Clutch Smell?

[CMP]

I don't want to start another clutch thread so I guess I will ask a general question. How many miles did it take for the clutch smell to go away? I don't smell it at all going through the gears. The only time I smell it is in stop and go traffic and (I know it is silly) when I feather it up my driveway (steep). I have less then 300 miles on it so I assume it is break in, but it does have me slightly worried (never had a car that did this before). No sign of slippage or overheating and I guess the smell is more noticeable when getting out the car when driving up my driveway and getting out of the car since the garage contains the smell from being blown away.:shrug:

 

[03outlaw]

Are you all sure you are smelling clutch? I have 290 miles on my car and have not smelled the clutch once however, I have been easy on the car. I do smell your normal new car smell when the car warms up, but not clutch. The clutch smell you smell is no doubt clutch? Kind of like brake smell I guess right?

 

[CMP]

It is definitely clutch and not brakes (I autocross and go through brakes twice in every session so I know what brakes smell like..and how hot they can get..just look at my burned finger tips. I actually was hoping it was the exhaust coating burning off, but unfortunately it is definitely clutch smell. I just took it for a drive around the block a couple more times. No smell during normal driving, but after simulating stop and go driving on the street leading up to my house and feathering it up my driveway (only a little bit) I get that strong smell. I hope this is just breakin..crossing my fingers.:dw:

 

[03outlaw]

Maybe I am crazy and mine is also, but all I have smelled is like you said exhaust...I hope. I am pretty sure the smell I am smelling smells the same even if it is just idling in the garage. Is it an obvious clutch smell vs exhaust? Because to me clutch is very obvious...right :shrug:

 

[CMP]

Yes..definitely a clutch smell. Idling in the garage afterwards..I don't smell anything..not even exhaust since the garage doors are open. Feathering up the driveway and I get that horrid clutch smell:fm:.

 

[03outlaw]

How many miles you have on it?

 

[CMP]

After driving around a bit I have exactly 305 miles...

 

[Superhawk2002]

I get it lightly too. I also have a steep drive. My car has 240 miles, and at 100 I had to do a multi point turn around in the drive. It was pretty bad backing the car into the garage. The other smell is just the new car smell and residues burning off the exhaust.

Go easy on it for a few hundred more miles and see how it is.

 

[03outlaw]

I agree with Superhawk take it easy for 500 and see what it does. My drive way is a little up hill as well, but no smell.

 

[03Cobra05GT]

If you read through a number of the clutch threads on here, especially the one that is a poll about clutch issues, you will notice there were quite a few people who had the clutch smell during break in, and then it stopped. Usually people reported it mostly under 500-600 miles and then it would go away.

1000 mile break in is recommended by Ford.

 

[Snorman]

My car has ~1100 miles on it. I have had no clutch smell during and after pounding it at the drag strip three days last week. Previous to that, I had clutch smell during test and tune a few evenings.
Never any smell during street driving.
S.

 

[Add Name Here]

Having the same issue. Its not that bad but since its so new (under 300 miles) I'm trying to figure out if its the exhaust, clutch, or one of the 10+ stickers attached to random parts under the car that is burning off. Seriously when you get a chance look under the car. There are stickers everywhere

 

[shelbysvt]

I wonder the only smell I get is when I floor it and bang through the gears (not power shifting). Idk is that tire smell, clutch smell, or brake smell? Anyone else get a smell after say doing a quarter mile? In my case its more of a 1/8th mile.

 

[Devious_Snake]

Give it some more miles, almost all smells will disappear

I have 2800 and my exhaust tips are bronzing already....:burnout:

 

[MNCobra]

hi guys, this may have been discussed in previous posts but, i am wondering if the clutch smells/issues i have been reading about have anything to do with the fact that the clutch pedal releases so high? it would make sense to me that some of us in the begining would not be used to that setting and would tend to ride the clutch and also it would make sense that the smell would go away after a few miles because we have gotten used to the pedal release? also i can set how it may pop out of gear because the pedal was release or still ingaged but we felt otherwise....just my thoughts...cheers

 

[anvrsy red vert]

Doesn't make sense that a brand new clutch/flywheel setup on a brand new car would have clutch smell unless the driver somehow is slipping the clutch excessively on take-off. Either that or flywheel surface and/or pressure plate/floater plate friction surfaces are not clean and causing clutch disk(s) to slip. Just seems very strange to me. If anything, a new clutch/flywheel may chatter until appropriate friction surfaces are bedded upon break-in but not slippage!!

 

[cbrmuscle]

hi guys, this may have been discussed in previous posts but, i am wondering if the clutch smells/issues i have been reading about have anything to do with the fact that the clutch pedal releases so high? it would make sense to me that some of us in the begining would not be used to that setting and would tend to ride the clutch and also it would make sense that the smell would go away after a few miles because we have gotten used to the pedal release? also i can set how it may pop out of gear because the pedal was release or still ingaged but we felt otherwise....just my thoughts...cheers

I tend to agree with this. The engagement point is very unsettling until you get used to it. A lot of my initial shifts were way off in the timing department. It feels so much different than any other clutch, I could see people slipping it without even being aware just because of muscle memory / timing from other clutches.

That being said, I now love how it grabs right at the top and it very well suited to aggressive driving. Also, just my $0.02 :beer:

 

[Papabear1981]

Clutch Pedal

I tend to agree with this. The engagement point is very unsettling until you get used to it. A lot of my initial shifts were way off in the timing department. It feels so much different than any other clutch, I could see people slipping it without even being aware just because of muscle memory / timing from other clutches.

That being said, I now love how it grabs right at the top and it very well suited to aggressive driving. Also, just my $0.02 :beer:

I too agree with the muscle memory thing about working the clutch. I have been driving around town a lot to help get the muscles retrained

 

[Mxfrench]

2500 miles and went i got in it real good from a stop i have smelled it and not the wonderful smell of exhaust. It smells like pamala andersons nasty snooch