Thread: Clutch Life
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Old 08-06-2008, 01:43 PM
CoyoteStarfish's Avatar
CoyoteStarfish CoyoteStarfish is offline
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Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 167
Also depends on how you drive it.

Having driven many TDI Jettas and Cummins with sticks I've learned one thing:

When taking off from a stop, let the engines rotational speed at an idle do the work. This is one of the biggest differences I've noticed in in driving a diesel powered vehicle. On a gasser, you'll worry that you'll stall the engine if you let out the clutch without applying throttle.

Diesels, due to their high torque output at low RPMs, you can let the clutch out at an idle with no problems and in fact it is encouraged. That same torque just seems to shred clutches.

The TDIs and Cummins I worked with all had premature clutch replacements (under six months) SUPPOSEDLY due to applying throttle before letting the clutch out fully.

Let it out nice and firm, nice conservitive take-offs and your clutch will last a long time.
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