Smokin wife or Burning clutch smell?

mtbguy · 04:46 AM

Okay, so sometimes I can show poor judgement....

After much work on my 87 Carrera this summer- top overhaul, new clutch, etc, etc. my car has been returned to reliable daily driver status. In a moment of weakness this evening I asked my wife (who has had many manual shift cars in the past- but not in five years or so) if she wants to drive the 911.

She proceeds to slip the clutch repeatedly up to 2500-3000 rpms or so through five stoplights at which point I start smelling the (brand new) clutch burnt smell (about the time I ask her to pull over!). I don't know why she was doing this but it was like teaching a teenager to drive. I can understand it a slipping it a bit going into first but this was going on in 1st, 2nd, 3rd. There is nothing wrong with the car mechanically, just operator error. The clutch has about 2000 miles on it and has never smelled before.

It was a pretty quiet drive home the last few miles but I am concerned if there is any long term wear associated with this- just how much life does this take out of the thing if this is an 10-15 minute isolated incident? Are these clutches pretty tough or did I just lose 20,000 miles of clutch in ten minutes? I'd rather get her another Miata to practice on than go through another expensive engine drop in the 911.

Thanks!

na2ub · 10-24-2007, 08:10 PM

That's pretty funny (the silence on the way home part). If it was a brand new clutch, then it must be baby'd for the first 500 miles or so. Otherwise it will burn. I would smell mine just getting on the highway to quickly. Don't worry about it and break it in. Clutch life is all relative, anyway.

mtbguy · 10-25-2007, 04:48 AM

Thanks!

Greek55 · 10-25-2007, 04:55 AM

Your are fine. A new clutch will smell and they are not that fragile. If she drove it like that for a long period of time, like dailey for 6 months, you could have a problem.

Blanco · 10-25-2007, 05:01 AM

I'm also finishing stages of an engine drop for clutch replacement.

I don't think I'd let my SO drive mine. She can hardly drive an automatic.

Rusty Heap · Rusty Heap's Garage

Drive it hard till it starts to smoke, jackrabbit starts, rev it high and long, and oh, for the other problem with the clutch? Baby it, but use it too, they're both meant to take use within limits.

Mysterytrain · 10-25-2007, 06:12 AM

New clutch is cheaper then a new wife..trust me on this.

masraum · 10-25-2007, 06:52 AM

She may have taken 10 or 20 or even 50 shifts out of the clutch. I suspect at worst, it was 100 miles out of 100,000 if I had to pick numbers. It's not a big deal. If she drove it daily for a year like that it may be a problem.

wilke3169 · 10-25-2007, 07:01 AM

We need pictures. Of the smokin' wife that is...

Quicksilver · 10-25-2007, 07:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mysterytrain

New clutch is cheaper then a new wife..trust me on this.

The new wife isn't the expensive one. She is cheap compared to the old wife...

onboost · 10-25-2007, 09:08 AM

+1 Oh yeah!!

mtbguy · 10-25-2007, 09:33 AM

Good advice on the car AND spouse everyone......

dimeified · 10-25-2007, 11:34 AM

Before i bought my car, I didn't know how to drive stick. I saw the car for sale, and fell in love with it. I decided there was no way i WASNT going to learn stick, cause this car is too bad ass to not be mine. So you can imagine the abuse my clutch has been through with me learning on the car after i picked it up. Clutch is still strong tho.

DanielDudley · 10-25-2007, 02:34 PM

As long as it doesn't chatter - well the clutch anyway.

Steve 82SC · 10-25-2007, 02:52 PM

My wife and I have been together for about 30 years. Her everyday driver is a stick. When I met her, she had a 78 Z28 Camaro with a stick. When we were dating, I never pointed out the mistakes she was making regarding clutch engagement, short-shifting, etc. However, when we got married and I was now paying for the cars, I became insistent regarding the correct method of clutching and shifting. I actually forced her to sit in the garage one day while I removed the single dry plate clutch from the transmission of one of my BMW airhead bikes. At first, she was pissed, but now appreciates the experience. She now actually understands what is occurring regarding clutch engagement and how improper usage can put needless wear on components. I didn't get dinner that evening, but it was worth it in the money I've probably saved in clutch components.

Steve

eR1c · eR1c's Garage

I just had a very similar situation. Let the wife drive the car today. She revved it to like 6500rpm off the line and didn't let out on the clutch all the way. She kind of rode the clutch at high rpm for about 40 yards. That undeniable smell of burnt clutch came next!
The engine still has a tad of that burnt clutch smell even after it's been shut off and sitting for about 5 hours, yet I am sure it will be gone after the next drive (provided I drive).

I too was worried that this could damage the clutch, but glad to hear in the large scheme of things it probably hasn't hurt anything.

She's not used to driving a car like this (they require a certain amount of skill and practice) -this was her first time trying it out.
Note: I didn't give her a hard time, I was and am still happy that she enjoyed the drive. For the most part she did pretty well. -just some of the take off's and downshifting.

3.2 CAB · 04-06-2008, 05:21 AM

I have seen some high powered, high torque cars loose their clutch in the first few minutes of driving. I believe that there was one shown on the car and driver show had an Enzo or another $$$$$$$ they were going to test drive, the driver never made it through a complete run on the gears before he had burnt the clutch out of it.