Trashed Clutch?

[earthbased]

I think I may have trashed my clutch in my 2004 9-3A. History: I did not notice that my winter mats where not allowing full clutch pedal travel until I notice gear changes not going smoothly all the time. Adjusted mat and seemed to be better. Then I recently did a few performance starts and think I smoked the clutch. The clutch pedal travel feel is not the same (seems something is wrong), plus even after that car is sitting overnight in my garage (after airing out) I smell a burnt rubber smell in the morning. Bad clutch?

TIA,
Dan

[dabo]

The mats can easily interfere with the clutch, but I wouldn't worry that this caused clutch ware. It could cause difficult gear engagements, but it wouldn't cause slippage and premature ware. Premature ware would come from the opposite situation (something holding the clutch partially engaged). Performance starts could certainly cause clutch ware, but they'd have to be pretty excessive on intentional slippage to damage a clutch with just a few starts.

I'm also curious about the smell you're describing. A clutch doesn't smell like burnt rubber, it smells like burnt brakes. Are you sure you're smelling rubber?

[earthbased]

But if did not depress the clutch all the way because of the mats the clutch would still be somewhat engaged, no?

Regarding the smell, maybe not burnt rubber, but there is a smell like something burnt from friction. Plus the gear shifts are now hard and if I try to accelerate hard the rpm's just shoot up but the car doesn't speed up much.

Plus the clutch pedal goes in much too easy...

[pokeyjoe]

Originally Posted by earthbased

But if did not depress the clutch all the way because of the mats the clutch would still be somewhat engaged, no?

You would have difficulty shifting.

[93Linear]

I know on my car, I only need to push the pedal about 2 inches at the most in order to disengage the clutch ... pushing all the way to floorboard is way more what is required. Again, this is my experience with my car; but I would say if you have to bury the pedal into the floor to shift, you have some linkage problems

[dabo]

Originally Posted by earthbased

But if did not depress the clutch all the way because of the mats the clutch would still be somewhat engaged, no?

Regarding the smell, maybe not burnt rubber, but there is a smell like something burnt from friction. Plus the gear shifts are now hard and if I try to accelerate hard the rpm's just shoot up but the car doesn't speed up much.

Plus the clutch pedal goes in much too easy...

I often reverse the words here, so I may be confusing the issue, so let me define what I mean when I used the terms engage/disengage (I admit my definition could be wrong).

Clutch ENGAGED = pedal to floor
Clutch DISENGAGED = pedal completely released

So, the carpet would keep you from being able to get the pedal completely to the end of its travel, so you'd be prevented from completely engaging the clutch. That means it "could" still be somewhat connected to the drive, so while it wouldn't cause excessive wear, it "could" make it difficult to get your gears engaged.

It does sound like you're experiencing a clutch problem though. If the engine is revving, and the power isn't getting to the wheels, AND.... you're getting a nasty burning stink, that's very indicitive of a worn clutch. Hard gear selecting though, is not typically associated with a worn clutch, that's more ordinarily a bad clutch master, a leak in the clutch fluid or a bad physical shifter adjustment. You're not getting grinding metalic noises, so I doubt it's too serious. You really need to get it looked at, and the sooner the better. Good luck.

[earthbased]

Originally Posted by dabo

I often reverse the words here, so I may be confusing the issue, so let me define what I mean when I used the terms engage/disengage (I admit my definition could be wrong).

Clutch ENGAGED = pedal to floor
Clutch DISENGAGED = pedal completely released

So, the carpet would keep you from being able to get the pedal completely to the end of its travel, so you'd be prevented from completely engaging the clutch. That means it "could" still be somewhat connected to the drive, so while it wouldn't cause excessive wear, it "could" make it difficult to get your gears engaged.

It does sound like you're experiencing a clutch problem though. If the engine is revving, and the power isn't getting to the wheels, AND.... you're getting a nasty burning stink, that's very indicitive of a worn clutch. Hard gear selecting though, is not typically associated with a worn clutch, that's more ordinarily a bad clutch master, a leak in the clutch fluid or a bad physical shifter adjustment. You're not getting grinding metalic noises, so I doubt it's too serious. You really need to get it looked at, and the sooner the better. Good luck.

Thanks for the feedback. Sounds like I need a new clutch at the very least. So that being the case I might opt for the SPEC Stage 2 clutch. Now I just have to find good mechanic b/s my SAAB dealer won't put that in.

[93Linear]

Originally Posted by dabo

I often reverse the words here, so I may be confusing the issue, so let me define what I mean when I used the terms engage/disengage (I admit my definition could be wrong).

Clutch ENGAGED = pedal to floor
Clutch DISENGAGED = pedal completely released

...

