5 Symptoms of a Bad Flywheel
Having strange problems with your transmission like slippage, clutch pedal vibration, or a burning smell? A worn out flywheel could be to blame. Let’s take a look at the most common symptoms of a bad flywheel and how much it costs to replace one.
5 Most Common Symptoms of a Defective Flywheel
1) Gear Slippage
When you try to change gears while driving, you may find that the gears slip. This usually happens when you try to shift to a higher gear (e.g. from 3rd to 4th). You will notice that the engine will turn but no power is being transmitted to the wheels. This often happens when you are in a higher gear or when you depress the accelerator pedal more than a little.
This is often a direct result of clutch wear. Allowing the clutch to slip will also wear down the flywheel over time. If left unchecked, the gear slippage will only get worse.
You may hear a scraping noise from the pressure plate, and over time the flywheel and other parts of the clutch assembly can overheat and warp or crack. If you don’t replace your clutch and flywheel, you will eventually be unable to shift gears at all.
Pressing the clutch pedal while driving, slowly engaging and disengaging while accelerating, or quickly disengaging at high speeds (such as during drag racing) are common causes of wear on the flywheel and clutch. A slight delay in engaging the clutch or a soft clutch pedal are signs of slipping gears.
2) Burning Smell
In addition to slipping gears, you may notice a burning smell that stains the interior of your car. This smell occurs when the clutch is used improperly, such as from a faulty flywheel or inexperienced driver. Clutches have linings made of materials designed to reduce the noise the clutch makes during operation. Clutch linings generate a lot of heat when used improperly due to friction, essentially turning the surface glassy from the heat. This results in a very noticeable, strong, pungent, pungent odor.
3) Clutch Chatter
This occurs when the clutch does not engage smoothly and “jumps” on the flywheel. It engages and disengages repeatedly, causing a stuttering or vibration when you disengage the clutch. This can happen in any gear, but most commonly occurs when starting from a standstill.
Clutch chatter can be difficult to diagnose because sometimes it is caused by a distorted flywheel, but more often the cause is a worn, distorted or broken part, oil contamination from the engine, clutch disc, pressure plate, release bearing, or transmission leak.
4) Clutch pedal vibrates
You will also experience vibrations from the clutch pedal or floor of the vehicle every time you press the clutch. These vibrations are an indication of a faulty flywheel spring mount.
5) Clutch Loop
This is the opposite of a slipping clutch. The clutch isn’t not engaging, it’s just not fully disengaging. When you try to change gears, you may experience different degrees of wear between gears or 1st gear not fully engaging when starting from a stop.
Clutch drag is not a defect in the flywheel itself, but rather a defective bearing or bushing in the flywheel or crankshaft assembly. We’ve covered the most common symptoms of a bad flywheel.
However, the symptoms of a bad flywheel are easy to recognize because they are pretty much the same no matter what type of manual transmission car you drive. If you notice any of these symptoms, it’s best to take your car to a professional auto mechanic.
