I recently built and set of wooden ramps and pull my car onto to work on it. The ramps are not too steep until you get to the last section of them. Anyway, I had to give quite a bit of gas to get up, and a hot clutch smell came from the driver side of the hood/wheelwell. The smell also comes around after moderately hard driving. Is this normal, or is it something I should be worried about?

 

Sounds typical if you're riding your clutch. Not good for the longevity of your clutch but that **** happens :\

 

Sounds like your burning your clutch up a little, how old is it?

 

The clutch was replaced in March of 2003. I drive with a cautious effort to preserve the clutch (no burnouts and anything like that.) I only give it high throttle when fully in gear. I just wondered if the smell is normal of hard clutch use, or if I'm really damaging it.

 

No it's because you're riding the clutch.....
If you smell clucth you're decreasing it's life span quickly...

 

Its normal if your slipping your clutch a lot and burning it up, and you should try to avoid that like jsplit said since your going to kill its life.

 

BUMP

I'm having the same issue with my car.

Brand new components: exedy PP, 'competition clutch' clutch disc, resurfaced flywheel

Parking or pulling up on ramps... basically anytime I slip the clutch for more than a second or two I get the smell. Similar and harder driving on other cars does not create the smell.

The car doesn't buck or slip or anything.

Vegas, what clutch components do you have?

 

I get that from time to time with my ACT S/S clutch setup. Backing up my short/steep driveway, onto ramps, an extra clutchy launch, etc.

Dave

 

It wouldn't bother me if my FC did it too. Is it because it is a pull clutch (can't see how that would change it)? Are certain friction materials stinkier?