Clutch

[banth]

Will holding a car still on an incline by using the biting point rather than the hand or foot brake ruin a car's clutch? Just for sitting at traffic lights etc, and only slight inclines.

Also, will changing up a gear unnecessarily then changing straight back down again without even taking your foot off the clutch do any damage in the long term?

Thanks

[gary baldy]

Somewhat depends on the car - if its a pretty robust car there shouldnt be problem but even then in the conditions you describe that is just day to day operations. There is chance of 'burning out' the clutch if you using the clutch to slowly move up an incline and over revving the engine eg in a multi storey carpark or in queue on a hill. As for the second part of your question - why would you want to do that? If you must do it - just imagine the amount of times a car engages its clutch and changes gear in its life time and you fiddling around changing up and down unnecessarily will not have any effect in the long term.

[banth]

It's not me it's my boyf, it drives me mad!

The car's an L reg fiesta if that makes a difference?

[qapmoc]

Yes it will wear out the clutch faster than normal, its just a lazy way of driving typical of company car mentality ''its not mine why worry''.
Any gearchange will add to the wear of the gearbox so why make more than required.
Tell your boyf to put his brain in gear before engaging the gearbox.

[gary baldy]

I wasnt condoning this sort of driving and yes i agree with qapmoc - it does seem like a silly way of driving - i dont think the poor l reg Fiesta will have a long life. I try to avoid putting the sort of strain on the clutch you describe because i have had to pay for a new one in my time - lets hope your boyfriend treats you better than his car!

[bricro]

Get an automatic!

[ianess]

Same question applies to automatics. Is it better to keep it in "D" or move to "P" for a minute or two?

[qapmoc]

Hi ianess, well in fact the opposite would apply, when the auto is in first gear it will tend to creap forward anyway and if the car is stopped then no parts of the gearbox are moving but if you select N and then D the box will move clutches in/out which will wear them out faster.
On the subject of holding on a slope, most auto's in D will not run back even on a quite moderate slope but if it is a steep slope and you have to accelerate to ''hold'' it in place then all that energy has to go somewhere and it goes into the oil, the system has an oil cooler, but still this is not really good practice long term.

[homer75]

It's an old fiesta so let him have his fun but I wouldn't recommend his antics in a decent vehicle.

[wacky racer]

Very bad practice. Your clutch will only last half as long as it should.

[stanleyman]

A manual clutch has friction plates, springs and a thrust bearing that wear slightly whenever the clutch is used. Good driving techniques such as avoiding unnecessary clutch slip, using neutral and handbrake at lights and gentle operation will in most cases ensure a clutch lasts as long as the engine.

An Automatic box with a fluid drive has no wearing clutch parts so is more suited to this sort of driving.

His frenetic driving style is expensive and he needs to start saving now for a new clutch, brakes and cv joints. We can only guess at his lovemaking style!