Is this normal for a worn out clutch?

[davester]

I've been vacillating on whether my clutch is slipping or if my tach is way out (since I top out at about 65 mph at redline). It seems now that it's both.

The tach reads about 150% too high based on comparisons with a test tach.

The clutch seems very solid, can easily kill the motor at low rpm, etc. However, today I drove up a long steep hill in 2nd and punching it near the top of the rev range with the E-brake applied I got a quick spurt upwards in revs with no significant upward spurt in speed. I can only get this to happen at the upper end of the rev range. Other cars I've owned with worn out clutches exhibited this kind of behaviour at all sorts of rev ranges and speeds. This seems a bit odd to me that I can only get this behaviour if I try really hard at the top end. I've got a feeling that my severely diminished top speed is due to both the tach and slipping above about 4000-4500 rpm. Could this behaviour be indicative of something else happening?

 

[toysrrus]

Hi davester,

One simple way of checking out the clutch is from a "Standstill" put it in ea. gear & pull away in ea. gear from a "Standstill".

If your revs go up (Especially in 3rd & 4th) & your car barely moves; You need a new clutch or at least a clutch adjustment.

To me; It sounds like your Tach is working just fine.

Best Wishes,

Russ

 

[Sarastro]

Seems to me you should be able to tell just from the sound if the engine is spinning up without any increase in speed. It it is, I'd think the clutch was at least starting to head off to that great garage in the sky. The tach may or may not be off, but I think that's a separate issue.

If it were me, and I had a good reason to think the clutch was starting to go (and it sounds like you do), I'd just replace it. It's not that hard, and they're not that expensive.