Clutch Replacement in Heathfield

Heathfield lies between Newton Abbot and Bovey Tracey beside the A38 and A382, with an industrial estate and a steady flow of through traffic. If you drive here daily, you will know queues, roundabouts and stop-start stretches that keep a clutch working.

At Automaster, trading as Clutchmaster, we know clutches well. Drivers from Heathfield, Liverton, Newton Abbot, Bickington and Hexworth bring their cars to our garage at Longcombe Cross near Totnes.

Is heavy traffic damaging my clutch?

Constant stop-start work is the biggest enemy of a clutch. Every slow crawl and every hold on the pedal creates friction and heat. Vans and work vehicles doing short, loaded runs around an industrial estate suffer particularly.

If you notice the biting point rising, the pedal feeling heavier, or a slight shudder when pulling away, wear is likely well advanced.

Because Heathfield sees plenty of through traffic, many local clutches are asked to cope with queues and roundabouts every day. A pedal that suddenly feels different is worth acting on, as a slipping clutch tends to overheat and then damage the flywheel surface as well.

What shows a clutch is slipping or failing?

Slipping appears as rising revs without matching speed. Other signs are juddering, a burning smell, trouble selecting gears or a pedal that sinks or sticks. Some faults are a slow build; others, particularly hydraulic leaks, arrive suddenly.

If gears will not select at all, do not keep driving the car.

Do not ignore a clutch that is making a noise when you press the pedal, either. A growl or whine can mean the release bearing is on its way out, which is another reason we fit the bearing with the rest of the kit.

• Slipping under acceleration
• Judder or shudder
• Burning smell
• Hard-to-find gears
• Pedal sinking or sticking

What is included in a clutch replacement?

We separate the gearbox from the engine and replace the pressure plate, driven plate and release bearing together. Then we inspect the flywheel, rear seal and associated parts, because a worn component behind a new clutch can ruin it.

Time and cost in words depend on how accessible the clutch is on your model, whether the flywheel needs attention and whether hydraulic parts are involved.

Flywheel, hydraulics or cable: what else could be wrong?

A dual-mass flywheel may wear internally and cause judder or noise. Hydraulic faults, such as a failing slave or master cylinder, damaged pipe or trapped air, can leave a pedal soft or sunk. Cable clutches may have stretched or fraying cables.

We can usually separate these causes with an inspection, then discuss repair versus replacement with you.

Where a fault turns out to be cheap to fix, such as a leaking pipe or air in the system, we will say so. Where the clutch itself is worn out, we will not pretend a repair will last.

Where do I bring the car if I live in Heathfield?

Our garage is at Longcombe Cross near Totnes. Drivers from Heathfield and the surrounding countryside and nearby towns, including Newton Abbot, make the trip for clutch work. Ask us for a quote with your registration, engine and the symptoms in hand, and we will tell you how to arrange an inspection.