Fairly common for folks to confuse these terms

-You engage/depress the clutch pedal to disengage/retract the clutch from the flywheel.
-You disengage/release the clutch pedal to engage the clutch and flywheel.
-Terms "Engage" & "Disengage" best used for the clutch; "Depressed" & "Released" (or something similar) best used for the clutch pedal

Hope that at least kinda clears things up for ya

[ctrlz]

Just how many miles are on this clutch?
I doubt this floormat issue is the source of your real problem.

Check the fluid reservoir and look under the car for stains.
I think you have a master or slave cylinder probem and your clutch disc is not fully contacting the flywheel.

It's also possible the springs on the diaphragm fatigued and bent or broke.

http://www.lukclutch.com/support/clutch_basics.phtml

[SidewaysD]

hey guys.. i have hard shifting...

like when i go from first to second you can feel the clutch disengage. its not violent or anything. But if i go soft and soft i can still feel it. you can hear it.

[earthbased]

Originally Posted by ctrlz

Just how many miles are on this clutch?
I doubt this floormat issue is the source of your real problem.

Check the fluid reservoir and look under the car for stains.
I think you have a master or slave cylinder probem and your clutch disc is not fully contacting the flywheel.

It's also possible the springs on the diaphragm fatigued and bent or broke.

http://www.lukclutch.com/support/clutch_basics.phtml

35K. No stains in garage. But there is a burnt smell so that would mean replace the clutch, correct? But even if it was springs etc, the sub-frame has to dropped so if I have been thinking of SPEC Stage 2 kit, wouldn't this be the time to just replace the whole OEM unit with the SPEC?

[ctrlz]

Originally Posted by earthbased

35K. No stains in garage. But there is a burnt smell so that would mean replace the clutch, correct?

Could just be problems with the linkage including master and slave cylinders.

The burnt smell could be from clutch wear. But what determines the life is how much lining is left. If you can get the clutch engaging properly you still might have 75K miles left on the disc.

When a clutch disc wears out you don't get the kind of pedal behavor you describe. The pedal should not become easier to press. You would not have to press it as far to get it to release, but the pedal effort would still be the same.

Please make sure this is not your real problem:
http://www.saabcentral.com/forums/sh...+return+spring

[SMHarman]

Friend of mine has been having problems on his car with the clutch - thought it might need replacement, the garage drained and replaced the clutch fluid and it is now working fine again - theory some air got into the cylinder. No idea how as the fluid levels were all correct, but he is happy as it saved him $$$.

[earthbased]

Originally Posted by ctrlz

Could just be problems with the linkage including master and slave cylinders.

The burnt smell could be from clutch wear. But what determines the life is how much lining is left. If you can get the clutch engaging properly you still might have 75K miles left on the disc.

When a clutch disc wears out you don't get the kind of pedal behavor you describe. The pedal should not become easier to press. You would not have to press it as far to get it to release, but the pedal effort would still be the same.

Please make sure this is not your real problem:
http://www.saabcentral.com/forums/sh...+return+spring

I may be off on the pedal feel as I always thought it was soft. The main problem is I can have the car in 4th gear with emergency brake on and rev the engine and the engine does not die. So the clutch is not engaging for some reason and there is that smell...

[dabo]

Originally Posted by earthbased

I may be off on the pedal feel as I always thought it was soft. The main problem is I can have the car in 4th gear with emergency brake on and rev the engine and the engine does not die. So the clutch is not engaging for some reason and there is that smell...

Damn man, get that thing to a mechanic. It wont be long before you'll need a tow to get there, so there's no time to waste.

[ctrlz]

dabo is right. it sounds like you have pretty severe clutch slip which might strand you soon.

If your pedal has always felt soft, it's possible some problem there led to premature clutch wear.

Have you checked your fluid reservoir yet?

[earthbased]

Originally Posted by ctrlz

dabo is right. it sounds like you have pretty severe clutch slip which might strand you soon.

If your pedal has always felt soft, it's possible some problem there led to premature clutch wear.

Have you checked your fluid reservoir yet?

I checked all the reservoirs that I could see (did not see a tranny label) and they all had fluid.

[dabo]

earth......

Please let us know what the trouble turned out to be after you get it fixed. I'd be very interested to know what it was and I think a few others would be also. Good luck, and may it not be too expensive.

[earthbased]

Originally Posted by dabo

earth......

Please let us know what the trouble turned out to be after you get it fixed. I'd be very interested to know what it was and I think a few others would be also. Good luck, and may it not be too expensive.

It is the clutch itself. I am going have a SPEC Stage 2 put in. Will let you know how it goes.

[bonakdar]

The older 9-3's and 900 were really easy to replace the clutch (measured by mechanic hours). Are the 93SS blessed with this as well? just curious what it would cost to replace the clutch in labor.