Is it true that keeping the clutch depressed to the floor will wear the clutch? If so why? I know next to nothing about how the clutch works.
I did some thread searching because I thought I remember someone saying that keeping the clutch depressed to the floor (waiting for the light to turn green) will wear the clutch. Unfortunately I could not find the thread.
I've heard that it holding the clutch in for extended periods of time wears the clutch-arm bearing... from carcare.org:
"The throw-out bearing, or clutch release bearing as it's sometimes called, is located between the clutch fork and the pressure plate fingers. The throw-out bearing only operates when the clutch pedal is depressed; the bearing is not designed for continuous use. Purpose: When the driver steps on the clutch pedal, the throw-out bearing applies force to the fingers of the spinning pressure plate to release the clutch. When the clutch pedal is released, the bearing sits idle and does not contact the pressure plate fingers."
I tend to keep the car in neutral until the light turns green, unless if I'm trying to shoot off fast, then I put in the clutch and move to first gear when the light for the traffic going the other way turns yellow...
In any manual, its always best to just let the clutch out at a red light and have the car in neutral. Something about throw out bearings wearing out prematurely. See
http://www.carcare.org/Manual_Transmission/throw-out_bearing.shtml
Some ppl hate doing that ... others get used to it after time.
While I don't doubt the theory behind putting the car in neutral at a stop, I have never done it on any of the 20+ manual transmission cars I have owned, and I have never had to replace a clutch before. (Knock on wood!)
Keeping your foot off the clutch
entirely
when stopped is what I was taught (although I don't remember who told me). I was always warned that if you want a clutch to fail prematurely, rest your foot on it when stopped at a light. I'm pretty careful about that.
The MCS will eat the clutch. How many miles on it
In general, when the clutch is in ... the throw out bearings are always being worn. The question is ... how long before the go bad ... YMMV
23K on the MINI so far, clutch still feels and grabs like it did on day one. On a variation of what was said above, it is verbotten to rest your foot on the clutch while you ar driving, you don't want to partially engage it, but at a stop, that's what it's for. Again, I'm just going on my practical experience. I've had tons of manual cars, from crappy econoboxes to powerful chipped VAG's and an M3 and never had to replace a clutch on a one of them.
Thanks everyone - VERY helpful!
