[madbullram]

Hi guys,
I need some advice. A friend of mine wanted to try my Thar and while leaving the basement and climbing the incline (to ground floor), by mistake he drove in 3rd gear and the jeep switched off. He restarted and in panic (there was a car behind), revved in 3rd gear to ensure Thar climbed the incline. You know what would have happened now!

I was waiting for him in the ground floor. When I drove it home I could smell a burnt smell and I knew it was clutch, and the burnt smell was intense.

I drove straight to Mahindra service to check and they did a road test and advised me that the complete assembly needed to be changed as its burnt. The estimate is 18k to 22k rupees. If i don't change it now, it might impact other components and might end up with much higher expense. I told them let me think about it and drove back home.

The vehicle was driving fine and a mild smell was there. I am thinking I should let the clutch cool down and tomorrow try it and it should be fine. Yes, I am sure there is a big impact on the clutch life but I am not sure it's that bad that the entire assembly needs to be changed for a 1-month-old 3k kilometres Thar.

What do you guys think? Are they (Mahindra service) over complicating it or am I over simplifying this?

Note:
I have not driven the vehicle above 40 kmph after this as I was worried of the impact. I can take it for a drive tomorrow and see how its behaves at higher speed.

[kosjam]

There may have definitely been damage to the clutch plates, but if you do not feel slipping while running the engine at a constant rpm in a particular gear, especially higher gear, then it should be fine.

It may have shortened the life of your clutch, but I doubt, it shortened it to such an extent. Even if you run your vehicle this way, till the time you do not feel slippage, there is no hurry to change.

If you told the authorized service station the reason for doing the road test, they will definitely advise you to change the clutch. They will prey upon your fear. You could do one thing. You can push them to open the clutch and visually check the condition of the clutch plates. Compare the thickness with a new plate, this should give you an idea on the condition and further road worthiness of the clutch plates.

[revsperminute]

Are you sure the clutch is shot after just one such instance? Sure, it wasn’t the right thing to do but I really don’t think it cooked the clutch.

Some ways to check clutch wear in case you’re unfamiliar:
1. Drive normally, put it in 4th gear around 50kmph, let the clutch out and apply full throttle. Check for the engine revving without any/minimal change in speed.
2. Clutch pedal becomes touchy i.e, the bite point rises on the pedal.
3. Downshift without rev-matching, if the engine doesn’t shoot up in revs immediately, there’s something wrong with the clutch assembly.
4. Problems while pulling away on a slope

If still in doubt, get it checked by a good independent workshop before changing the assembly. It’s not so easy to cook the clutch on a brand new vehicle.

[madbullram]

Originally Posted by revsperminute

If still in doubt, get it checked by a good independent workshop before changing the assembly. It’s not so easy to cook the clutch on a brand new vehicle.

Thanks for the tips, will try them tomorrow. I exactly thought the same, it was just max 20-30 secs of carnage and cant be looking at a 20k bill for that. If I think its not right, will take it to Ignite and check

[dhanushs]

It is really really easy to burn out an entire friction plate in one go. You just need ignorance or sense of abusability.

I cannot comment more on this particular incident without knowing more on how this has happened.

[madbullram]

Originally Posted by dhanushs

It is really really easy to burn out an entire friction plate in one go. You just need ignorance or sense of abusability.

I cannot comment more on this particular incident without knowing more on how this has happened.

From what he told me:
1. Started the incline ( I assume 3rd gear instead of 1st) revving, vehicle switched off
2. Started it again and engages 3rd gear (mistaking it for 1st) and the vehicle doesn't move and it slides down, car (behind him in the slope) are honking and the vehicle is slidingdown the slope,
3. Panic sets in , revs it full and gets the vehicle to climb in 3rd gear to the ground floor
4. inside cabin burning smell is strong and he realised it was in 3rd gear and he has been revving like crazy to get it to climb a floor (assume 30-50 secs).

That's when I saw him and I could smell it even outside. I knew it was the clutch. Then drove the vehicle to the service station and the rest is in the thread.

[audioholic]

Just because you smelt burnt clutch that doesn't mean the clutch is gone. Hence don't worry since the car is still new. Yes the clutch would have lost some of its useful life but one such event should not warrant an immediate replacement unless there is slipping of the clutch.

