How Can I Test a clutch for Slippage?

I'm looking to buy a '06 Elantra Hatchback Limited GT w/ 51K miles on it.
The clutch seems weak. How do I test it for slippage? How much does it cost
to replace it? Should I also post this question in another forum?

I curently drive a Saturn with 121K miles and the Elantra clutch "feels" the
same as the Saturn clutch.

 

Don't laugh... but I used to drive the car up against something solid like a
telephone pole or cement wall and slowly let the clutch out. If its good
the engine will stall. If there is slippage the engine will continue to
run and you will soon smell the burning.

Cost to repair? About $642 to $843. You can check for repair costs at
www.repairpal.com

Good luck.

 

That's a time honored test of a clutch. Do drive up to that pole slowly
though...

 

What makes you think it is "weak" and what does "weak" mean to you? If
it feels the same as your current car, what is your concern?

An easy test for slippage is to drive in high gear at 55 MPH and floor
the throttle. If the RPM increases quickly with little increase in MPH
and then drops again when you let off the throttle, you have slippage.
If the RPM increases uniformly with MPH, then all is fine.

Matt

 

No laughing here. It isn't polite to laugh at stupidity.

Matt

 

Yes, stupidity is timeless...

Matt

 

I've been more aggressive than what Matt suggests if I think there's
potential problem. Matt's test, abd Bob's, too, are both good tests t
tell if you'll need a clutch now.

If I think it's likely a clutch will be needed in the near future, I'l
drive the car about 20MPH, depress the clutch, shift to third gear, re
the engine to about 3,000 RPM, and release the clutch while the engine i
revving. The RPMs should quickly drop to around 1000 (or whatever i
appropriate for 20 MPH in third gear-- you can determine this RPM on you
test drive). If it doesn't drop quickly to the appropriate RPM, you'll b
needing a clutch soon.

DO NOT do this test more than once and DO NOT wait a prolonged period t
see if the engine will RPM will come down. This test is abusive to th
clutch and needs to be kept to the minimum amount of time possible

 

That is my concern with the "pole" test. It is very abusive and really
for no good reason. If the clutch doesn't slip under full throttle in
high gear (which is when the maximum torque is being transferred to the
drive train), what is the worry?

Matt

 

my current car has121k miles of urban driving and the clutch is starting to
slip

 

thanks, i'll try it.

 

If it's slipping under full throttle in high gear, the clutch needs to b
replaced now. The other, more abusive tests do a better job of tellin
you it'll need to be replaced soon (but not necessarily right away)

 

If it doesn't need to be replaced now, then I don't want to know about
it!

Matt