Clutch Life...?

[Ferret]

What symptoms would bad/breaking release bearings or damper springs yield?

Also, what exactly is a catastrophic plate failure? The plate cracking or something?

sorry and thanks!!

Busted damper springs cause the clutch plate to make a 'crack' noise when you're engaging the clutch - also makes a crack if you stand on the gas when you've been in overrun mode.

'Catastrophic' hmm, that would be when one of your damper springs jumps ship and straight between the clutch disk and flywheel plate - or your release bearing disintegrates and does something similar. Release bearing is usully the less gentlemanly of the failures as they have a nasty habit of ripping off the clutch plate fingers. All usually resulting in a rather uncivilised loud bang. (Your bank cards will make a suicide bid at this point in time usually.)

Signs that your release bearing is on the way out are usually rumbling, grinding noises as you put your foot on the clutch pedal - that or it squeals like a stuck pig.

[bbig119]

I had to replace my clutch on the 540 a couple weeks ago. The car had a auto-manual swap done about 100k ago. I'm told that's a decent life for an M60 clutch.

One day I noticed a severe reduction in accelleration, and the rpms were shooting up-- slipping. It got worse and unfortunately I kept driving on it and killed the flywheel.

I got the car in May of 06 and only put a couple thousand miles on it since. During that time the clutch engaged higher that most other cars, and the actual engagement travel distance was rather long.

Another observation is that I can't recall ever breaking the wheels loose on a takeoff(I didn't really try to either), but since the clutch job its much more jumpy and quick to engage. I've broken then loose a couple times without thinking accidently. Its also possible that the cooler weather is reducing the traction of my summer tires making it easier for them to break, but I'm certain the new clutch has something to do with it.

Hope that helps. Bottom line, don't drive on it if you think its starting to slip. A new flywheel costs at minimum $700 which is almost as much as it it would cost for the clutch kit and install.

[Jon K]

I dunno mine lasted about 8 miles.

[Jon K]

Fetch - on most transmissions there is an "Inspection window" on the underside of the trans. Pull rubber grommet out and have a look.

[Fetch]

I dunno mine lasted about 8 miles.

lol

I remember seeing that little window on my 750, I haven't noticed one on the 530, but I'll defiantly be looking for and taking a picture of that next time I'm under there.