The past couple of days driving the 2011 Mustang Gt, starting off at a light and going I've noticed weird smells each time. I've heard that a Burnt clutch smells like burning oils, or brakes.

I will rev it to 1,000 to 1,500 rpms to get the car to move...sometimes rev it higher to 2,000rpms to get the car off a hill.

Will that low of a rpm burn your clutch. I would've though around 3,000rpms and higher would burn the clutch. .......or are the smells I have been smelling are from other cars?

 

If you find youre getting more and more play/travel in your clutch pedal, then yeah, thats probably your clutch youre smelling. Dont engine brake too much or bang gears at high RPMs or youll wear that puppy out quick. If you have to replace it, get a stronger clutch disk for comparable prices to OEM.

 

What do you mean by travel in your clutch pedal ?? and also Engine braking??

 

If you know how the clutch feels new, usually pretty tight in an S197, compare that to how it feels now. Do you have to let the clutch pedal out more than you used to before you start to move? If so, your clutch is probably wearing. Engine braking: using your engine to slow down, by letting out the clutch and winding down your RPMs through every gear. Everything you do when driving should be smooth. If youre excessively engine braking, banging gears, etc., change your habits. Use your brakes more. Pads are way cheaper than disks.

 

The clutch still feels pretty tight.......I release it just barely and the car will start to bog down.

I believe I have been engine braking.... for example If I had just gone through a green light and then the next one changes to red while and I am in 2nd or 3rd gear, I would let the car slow itself down until I had to use the brakes. So instead of engine braking use the brakes.

 

How many miles on the car?

Do you beat on it a lot? Ie hard launches, burnouts, drag racing, etc?

Unless you're living life 1/4 mile at a time there's no reason the clutch should already be going on a 2011... Take it into ford. It's still under warranty I would assume...

Also, the advice above is good. When I first got my mustang I had to be really conscientious of my clutch engagement/gear changes etc. in order to learn how to do it smoothly and not feel like I was slipping the clutch excessively.

Edit: to answer your original question to some degree, best way to tell if your clutch is going out is put the engine in a high load-low RPM situation, ie WOT in 5th at say, 40MPH. If the engine revs but the car doesn't accelerate you definitely have a bad clutch.

 

11,000 Miles......

Every now and then I may get on it and chirp the tires a little bit. I just don't want to kill the clutch, is 1,500 to 2,000 rpms to high to start out going?

 

I think it's less about the RPMs and more about the amount of time you're slipping the clutch. You should find an empty parking lot or road or something and practice starting until you can do it confidently with very little slipping. Obviously there are situations where you are going to need to slip a little, like starting on a hill. In some cars I find that lightly feathering the gas pedal while smoothly releasing the clutch is a good way to do it without being too jerky, but you'll just have to find whatever is comfortable for you.

 

Your welcome