Smell of burning clutch but not slipping?

[5spd GT]

Well as some of you know I'm having problems with the clutch because I can smell the sulphur smell it gives off and plus the engagement of the clutch is starting to slide up on the clutch pedal...

Anyways...I'm going at 2000rpm in 1st gear after entering the dirt driveway and can smell the sulphur smell...and I'm just holding that rpm and not gasing on it...what exactly does this mean...the clutch isn't slipping that I know of...and the car would give me that burning smell when I would floor it after I added the h/c/i...but now I noticed while cruising real slow at 2k rpm today...why?...

Also (pretty positive it is related to the clutch) that my car is not getting up and going like it did before...would the burning clutch literally hold me back...it doesn't rev up like a slipping clutch would...but just isn't going like it was before...it's progressively getting worse it seems like...

What would cause that?...

 

[85_SS_302_Coupe]

Sounds like it might be too tight? Do you have the right pressure plate for your clutch? Is your cable bad? Kinked? Check and see if your EL headers are anywhere near the clutch cable...they get hot enough to burn up the cable inside, even if it's visibly ok.

I'd troubleshoot the small stuff before buying a new clutch or anything. It's a lot of work but you may end up having to pull the clutch out and see if it's burned.

 

[5spd GT]

Sounds like it might be too tight? Do you have the right pressure plate for your clutch? Is your cable bad? Kinked? Check and see if your EL headers are anywhere near the clutch cable...they get hot enough to burn up the cable inside, even if it's visibly ok.

I'd troubleshoot the small stuff before buying a new clutch or anything. It's a lot of work but you may end up having to pull the clutch out and see if it's burned.

To tight as in the clutch disc or pressure plate is bolted down to tight?

I don't mind getting the new clutch and all...I'm going to get a new cable also and a FRPP aluminum driveshaft while I'm at it...

My cable doesn't have the smoothest look to it as far as routing but it's been that way for a long time...

The thing is that it started doing this after the h/c/i swap a few weeks back...leading me to believe that it is because the added power from the "stock" engine...

I rode on this NAPA clutch (stock replacement that came with matching pressure plate and clutch disc along with the clutch alignment tool and new pilot bearing) for over a year now...and it just started doing this after I did the h/c/i swap...

 

[88stangmangt]

never seen a clutch smell like sulfur only thing i know that smells like eggs is leaking or busted battery........check out the batt a clucth smells like roasted metal......... very distinct.... smell............

 

[5spd GT]

never seen a clutch smell like sulfur only thing i know that smells like eggs is leaking or busted battery........check out the batt a clucth smells like roasted metal......... very distinct.... smell............

It's the clutch that I smell...probably not the best discription of it...it happens when I floor it and start making power and right when I back it off the smell goes away...and plus if I slip it a bit like on a hill...I smell it a little...

When I was going down my driveway...it was smelling at 2k rpm and then I stopped and put it in neutral and it went away within a couple seconds...

It did this a few days after the h/c/i swap...the clutch probably couldn't take it anymore and it started burning...would this cause my car to hold back in the upper rpms...

 

[88stangmangt]

only thing i can think of if you are sure it is the clutch is your pressure plate is not dis-engaging all the way and it rubbing a little.............only thing it can be if it isnt slipping also could be that either the clutch cable is streached or your E-brake cable is either way............something must be rubbing.................hard to say when im not there........

 

[5spd GT]

only thing i can think of if you are sure it is the clutch is your pressure plate is not dis-engaging all the way and it rubbing a little.............only thing it can be if it isnt slipping also could be that either the clutch cable is streached or your E-brake cable is either way............something must be rubbing.................hard to say when im not there........

Explain slipping to me so I know what exactly I am to look for...what is a positive test that will prove to me if it is slipping...

Well I do know I have to almost "kill" (pull it up ALL the way) my e-brake handle to get it to hold the car on a slight incline...it barely holds it...how can I know if it is my e-brake...

Anyway to know if my clutch cable is stretched...the clutch does seem to be grabbing higher on the pedal...

