Experienced GS Drivers Please Help Newbies

[Maseratiman]

So is that a good thing to try or not - is pre programmed clutch slip beneficial or not?

 

[CatmanV2]

Not sure about it eliminating clutch slip, but what you have described is the parking mode for the original 4200. The gear display indicator flashes as well.

C

 

[Fat Arnie]

Several errors on this thread....

As stated "Except our own Voicey has confirmed that the clutch is open on our cars when in neutral" this is 100% correct. The release bearing is pushing on the fingers to disengage the clucth even in neutral. The reason you get less wear, is that in neutral the 1st motion shaft is free to rotate. In first, it is locked to the wheels. So if there is any clutch drag in neutral (and with the work Voicey and I did on my car we know there can be) the drag can spin up the first motion shaft and negate any wear. If you are sat still in first and thee is clutch drag, you will wear and even possibly glaze the fricytion surfaces.

And as for "dogs being engaged" the CC gearbox, like almost every other road gearbox is not a dog engagement type. Dog boxes do not even need a clutch once you have pulled away - most bike boxes use dog engagement. There is a good explaination here: http://www.superstreetonline.com/how-to/transmission-drivetrain/impp-1109-synchromesh-vs-dog-box/

 

[CatmanV2]

I stand corrected on the second point, Arnie

As for the first, that's a good piece of info. One of the *usual* reason quoted for not sitting in gear with foot on clutch is to avoid wear on the release bearing (before we get to the case of dazzling the car behind you and getting rear ended)

C

 

[FMezza]

Thank you everyone for the info shared has been very informative for this Newbie!!!

 

[mjheathcote]

Ok, I found the info on the other forum:

Put car into reverse, before letting off brake pull and hold down paddle. After couple of secs you should get beep and/or tranny warning light on dash. Let off brake and depress accelerator to begin reversing. NOTE: minimum reverse speed will be higher! So please try first in open space with nothing to hit!

I am going to try it out later...



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Not sure about it eliminating clutch slip, but what you have described is the parking mode for the original 4200. The gear display indicator flashes as well.

C

Haven't heard about that one! Have you tried it?
Tried the hill hold, the gear indicator flashes but doesn't do any hill holding I can feel!

 

[CatmanV2]

Haven't heard about that one! Have you tried it?
Tried the hill hold, the gear indicator flashes but doesn't do any hill holding I can feel!

Yes. I think it was deleted in the later software (i.e. anything other than the original) It's listed in my manual, but I can't make out any real difference and don't bother

C

 

[safrane]

Was the first gen Hill Hold not a clutch setting rather then a brake assist as it is on the GS/2005 MY coupe?

 

[CatmanV2]

Was the first gen Hill Hold not a clutch setting rather then a brake assist as it is on the GS/2005 MY coupe?

No idea. I've neither ever needed it, or noticed it!

C

 

[mjheathcote]

No idea. I've neither ever needed it, or noticed it!

C

No, I use that thing between the seats called a handbrake!
I do avoid any steep approach T junctions where possible though, but can be difficult around here living in the hills.

 

[Swedish Paul]

The GS has it. If you use the handbrake, you feather the accelerator, hence clutch slip. Foot firmly on the break, car doesn't roll backwards, floor it. Less clutch slip. And you don't roll into the car behind.

My Yeti has it too.....

 

[Oxytorch]

When I first got my GS, I used to worry about the clutch too. I would always drop into N at traffic lights etc. but being a dill, half the time I would forget by the time I got a green light. Result is loud revving and no motion and feeling like a goose and sometimes rolling backwards with all this noise!
So I gave up on that and eventually gave up even worrying about the clutch. Just drive and enjoy. When the clutch dies, I'll just get a new one.

 

[GeoffK]

When I first got my GS, I used to worry about the clutch too. I would always drop into N at traffic lights etc. but being a dill, half the time I would forget by the time I got a green light. Result is loud revving and no motion and feeling like a goose and sometimes rolling backwards with all this noise!
So I gave up on that and eventually gave up even worrying about the clutch. Just drive and enjoy. When the clutch dies, I'll just get a new one.

I think that's called enjoying your car !
More people should try it

 

[D Walker]

When I first got my GS, I used to worry about the clutch too. I would always drop into N at traffic lights etc. but being a dill, half the time I would forget by the time I got a green light. Result is loud revving and no motion and feeling like a goose and sometimes rolling backwards with all this noise!
So I gave up on that and eventually gave up even worrying about the clutch. Just drive and enjoy. When the clutch dies, I'll just get a new one.

Yup - Had a few no go Neutral moments!!!

 

[gingeh721]

Likewise. But it does sound good when you rev it to set off.

 

[Wack61]

I used to get stuck in a queue a mile long every morning towing a trailer, it's a pain to keep stopping and starting it so I'd leave a big gap in front of me and crawl at walking pace staying at the same speed even when the traffic built up a bit of speed because I could see it was only a few hundred metres before they'd stop again.

Generally people didn't try and overtake because we were constantly moving rather than stop start

 

[GhostyDog]

If it were me I'd probably wing it and go with Oxytorch's method.

Surely fannying around concentrating on whether you're in neutral introduce a bit more risk of you crashing into something as well.

Especially for new owners...

 

[Slowly]

Sorry if this has been covered elsewhere.
1) How does the diagnostic programme calculate clutch wear? Are there wires embedded in the friction plates and as more become exposed the resistance to current decreases or what?
2) If you smell a terrible clutch smell coming in through the open windows (as we did a couple of weekends ago after a 2 mile jam) but nothing to smell when you reach your destination and park up 1 minute later, was it someone else's clutch? I hope so...

 

[CatmanV2]

1) It measures how far the plates have to move to engage / disegnage. So as the plate wears, and gets thinner, the travel distance changes
2) Could be but it dissipates quickly. I've only ever smelled my clutch once, I'm pleased to say

C

 

[Zep]

As I understand it, it measures it using feedback from the F1 sensor, a transducer the measures the position of the clutch release bearing. The TCU (Transmission Control Unit) measures the clutch position and other gearbox information (input shaft speed) to work out how the clutch is engaging and estimates clutch wear. It is just that, an estimate.

I have had some clutch smell before but wear hasn't resulted in a disaster. It probably was yours, but don't panic...