Do I need a new Clutch?

[sirbob]

Sounds like a classic clutch slippage to me.

By the nature of your description though, i would say that it a full clutch replacement is unnessescary at this time, by what you describe as happening, any clutch would have had some slippage...

[CT]

Who knows??? How many klms have you done? What sort of life has the car had? I've done 100000klms on the original clutch which included many motorkhanas, 3 years af trackwork and generally a hard life and it's fine. You have probably overheated it, so once it's cooled it's fine. The clutches in the NBs are not as frail as some would suggest IMO. When it starts to slip in every gear in all conditions, chances are you will then need a new clutch.

[JBT]

Was waiting at the bottom of a steap hill, was riding the clutch a little, as I always do....

Probably need a new one sooner rather than later if that's how you treat it.

A way to check: Drive the car up a steady incline that it would easily handle at say 60km/hr in 3rd gear, then change into 4th gear and apply power. If the revs rise and the speed doesn't change, the clutch is stuffed. If "the clutch pedal grips quite a way out", that is also a sign that it isn't far off replacement.

FWIW, our car has now done 151,000km on the original clutch and grips quite a way out. I'm guessing it will be good for about another 15,000-20,000km by the way it feels and knowing how I treat it.

[JBT]

Not a job for the faint hearted. An excellent \"how to\" for an NA is here.

[Bevan]

Well being a second hand car I have really no idea of the history, it could have had an owner that was a really bad clutch rider... it's only done 84,000 Km's... I wasnt riding it hard, so I was suprised when it slipped, I had an NA I drove the same, and never a problem...
-B

84,000km it should be sweet for quite a while. Maybe you're right that the last owner kept riding the clutch as well. Why don't you just use the brake pedal? If it was a steep incline, you would have had top of been riding it fairly hard to prevent the car rolling back.

[Uncle Arthur]

yer, I was riding it at the bottom of the incline, i.e. before I start to assend, but all the same, I think I'll use the break more, and just see how it goes..

What does someone normally charge to get a new clutch put in, if they dont do it?

-B

MX5 Performance Projects book suggests mechanics would allow 7-8 hours for labour to do a clutch. It IS NOT a small job. I'd estimate $600-$700 incl parts as a base estimate.
You can DIY for under $200 (parts cost) with a second hand clutch, or under $500 for new.