs the greater the heat that builds up around the clutch and bell-housing. If I do reverse I tend to do what you dont IE I reverse agresively but then to repeat myself I worked in motorsport for many years dragging cars on trailers all over the world on a weekly basis so I have had plenty of practice.As a matter of interest I tow with a CRV and never have a problem. As someone else commented the answer is a motor-mover I think this is their greatest attribute saving wear and tear on clutchs.

 

[Damian]

I agree with Martyn in what he says. Most people are not as good at reversing as they are at forward driving, and with a huge "lump" on the back, and more so with twin axle vans, you are asking far too much of the clutch,and fixing your revs to avoid stalling, and slipping the clutch causes it toburn,hence the smell.

A simple but similar experiment can be done athome, with an angle grinder and a piece of wood, fix the wood in a vice, start the angle grinder and bring it flat disc side down on to the wood, gently, it will only be seconds before you have smoke,and a few more before fire,,,,,well, thats whats happening to your clutch.

You are bringing a stationary friction plate into contact with a metal disc, spinning at 1000 to 1500 revs per minute,,,,SOMETHING has to give,,and its not going to be the flywheel, BUT,,keep doing it, slipping the clutch, and over time you WILL end up with heat stress fractures in the flywheel,,and if that disintegrates,its good bye to youe gearbox, bellhousing, clutch and anything else the hunks of metal hit.

 

[MickC1]

Hi All

Agree with you there Damian, this forum seems full of people who think its ok if their clutch burns/smells when they are manoeuvering, it is not. if you get these symptoms then you are taking literally thousands of miles off the life of your clutch and push it that little bit to far and it will destroy itself in seconds.As I have posted before, during my days as a motor sport technician we tested clutches to destruction to find the best for our cars. When a clutch starts to slip the temperature rise inside the bell-housing is phenominal and when that temperature reaches a certain point the clutch simply disintegrates and the rise in temperature can also harden rear crank and/or gearbox oil seals causing a leak adding to the problems and the bill.

Martyn, no-one is saying that it's OK. They're just saying that yes it happens. Now whether this is down to bad driving or bad luck is a different question. I said that it happens to me occasionally if I get it wrong. This isn't the norm, and my clutch is 12 years old. I used to tow 10 ton aircraft with a light weight LandRover and if you get it wrong then, you get more than a burning clutch to worry about.

Oh and Mark, get a spell checker mate