Clutch smelling funky

[PeteWiix]

Hi all, here is a new one for me but who knows someone else may have may well know what is happening.

Basically the slave cylinder packed up on my car (HR model) which as Nissan moved it from the easy fix DE model to lets take everything apart I decided to get the clutch replaced since they had it in bits.

I have now had the car back and after a couple of days I noticed a strange smell (can only describe it as a rotting cabbage type smell) it only seems to happen when the car has warmed up a bit and I am holding it on the clutch/changing gears fast, I will be taking the car back to the garage this weekend to investigate but it would be nice if I was armed with some more information as it may well be a very labour intensive job and I don't want to have to pay out again on it.

Could it be something like oil/grease leaking in from somewhere or the clutch slipping a bit where the cable is a little loose? I am not mechanically minded so don't want to be fobbed off with something.

 

Any help is appreciated,

 

Pete

[Keyser]

Well it won't be the cable as it's a hydraulic clutch.

It could be oil on the exhaust/engine that got there when the work was done unlikely as you would smell it all the time when the car is warm, however if your moving the smell will be blown away so that's the most likely cause.

Then it could just be the clutch just bedding in or you're slipping the clutch to hold it and getting it hot - don't hold a car by slipping the clutch too much!

 

To see if the clutch is slipping get moving on a quiet road select 4th or 5th at a low speed 40mph or so then floor the throttle if the engine revs away and the car does not accelerate then the clutch is slipping, if the car pulls away slowly (as you are in a high gear for the speed) the clutch is fine.

If it slips take it back and tell them it's not adjusted correctly. If it does not slip the smell should go after a couple of good drives that heat the engine through, if it still smells after that and the clutch is not slipping you need to be looking for leaks, something may have got damaged while the gearbox was off.

 

Hope that helps

 

Keyser

 

 

[PeteWiix]

Thanks Keyser,

 

Yeah holding it on the clutch meant hill starts etc just to pull away, as I only drive ~ 1.5 miles to work (yes I'm that lazy) I may hold off on contacting the garage and go for a long spirited drive this weekend - without breaking any speed limits - to give it a good run, then if I notice it next week I will pop back down to the garage and have them look into it.

Will have a go on the way back home to se if the clutch is slipping whilst in a high gear, haven't noticed the revs going crazy but definitely work a check.

 

Thanks,

 

Pete

[Keyser]

Good luck mate, hope its nothing major