So I took mr. max up to brookings oregon this weekend to visit some friends. I was taking down this road to go the the beach, my buddy jason says there is a big dip and ill probably grind and to go back up and park up top. There wasnt enough room to turn around so I throw it in reverse and drop my clutch to get going because its such a steep hill and jasons car is right inf ront of me. MY clutch just starts clicking like mad and I begin to smell it after about 15-20 feet. By now hacim105 is like dude whats wrong, and im peeing in my pants because im 430 miles away from home and leaving the next day with a yet-to-be-determined dead clutch. My car then decides it hates me and dies.

I start it and try to get it out of gear, however it is stuck in reverse and there is not a dang way its coming out. Im freaking out right and everyone is watching this poor kid punching his dashboard and pumping his clutch trying desperately to get it out of gear and back up top the hill. I can still smell the clutch when I decide to roll it farther down the hill. I roll it to about where I threw it in reverse then I turn it off and start it again. The gear came out with a little force and I was able to flip it around with about 5 or 10 3 point turns.

So I obviously stressed my clutch too much, but I dont really understand what was wrong, it just wouldnt come out of gear. Anybody else had a problem with inclines and reverse? Im really scared to lay on it now and if worse comes to worse a street modified clutch oughtta heal my wounds

feedback very welcome.

 

Ummm....why did you "drop the clutch" to get going? You should have used your e-brake to hold the car while you modulate the clutch. There's no need to "drop" the clutch to get going up a hill because reverse is a deep gear just like 1st.

What happened? The increased load of the car being on the steep incline teamed with the drop smoked the clutch. It slipped, you kept you foot in it, and it burned. The reason you couldn't get it out of gear was because the weight of the car was loaded up against reverse (torque lock).

It's possible your clutch could still be okay. Drive around and be nice to your clutch for a while. Do a test by driving up a decent incline in 4th or 5th at around 1800-2000rpms and then mash the gas. If the clutch is going, it will probably slip under the load.


Dave

 

Ah yeah, the days of getting stuck in reverse. I had that happen in my max. F the 4th gen tranny.