Thread: How do you "burn out" a clutch?

My Dad is having some trouble. He has "burned out" his clutch on several occasions. Actually, he has broken his transmission and he has broken his clutch several times. He has memory trouble so he doesn't have any idea what he is doing or not doing.

From his perspective his car has broken and cost a lot of money. He has bought several cars in the last year (which he can't afford) because "they all break". Three clutches stopped working suddenly and now his transmission is "broken".

All my friends are telling me that he is "burning out his clutch".

Exactly how does one "burn out their clutch". I've been driving a stick for decades so I understand the principles.

I just don't know what not to do.

Once I get some visibility on what is causing the problem I can at least tell my Dad what he might be doing wrong. The only thing that comes to mind is that he might be pressing the clutch part way in and then revving the engine. Is that what people mean when they use this phrase?

One way is 'riding the clutch'. Leaving your foot on it. Another is holding it down with the car in gear at traffic lights or other traffic stops. If the driver puts the car in gear and removes his foot from the clutch when driving, and takes it out of gear and removes his foot from the clutch when stopped he won't burn his clutch nor wear out the throw out bearing.

You missed one. Let my wife drive it. That's a sure fire way of burning out a clutch.

Pressing the clutch down constantly while in traffic is the most common way to burn a clutch out or break something inside of it.

Maybe its time to get him an automatic.

My understanding is that throwout bearing and assembly is really small and light duty so it's really easy to do it in. Usually true wear and tear will cause slippage initially but yea riding the pedal or using it as a hill holder is very bad.

Originally Posted by nun2sharp

Maybe its time to get him an automatic.

I tried on several occasions to explain this to him. He suffers from memory loss though and forgets what he has been told. He will only buy standards because it's the only thing he "knows".

It's a weird problem with a lot of difficult decisions coming soon.

That is too bad. My father, may he rest in peace, used to say that only an ignoramus would drive an automatic. I've been driving one very happily since '85 or so.

Originally Posted by AFDavis11

It's a weird problem with a lot of difficult decisions coming soon.

I thank God that I am not in your shoes ... yet. I know for a fact that neither my father nor myself look forward to the day when we may lose our mobility.

My Dad is having some trouble. He has "burned out" his clutch on several occasions. Actually, he has broken his transmission and he has broken his clutch several times. He has memory trouble so he doesn't have any idea what he is doing or not doing.

And he's still driving ????

I'm not joking about this, don't find it funny at all. How is his reaction time? How is his ability to evaluate road situations?

Back to the question you asked:

If you can, sit with him for a while while he drives -- you'll be able to see what he's doing. "Burning out the clutch" is always coupled with "slipping the clutch" and/or "riding the clutch" (although that destroys the throwout bearing, not the clutch lining). It could be (as everyone has said already) at traffic lights, during starts, during shifts (if they're really slow and sloppy).

I second the suggestion for an automatic transmission -- it saves a lot of mental work for the driver. But that would mean a new car, and it might require an adjustment he can't make.

Charles