Is it my clutch... Options

[blackbullet]

When I drive and my car is in gear, I gas it and it just revs up the enging and then catches on? I was wondering if its my clutch that is going out? and from this point how long can i still go until geting a new one? thanks.

[GriffGirl]

Sounds like your clutch is just about gone. Best to replace it as soon as you can; I wouldn't drive it like that, but that's me.

[Random_Stranger]

Just to add, my mom is currently having this problem with her Jeep. It is an automatic and I told her it was issues with the clutch. She has a specialist who has been working on her car for many many years and they are very good, honest, and do not charge an arm and a leg. However when she took it in....... With the same exact problem mind you..... They said it was fine and nothing wrong with it. Now either they didn't catch it, or it was something so minor they didn't even bother to charge her for it.

But I think it is a clutch related issue as well. Should have it checked out.

[GriffGirl]

With the automatic, when the transmission starts slipping it's not a clutch issue, it's the transmission itself. I've had two automatics, both Toyotas actually, that did that, and in both cases no one could find anything wrong either. Eventually the transmissions just died completely.

Edit: I didn't want to spout off before I was sure, but automatic transmissions don't have a clutch. They use a torque converter to electronically accomplish what a clutch manually does. So it's definitely not your mom's clutch.

This post has been edited by GriffGirl: Oct 15, 2008 - 3:19 PM

[Random_Stranger]

With the automatic, when the transmission starts slipping it's not a clutch issue, it's the transmission itself. I've had two automatics, both Toyotas actually, that did that, and in both cases no one could find anything wrong either. Eventually the transmissions just died completely.

Edit: I didn't want to spout off before I was sure, but automatic transmissions don't have a clutch. They use a torque converter to electronically accomplish what a clutch manually does. So it's definitely not your mom's clutch.

Oooooooooooh...... Yeah but knowing this, you would think they would source the problem. When my clutch went out, it was rubbing and I could smell it burning up. Then I was like "One more day I will not drive it and just tow it to get fixed". That was the scariest $#!T ever. I took the freeway, because I had to go into 3rd/4th gear redline just to get it to go to 20MPH. So I took the freeway, straight shot. Maxed the car at 65MPH and when a small incline on the freeway, it lost down to 55MPH. Then the stop off the freeway, Redlined and pushed hard to get it to go 15MPH, and I quickly turned at the next stop light, no cars and turned into my driveway. So scary. Now it is rubbing again, I am taking that in. It was losing power though a long time before that, I just thought I wasn't doing it right, and had to remind myself I have been driving stick since I was 18.