How long should a clutch last?

6 speed or F-1 ?

 

5000 miles sounds low for a manual. The first clutch in my 328 lasted 13,000 miles (previous owner), which frankly isn't all that long.

Maybe your driving habits are "clutch-intensive". Letting it slip while engaging first, keeping the clutch disengaged (pedal down) at lights, etc., can shorten clutch life quite a bit.

 

engaged doesn't hurt a clutch, disengaged doesn't hurt a clutch but is hard on the throwout bearing, partially disengaged creates heat and destroys clutches. If not using the clutch foot needs to be on the dead pedal, not resting on the clutch pedal. My 328 clutch lasted ~60,000 miles.

 

Totally depends on driver and how you drive it.

I've gotten as little as 2000 miles (track car) and as much as 80,000 (old DD) out of a clutch.

 

+1....but 5000 miles sounds way too low for a new clutch to be going

 

I'm still on the original clutch and I now have 7800 on it. Mine and it's as good as new.

 

if you have to ask.....

 

It depends on the Driver, I have 125,000 miles on my Focus same clutch, I'm easy on clutches. I have no problem getting 100,000 Miles + out of a clutch. Sitting at lights with your foot on the clutch is the one of worst things you can do. I take my car out of gear waiting for a light.

 

It depends alot on driving style IF you use clutch slip to enhance launch Beach Boys Shutdown style, with slow release and highly revved engine, not letting off throttle while shifting and letting clutch take up the slack etc then a short clutch life is to be expected. Not having full pressure plate pressure on clutch due to improper adjustment or keeping foot resting on clutch will cook one in short order. The clutch wears when it is slipping against the flywheel and pressure plate. When fully engaged or disingaged no clutch wear.
With 5000 mile clutch life is time to examine driving habits and make sure it is fully engaging.
Been long time since replaced a clutch here due to wear slipping--Son has put over 150 000 on his Jeep Cherokee clutch since he got it for a total of 225 000 and no slipping. V10 Dodge truck at 115 000 miles including towing off road etc has no signs of clutch slip. In X1/9 replaced clutch at 32 000, but that was due to bad throwout bearing damaging pressure plate, replaced clutch while had it apart, but the disk showed minimal wear. I have put 9000 on the Mondial for a total of 40 000 but dont know if it had previous replacement.

 

The clutch may be slipping due to a contaminant on the disc, not necessarily wear. Have it pulled apart and you might find there is a seal leaking somewhere. If the clutch plate is worn out in 5000miles I would be asking questions.

 

Maybe should cross-reference this to the 'shifting styles' thread... my 308 clutch is 7 years old, over 70,000 ks and no problems (I always double-declutch back, teeny pause thru neutral on the way up, shift at the rev point where I'm going to end up (ie low around town, higher on the highway, only go anywhere near redline on the track), and yes, foot off when not engaging.

 

I have a 2000 360 6-speed with 35K on the same clutch.

 

I'm on my 4th Ferrari never worn out a clutch. Made a homemade clutch for my 348 racecar never wore that one out either. I have no idea how people wear these clutches out in less than 75k miles. F1's are a different story.

 

360 F1 125,000 miles and just started on 3rd clutch. Second only died from a bad oil seal soaking the clutch.


86TR 225,000 miles. Just installed 3rd clutch.

 

That's what I'm talking about! Confrimation from an opinion that really counts.

 

And I thought I used my car. That is awesome mileage!! Bet they run well too.

 

Most clutches wear out prematurely due to the driver.

 

Very good.

They do after Brian finishes with them!

 

I got 135,000 out of my clutch on a 1980 Toyota and currently have 177,000 on a 1995 Nissan. I replaced my 328 clutch at 25,000, probably prematurely, but that was due to previous owner's driving habits. I hope to get about 75,000 miles or more out of the new one, since I drive it harder than the other cars.

I try to be as precise as possible when sensing the engagement for applying power and staying very smooth so that you barely feel the gear change, but still doing a quick gear change. Driving on flat surfaces versus a lot of hilly terrain with stopping at lights may help too. I don't know, others may know better.

 

A fat torque curve at the lower revs coupled with a low first gear decreases the need to slip the clutch on take off and so makes for longer life as well.

 

Hello ¡¡¡
One question: Did you usually use manual gearbox cars before this one,or the 360 is your only(and first) manual gearbox car???

I learn to drive with manual gearbox cars when I was a child,because is the normal way in my country and most regions in Europe.
The life of the clutch depends of the driver and the kind of clutch,I mean;I allready reading some comments from the miles the people said they can do,but only a few are talkin about a 360 model,and the rest of data are not valid here,beacuse they are talking about another clutches and clutches systems.especially if you are talking about another brands of daily cars,are not the same,,,,,,,a dry clutch is not the same than a non dry.A simple clutch is not the same than a double clutch,so...

The people comments about the general use of the clutch are all ok,and are valids for practically all kind of clutches.

If you are a daily manual gearbox user from some(or lot) years ago,5000 miles is not normal,ask at clutch`s brand factory about construction failures in some clutches,if their answer is negative,if al the clutches they built was ok,and no any other failure at the gearbox system was founded at garage,then you HAVE TO change your clutch use habits,for some persons this is imposible to change,and they will break clutches all the life,believe me,,,for another persons,is quita easy to learn how to use it in any car at any situation.

All this is only a personal opinion.

 

The only clutch I've ever had to replace is in P 4/5 at 4K miles but 2K of those were hard track miles.

308 85K miles sold with original clutch.

TR changed at 85K during major but it was still fine, sold car at 155K second clutch which was fine.

 

Replaced my 328 clutch at 55K due to a bad seal leaking oil all around the bell housing.

7.5K on clutch number two and going strong....