The care is a 2009 Mazda 5 with ~140,000 miles. It seems in certain situations that the clutch is starting to slip in the reverse gear. Does this mean it will start to slip on all other gears and a pre-cursor? Should I push this as far is it possible? I ultimately don't want to get stranded. I have never had to replace a clutch, so asking for any insights you may be able to share here.
Clutch Starting to Slip in Reverse
- Thread starter linuxology
- Start date
ls1mike
$50 Site Donor 2024
It is done, you got 140,000 out of it, I would be happy. If the car is clean worth putting a new one in.
A clutch should start slipping in the upper gears first though? Go for a drive and floor it in 4th or 5th at hwy speed and see if it holds. If it holds, its puzzling that it slips in reverse?
If you can shift into 5th gear at 3500RPM, using full throttle, and it does not slip, the clutch is likely to be OK. As that's peak torque and load.
"IF" your car had mechanical linkage, I'd suspect a broken engine mount. But, I'm thinking yours is hydraulic.
"IF" your car had mechanical linkage, I'd suspect a broken engine mount. But, I'm thinking yours is hydraulic.
I put a clutch kit in my 07 Mazda 3 and had the flywheel resurfaced. I hadn't ever done one before and managed it in my garage. I had other vehicles to drive and did it at a fairly leisurely pace over a week or so. Its doable DIY, but I'd hate to be in a rush.. The throw-out bearing is what failed on mine. I put in an Exedy kit and would recommend it. There are youtube videos and good instructions out there. Only special tool I had to buy was a brace to hold up the engine. For my 07 there was an updated clutch fork/throwout bearing design. Not sure if that's applicable to your 09.
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More than likely it's time for a clutch. 140K is not a bad life for a clutch.
If this car doesn't use a cradle for powertrain installation, this is probably a technically easy but labor intensive job.
If the car does have a cradle, you might want to farm the job out.
Price out a three piece clutch kit. A quality kit shouldn't be too bad. I don't know whether this assembly uses a pilot bearing, but if it does you might want to replace that as well to avoid any problems down the road. You should probably plan on a new flywheel although I have slapped in clutches and run the cars past 200K on the original.
I will add that it is possible for a clutch to totally fail with little warning leaving you stranded by the side of the road with no drive in any gear.
Ask me how I know this, LOL!
If this car doesn't use a cradle for powertrain installation, this is probably a technically easy but labor intensive job.
If the car does have a cradle, you might want to farm the job out.
Price out a three piece clutch kit. A quality kit shouldn't be too bad. I don't know whether this assembly uses a pilot bearing, but if it does you might want to replace that as well to avoid any problems down the road. You should probably plan on a new flywheel although I have slapped in clutches and run the cars past 200K on the original.
I will add that it is possible for a clutch to totally fail with little warning leaving you stranded by the side of the road with no drive in any gear.
Ask me how I know this, LOL!
twouvakind
Site Donor 2024
Slips in reverse? How far do you travel in reverse? If the forward gears are good, milk it for another couple thousand (hundred(s) perhaps)
Did this test and no symptoms. She performed flawlessly. No issues in reverse either, but I have felt her slip recently, but only in reverse. She may be starting to show her age. Going to ponder on this and have two cars getting up in mileage. May have to get something newer for the wife and extended distance drives.
Yeah, I looked it up and its hydraulic, so I dunno? I've never really looked at the line on my car, I doubt its flexible enough to get squished too many times between something if the engine moves enough to pinch it against the firewall when in reverse? And get squeezed to displace enough fluid to slip the clutch seems pretty unlikely...
This. Replace it before it leaves you stranded
