Clutch Dilemma!

[LotusFella]

Ok, now I don't know what to do.  When I bought my Evora 400 in July 2021 I was very happy with it.  used it for the summer and then winterised it until march.  Put it in for a service and was told the clutch is "very heavy".  I hadn't really noticed it before but after they said that I did think it was slightly heavy.  Now 2 LitP later and just got back from an 1800 mile Stelvio trip.  I book it in for a clutch change on 2nd October.

So a week later from the Stelvio trip I thought I give the old girl a wash.  When I drove it out of the garage I could swear the clutch felt lighter!! Gave it a wash and then took it for a run and to be honest the clutch seems fine.  Yes probably a little heavy, especially when reversing but nothing terrible.

The bit point is quite high, but there is no slipping and no juddering when pulling away.  So now I'm think just get roadside assistance cover and enjoy the thing rather than spend a fortune on changing the clutch when it may not be any different when I get it back.

 

Is it likely to final just give up spontaneously or just get progressively heavier.  thoughts pls.  

serious suggestions pls.  I know the clutch thing has had it fair share of discussion but would appreciate opinions.  Every Lotus person that has felt the clutch has said it'd heavy

 

Thanks in Advance

 

 

[Bibs]

It'll start to slip before anything else, it quite unusual for a sudden failure. Save your money for now, enjoy the car and if it slips under heavy load, get it booked in 👍

[Escape]

As above, you say you've been enjoying it (and properly enjoying it judging by your trips!) for over 2 years after it was claimed to need replacement. There don't seem to be any indications it has now become urgent.

There is always a risk you adjust to wear on your car, be it clutch, brakes or power loss and don't really notice until parts are renewed. But as long as you can shift without problems and there is no sign of slippage, there is no reason to go to all the expense IMHO.

Keep enjoying your Evora, and postpone the clutch change until you feel it is necessary.

[EvoraBob]

When I first got my Evora I thought the clutch was heavy to operate compared to other makes of cars, but after driving other Evora's they are all the same with the slightly heavy operation feel and I have not had any issues. The clutch failure myth on Evora's is not a major issue compared to other makes of cars and its usually a drivers operation problem on low millage cars. As other have said just drive it and enjoy it. 

[EGTE]

I'm a big fan of preventative maintenance, but an engine-out clutch job would definitely not be on my list :-). As Bibs rightly says, the first sign will almost certainly be slippage (at high revs/throttle) and the car will still drive gently, even then.

 

I would not do the clutch until then.

[Alfa2Evora]

Every time for the past several years that I've taken mine for its annual service I've had the "clutch pedal heavy" annotation appear on the invoice. Certainly, it's a bit heavier than the Alfa that's my daily driver, but I don't find it excessively weighty. 

Since this was first reported to me, I've covered a further 40k+ miles, taking the total mileage on this clutch* to over 65k with no signs yet of it giving up the ghost.

This year, I had the MOT done separately from the service so I took it somewhere else (the Alfa indy place I've used for the past 30 years or so with various examples of that marque) to save the trek into the Lotus indy in Edinburgh. With the long and low frontal overhang my Evora now has with the aftermarket bumper I fitted, the mechanic was reluctant to drop the wheels into the brake-test rollers and instead took the car out for a road test using the 'old school' mechanical decelerometer device sitting in the passenger's footwell. On his return, I specifically asked him out of interest if he thought the clutch was heavy and he replied in the negative so happy days.

* - the total on the car is over 93k but the clutch was changed at around 28k miles I believe, as the gearbox was being swapped (standard out - close ratio in) and it made sense to replace the  clutch when everything was out anyway.

 

 

[Bravo73]

As I said in your other clutch thread, if the clutch isn’t slipping, then I wouldn’t bother changing it yet. Especially considering the cost, time and complexity of the job. 

[Craig Red Evora]

I have had an issue with my NA where if the fluid overheats the pedal becomes really heavy and the bite point moves right to the top of the pedal travel. All returns to normal when the car cools down and then comes back on the next journey when things warm up. This is despite having the extra heat shielding on the slave cylinder pipe from Lotus. I have since added some extra and fingers crossed it hasn't come back.

A bleed of the system (the fluid is very dark and full of bubbles) restores the lighter pedal and bite point position, might be something to try if it hasn't been already.

[Bruss]

Absolutely don’t change the clutch because a garage said it was a bit heavy. You know your car. Does the clutch work as it always has? If so leave it alone. On the preventative maintenance side I change my brake AND clutch fluid every 12 months. Any sign of black or murky unclear fluid in yours I would get that changed. Make sure whoever does it bleeds the clutch separately as well as the brakes.

 

 

[LotusFella]

Ok I thought I’d give you an update. I decided to get the clutch changed and today we split the gearbox from the engine. Looks like it was the right decision.    Oh and I'm going to get the flywheel faced. Should I get new flywheel bolts or are originals okay to reuse?

2016 car 30k miles

https://froggroup-my.sharepoint.com/:i:/g/personal/chris_frog_co_uk/EdaiXjEjyJlAnL5FriIaq6UBina9S0hkRuWKu02UZXFwEg?e=9vX3c3

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Edited January 27 by LotusFella

[EGTE]

New bolts are cheaper than doing it all again......

[LotusFella]

I’m going to do the serpentine (aux) belt. I seem to recall a better non lotus one?  Is that right or is the lotions OEM okay?  Evora 400