 

[85_SS_302_Coupe]

by too tight i mean have you adjusted the cable too far down? When your car is just sitting there not running and in neutral, can you jiggle your clutch pedel up and down at least 1 inch? Where is your clutch letting out at? All the way at the top, middle or bottom of the pedel? Your cable could be stretched, which would cause your clutch to not fully disengage durring shifts, which would burn the cluch as if you were riding the clutch durring shifts or speed shifting, or your clutch cable is just too tight so that it's actually not engaging 100% when you let out the pedel, causing it to slip every so slightly....maybe not enough for you to feel but enough that it's burning.

 

[88stangmangt]

yup prob the weak ass cable ford used over time it gets weak and stretches........like 85 ss said and causes problems...............i would look into upr for a new peice put it on then see.........

 

[5spd GT]

by too tight i mean have you adjusted the cable too far down? When your car is just sitting there not running and in neutral, can you jiggle your clutch pedel up and down at least 1 inch? Where is your clutch letting out at? All the way at the top, middle or bottom of the pedel? Your cable could be stretched, which would cause your clutch to not fully disengage durring shifts, which would burn the cluch as if you were riding the clutch durring shifts or speed shifting, or your clutch cable is just too tight so that it's actually not engaging 100% when you let out the pedel, causing it to slip every so slightly....maybe not enough for you to feel but enough that it's burning.

I have at inch maybe a bit more of play...

It lets out around the middle of the pedal with it swaying more towards the upper part of the clutch pedal...

I can go drive the car real quick and see what it is doing...what "test" should I perform...?

 

[5spd GT]

yup prob the weak ass cable ford used over time it gets weak and stretches........like 85 ss said and causes problems...............i would look into upr for a new peice put it on then see.........

I have a firewall adjuster and UPR quadrant (I think that is what it was...)...but why would it start burning right after I added more power...probably went from 225rwhp to just a tad over 300rwhp...

 

[88stangmangt]

might be some of the new parts breaking in............from the heat if you just added more parts...................give it a week or two...................before you tool time it...........

 

[5spd GT]

might be some of the new parts breaking in............from the heat if you just added more parts...................give it a week or two...................before you tool time it...........

But what would be holding me back...it didn't do it that bad the first week or so after the swap and then I've noticed the smell is getting stronger and the "holding back" is getting worse...

I'm sure the parts are broken in...I've been driving it everyday for 3-1/2 weeks...

Any test I can perform to cancel some of these ideas out...I can go drive it real quick...how to know if slipping clutch, I guess I dont' have a stretched cable...I have a bit over an inch of play pretty easily...etc..

 

[5spd GT]

I just went out for a test drive and put it in 5th from a dead stop and revved the car up to about 2500rpm and started slipping the clutch...the car barely moved (started creeping forward)...and when I finally got the clutch all the way out (the rev just dropped) and the car almost died before I caught it...is that normal or does that mean it is slipping? Within a second of doing that...the clutch smell came on VERY strong and it took about 8-10 seconds before it went away completly...

 

[JB66]

Sounds like your rear brakes are set-up. Those brake cables have a way of not releasing as they get older. Jack up the car and jack stand it on the rear axle housing, then try turning the wheels (by hand or by engine). If your axle bearings are bad, they could set-up the rear brakes also. Rotten egg smell (sulphur) is also produced by overly rich catalytic convertors.

 

[5spd GT]

Sounds like your rear brakes are set-up. Those brake cables have a way of not releasing as they get older. Jack up the car and jack stand it on the rear axle housing, then try turning the wheels (by hand or by engine). If your axle bearings are bad, they could set-up the rear brakes also. Rotten egg smell (sulphur) is also produced by overly rich catalytic convertors.

What is a solution if they are "set-up"...why would it do this right after the h/c/i swap...so I"m going to spin the wheels over by hand and see what happens...I don't think it is that because the car barely moved when I did the "slipping clutch" test and it wouldn't make that much of a smell...

I know it isn't the cats because I have an offroad h pipe...and I know it isn't exhaust...

I want to know if what I did with the slipping test is normal...anybody?