[nish6474]

Originally Posted by madbullram

Hi guys,
I need some advice. A friend of mine wanted to try my Thar and while leaving the basement and climbing the incline (to ground floor), by mistake he drove in 3rd gear and the jeep switched off. He restarted and in panic (there was a car behind), revved in 3rd gear to ensure Thar climbed the incline.

Hey there.. Even I own a Thar RWD currently with 2100 km on the ODO. Even I sensed some burning smell at around the 500 km mark after a 10-12 km ride on fairly empty roads at around 10 PM in the night. I immediately opened the hood to check if everything was alright and I was able to hear some crackling noises from the CAT CON on the right side of the engine. It has an aluminium heat shield above it and was pretty hot. There are some sensors attached to it as well connected with SS tubing.

I raised this issue during the 1st service and the advisor brushed it off saying that it may be due to engine heat and that the components in the engine bay are smelling like that and it's not an issue to worry about.

Now, do you feel any difference in vehicle performance? Try driving your vehicle for about 10-15 km tomorrow and check if you can sense the same smell. If you are still not convinced, try going to another ASC and just let the advisor know that you are sensing a burning smell and would like to get the issue diagnosed.

[Jeroen]

Originally Posted by madbullram

I drove straight to Mahindra service to check and they did a road test and advised me that the complete assembly needed to be changed as its burnt. The estimate is 18k to 22k rupees. If i don't change it now, it might impact other components and might end up with much higher expense. I told them let me think about it and drove back home.

i would challenge the Mahindra service. The thing is that without actual slippage of the clutch nobody can tell you anything about the state of the clutch. To the best of my knowledge there are less than a handful cars out there where you can measure clutch water without taking the gearbox and clutch assembly apart. My forty year old Mercedes W123 being one of them.

Unless they can show you measurements or concrete evidence of clutch slip under certain condition they are absolutely full of it!

Now, you can easily burn out a clutch in a matter of 30-60 seconds. But there are so many variables you just can’t tell, unless the clutch is actually slipping or you take it apart and measure the clutch plate.

Nothing is going to get damaged because of a slipping clutch. Unless you keep repeatedly forcing it into gear.

Jeroen

[lurker]

the burning smell also could be from the DPF heat shield which is a peculiar issue that crops up frequently when high-revving a new diesel Thar.

[madbullram]

hi all,
thanks for all the replies and suggestions . Test drove the vehicle extensively today and it was perfect. No gear slips, pick up is on spot, did 120 easily, so I think the guys at service station where trying to pull a quick one.

[donlealdie]

I guess you should be fine, I remember an incident when I drove my FWD Duster to Doddabetta Peak, it was high season time, unfortunately could travel only then due to school vacations in December, there were many vehicles one behind another on a steep slope, guess what, Burn Smell. It is some distance of maybe 2-3 kms to get to the parking area. Thankfully climate was close to a Zero it helped cool the plates. You should be fine I guess as long as there is no slippage in gears, but u never know, if M&M compromised on the thickness of clutch plates.

[Raghu M]

I think that level of abuse is tested on these vehicles. While traveling back from Srisailam once, there was intense traffic and I could smell the same in my car. The clutch just needed some cooling down. If such an instance can burn out the clutch, then there are many who do it regularly (new drivers). I don't think it should be anything unless you start seeing any unusual clutch behaviour.

[steadfast]

From my experience of similar incident with a new clutch in my Polo diesel. I got a new clutch at 1 lakh kilometers. After 2000 kms my clutch got burnt at Shimla due to wrong driving by my friend. Lot of burning smell. I opened the bonnet and let it cool for 1 hour. The clutch worked for next 60000 kilometers after which full assembly was changed.

[BhayanaV]

The smell might remain there for few days also. Not necessary it will go away as soon as the engine has cooled down. Unless there is a change in performance, don't do anything.

Originally Posted by madbullram

hi all,
thanks for all the replies and suggestions . Test drove the vehicle extensively today and it was perfect. No gear slips, pick up is on spot, did 120 easily, so I think the guys at service station where trying to pull a quick one.