I’m looking for technical help or recommendations on: __Slipping clutch
Hi All
Yesterday on a spirited drive my clutch seemed to slip when on the move. The problem was that it was intermittent and not necessarily when being to hard on the throttle. It was always when moving. I stopped on a hill and pulled away in 1st and there was no problem at all. Gentle driving also showed no problems. I could not detect that familiar burning clutch smell when driving or at stand still. The following would happen, I would be driving along, do a gear change and the revs would spike without there being any drive. I would then back off the accelerator and drive would be resumed. I hope that makes sense. Again, this would not happen consecutively but randomly. I have a lot of mechanical sympathy for my NC and although I might have a fun drive through the countryside I do not thrash the car.
I was driving an NB around for a long time with just rivets for a clutch plate and didn’t really notice until I had to get out of junctions with urgency.
That sounds like the slave being slow to release, it could be rusty.
Rust is possible because of perished or missing boot, or the fluid never having been changed.
Clutch fluid does not have a specific mention on the service schedule alongside the two yearly brake fluid change (same reservoir!), and most dealers omit clutch fluid change on NC.
In the 1970s I had a similar symptom on my old FE Victor. It had a cable for the clutch release, and a strand had worn through at the pedal end to come loose inside the outer and was jamming it. Eventually it broke and I found the inexplicable problem.
I’ve checked the slave cylinder and it is in good condition with no corrosion on the shaft or on the body. I guess that meansit’s a clutch replacement job.
You should check (or try replacing) the rubber clutch hose. If its breaking up inside the pressure from your foot my force fluid through but the clutch cylinder may not be man enough to push it back. (been there, done that!)