The clutch of a vehicle transmits the power that the engine generates to its gearbox. In a manual transmission car, you need to disengage this power flow to change gears effectively after starting the vehicle and subsequently while driving. The clutch pressure plates handle this interruption in power transmission.
Understanding clutch pressure plates
A clutch connects two shafts and enables them to lock together and spin at the same speed or separate and spin differently. The clutch has four parts, and these consist of a cover plate with a diaphragm spring, a pressure plate, a driven plate, and a release bearing. The cover plate is attached to the flywheel with bolts, and the flywheel connects to the engine.
The driven plate lies between the flywheel and the heavy metal pressure plate. A friction material covers it on either side. That enables it to grip the flywheel and the pressure plate and smoothly take up the drive when the clutch is engaged.
When you depress the pedal to disengage the clutch, a release bearing gets pushed against the diaphragm spring center and makes it release the clamping pressure. The pressure plate then stops clamping the driven plate to the flywheel. As a result, the power transmission gets interrupted, and you can change the gears.
Clutch pressure plate problems
A properly functioning clutch is essential for smooth gear engagement and changes. However, problems can arise with the clutch pressure plate for the following reasons:
The friction lining of the driven plate has worn out, and its metal parts grind directly against the pressure plate and damage it.
Some of the pressure plate fingers that protrude through the driven plate’s center are bent or broken and therefore cannot grip it properly. That can cause issues with engaging and disengaging the clutch and gears.
If the installation of the release bearing is incorrect with the pressure plate or if the clutch cable is too tight, it can cause the clutch to slip and damage the pressure plate.
A slipping clutch can cause the clutch system to overheat, and that can damage the pressure plate.
Improper gear changes can also damage the pressure plate.
Symptoms of pressure plate problems
Faulty or malfunctioning clutch pressure plates could be the cause of the following problems with your vehicle:
Clutch slippage
If the car does not seem to have much power and has a higher RPM, it may be because of clutch slippage. It can happen when the friction material of the pressure plate has worn off. Replacing the pressure plate can resolve the issue, but generally, changing the entire clutch assembly is necessary for resolving clutch slippage issues.
Trouble shifting gears
You may find it hard to shift gears when you press the clutch pedal. Moving a selected gear to neutral or from neutral to the desired gear may be a noisy affair, or it may not move at all. The problem generally arises because the clutch pressure plate cannot disengage properly. You might need to change it or adjust the clutch cable or replace the clutch fluid.
Excessive shuddering
The vehicle shudders when you are driving at low speed and releases the clutch pedal. If the shuddering does not go away, it means that the clutch pressure plate has worn out and cannot push as it should against the driver plate. You may need to replace it.
Grinding noises
When you release the clutch pedal, you may hear grinding noises. That may be indicative of a worn-out clutch release bearing or bent pressure plate fingers. The entire clutch assembly can get damaged if you do not address the problem as soon as possible.
When to replace or repair the clutch pressure plates?
It may be time to replace or repair the clutch pressure plates if you experience these problems. Generally, you may not encounter these issues until after driving the vehicle for over 100,000 kilometers. However, your driving style could also hasten the need for a change. For instance, if you drive the car with your foot on the clutch pedal or tend to press it halfway in heavy traffic, you are likely to encounter clutch problems sooner and require clutch pressure plate repairs or replacements.