clutch going bad?

[kilade]

I got a 99 solara (36000 miles) about a month ago and it is my first stick shift. I feel for some reason that the clutch is slipping on me. Can someone describe the feeling of a slipping clutch or a bad clutch or tranny? I don't have enough experience to tell. Also how much would it cost to replace it, any other parts i should replace at the same time with it, what brands are good, etc.... thanks yall

[Jai_Jai_Binks]

When you say this is your first stick, i hope its your first stick car and not your first stick experiece???
Its easy to say when the cluth is slipping, you will hear a lot of grinding and the gears will not engage, you might have to depress the cluth a few times for them to engage....do a tranny flush with synthetic and work from there IMO (i'd put syncromesh, but i recall people here loving royal purple, and others). FYI: on my celica, i went to 165K on the original cluthc, i know the current owner, its on 200K, and still on original cluth..so for your 36K its prematurely early!

[zoomzoomthis05]

a clutch is like a women.. you need to handle it gently.. take you time.. get the feel for it.. listen to it..
being that you are new.. play with the clutch without fully ingaging you gears..find out where it catches.. take your time.. because if you rush it.. you will stall!!! clutching to some is a natural talent.. to some its an art form.. you need to find your nitch.. I have been driving stick since I was 16.. I started on a 69 camero ss.. went to a 89 jeep.. then a 94 firebird.. then to a 2000 eclispe... all have different clutches.. I drive my brothers WRX.. and that is a totally difference clutch.. you have to get a feel for it.. I now have a 05 SE V6.. which sadly is only avail in Auto w/ sequence gearing.. which I like.. but its not what I preferred...BUT
when it comes to stick shift there is no such thing as winging it..

[thealkimo]

if you punch the gas and you car seems to go nowhere until you hit higher rpms...

[shidosha01]

if you punch the gas and you car seems to go nowhere until you hit higher rpms...

This is true and happens in the early stages of a slipping clutch.

You know its getting real bad when you try to engage normally in 1st gear and you're barely going anywhere. Get a new clutch ASAP.

[kilade]

that's exactly what's happening. i hit the gas and the rpms go up to 3500 for 2-3 seconds but the car ain't moving too much, then the rpms lower and i get some power and movement. i guess i gotta spend some $$.

[dominoSLEV6]

when it comes to stick shift there is no such thing as winging it..

Except when you drove stick once in your life before you ever even drove an auto, take a 10 minute practice session on your own around the parking lot, then drive your friend an hour home in his car cause he just got out of the hospital and can't drive. and manage to not stall once! Yeah buddy. Although I missed some gears like woah and almost stalled twice.

I thought it was a pretty good wingin it experience.

The downside of this is his brother was there and had to drive my car home because he can't drive stick (neither could I before I taught myself, I mean I knew how but had only successfully gotten one moving about 50 feet before). So I'm driving my friends 99 MT cavalier, and his brother is driving my 99 AT Solara, AND HE DROVE ALL THE flippin WAY HOME WITH THE GODDAMN E BRAKE ON! He told me when we got back that my car vibrated and crap and then I got in and I'm like did you put the e-brake back on when we got here? And he's like huh? I wanted to slap his across the face. Fortunately that didn't do anythign besidesoputting more strain on my engine than neccessary, and I guess my e brake is shot, it acts a little funny now. Not sure how good all of that went for my rotors either. IT shouldn't have messed anything else up right? (not to get off topic there or anything)

And that is my story of winging it on a manual and being very proud of making it all the way home without stalling.

-chris

[Fletch]

Generally speaking, most clutches on this forum last 100k miles or so(give or take) and that is with spirited driving. Mine lasted 115k.

If the clutch is going at 36k, it must have been rode hard.