I have one last Clutch question. First the clutch and tranny are working very well. It shifts very smoothly.

My question is a new clutch suppose to smell like its burning. I know I am paranoid, but I want to make sure it doesn't burn up prematurely again. I am very conscious about my shifts. Nothing over 3,500 rpms. I have put about a 100 miles on the vehicle since it was installed.

Thanks Again AXO

 

You should smell nothing from the clutch at all. And shifting has nothing to do with the speed of the engine, obviously excluding the extremes of over revving the engine or having the engine turning so slowly that the car stalls before the clutch can engage. Within those parameters it does not matter what the engine speed is and clutch slipping will not be a factor.

Please excuse the following if you are already aware of the information.

If your foot is "sitting" on the clutch while you are driving then you might be "riding" the clutch or allowing the clutch disc to slip on the flywheel, producing a clutch burning smell.

Generally, the routine is to push the clutch in all the way to the floor, shift the transmission, then let the clutch all the way out in one smooth motion and remove your foot from the clutch pedal. When you come to a stop you should shift the car into neutral, let out the clutch then depress and engage the clutch when you are ready to start driving again.

Hope this helps.

 

Thanks for the tip. This is the procedure I have been following very carefully...

 

So, they decided your clutch was truly burned out? I remember your other thread on the issue, but I cannot find it.

 

Yes my clutch was spent! I had an opportunity to look at it. There was nothing left. My flywheel was also scorched. Mini picked up all the labor and the clutch kit. I was responsible for replacing the flywheel. Which came out to be $1,143.00.

 

Ouch! That is so expensive. For your wallet's sake it may help to just verify that you're driving stick the right way, kind of like ACEkraut mentioned. 'Cause if you aren't, you'll definitely wear out your parts much more quickly.

A quick YouTube search would be useful:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=txRTo5eAwrM this one's kind of funny.

 

Your clutch should not smell like it is burning! However, with that said its most likely your driving habits since the clutch was replaced so recently. I would definitely suggest asking someone you know who also drives a manual to ride along with you and see if there is a bad habit or simple mistake that you can fix. I'm sure you don't want to repeat the clutch replacement again!

 

Chris, I watched a crap load of YouTube How to videos last night. I am definitely clutching correctly......

 

This is what I have learned. It is normal for some residual burning clutch smell to occur. I was told this is one of the most lingering smells. I feel much better.

I am also very confident of my shifting and clutching ability.....

 

No burning smell (like burnt brakes) should be present with a new clutch!!!

 

My thoughts exactly after 50 years of shifting...NO smell.

My aunt Evelyn burned up a couple clutches in her 1955 Ford Fairlane before the mechanic noticed that she used the clutch pedal for a foot rest.

 

I've never had a new clutch smell...
But just give it time. I say a 1,000 city miles = broken in

 

It's been about 200 miles on the new clutch and Flywheel. I haven't had a burning clutch smell since the first day I picked it up.

 

Sounds like you're fine. Just be easy on her for another 800.
Some people say you can be slightly more aggressive at 500 mile mark but I don't wanna do a clutch twice.

 

While I've never had to put a new clutch in a MINI, we've owned both of our MINIs from new, and I would have remembered the distinctive "burning clutch" smell.

When you're pulling away from a dead stop, how high do you rev the engine before you begin to let out the clutch pedal? On mine, I'm releasing the clutch within a fraction of a second after I start to give it gas, and I'm completely off the clutch pedal by 1500-1600 RPM or so.