should new clutch smell?
 

I've just had a new clutch fitted (Sachs) and its making some smell.The most I smell it is when parking. Is it normal for a new clutch until it beds in?

Some of them do give off an smell associated with the bonding agents used along with rivets to hold the lining material to the actual disc structure. It should go away after a couple hundred miles or so.

I spoke to my mechanic and that's what he told me. He said some clutches tend to smell a bit sometimes when they're still new. He said give it some time and it will go. I just hope im not damaging the clutch, driving whilst its smelling.

I just installed a used pressure plate in my 2001 and too am getting one heck of a smell. It seems to be getting better as i drive more, but never have experience this before on other cars...maybe its normal :confused:

A used pressure plate?

Yep, means it was once in another car.

any make? ..........:eek:

I know what it means, what I don't understand is why, with all the work involved in changing it, did you choose to go with a used pressure plate? New ones are not all that expensive (I've seen entire clutch kits with the disc, pressure plate, and throw out bearings retailing for $300).

I have everything new in mine,clutch, pressure plate, throw out bearing, pilot bearing, flywheel, fork, pivot ball, spring, guide tube....the lot!
My clutch pedal used to be really hard, now its sooooo soft, in fact I still have to get used to the correct biting point of the pedal. My concern is that i never had the clutch smell before and now that everything is new I'm having the smell. I'm hoping it will go away soon and not becomes worse

Change that bad boy bro....

A used Pressure Plate ? Are you sure you don't mean DMF ? As others said , a new pressure plate is cheap and a bad/incorrect used Pressure Plate could cause lots of localized overheating problems during slow speed maneuvers like the parking you mentioned.
Using a GOOD used DMF would make some sense but a used PP - strange.

My appolgies to the original poster, it seems my comment about a used PP has prompted more discussion than your original post.

The decision to put a used PP onto an engine was based on a lot of factors on my end, for those that must know why I did it, it was mainly because
-I also installed the matching DMF from my blown engine (ims failure)
-Condition of clutch was known, Condition of the new (used) replacement engine was not known, made no sense to me to go out and buy a new clutch without even knowing if the engine was good, more of a money saving step
-installed a new throughout bearing and pilot bearing
-I can remove a transmission in less than an hour on these cars so cost to put a new cutch in at a future date is no big deal, I enjoy the work.

I agree fully that installing a used pressure plate is not a great idea (generally speaking), but considering my circumstances and a limited budget, it was necessary to test the replacement engine out without dumping a ton more money into it. Now that I know all is good, I will start saving for a new clutch.

BTW, here in çanada, there is now such thing as a REASONABLY priced clutch kit for these cars :(

Piper

What is this pressure plate thing and disc you speaketh of ?
Love my Tip point and shift.

Here, here. Long live the tip.

My legs are to long to peddle these cars around. The Tip is good training for a vehicle with a PDK trans in it.

mine still smells with 50k on it when i'm backing up on the ramps to change the oil.
I try not to slip it very much

Yes that's the worst, when I'm backing up or going up a hill slowly. Hopefully it will go away after a while!