Clutch & Stalling

[bellamongoose]

Hi,

We recently got an Aygo X as my first car and I find that I keep stalling it when trying to move off. It's only been two days, but I'm struggling to find the right bite point. Any tips from other drivers here who know the car better than I do?

 

[DJ123]

Do slow speed manoeuvres using only the clutch to reverse & creep forward. That should help you feel the bit point, and get used to how much you can engage it prior to the car stalling. 

You need to give it some (not a lot) throttle when pulling away. It's not a car to fully let the clutch out then engage the throttle - it's a balance of each. 

It might also help to wear shoes with a thin sole to help you get that feeling of the bite point, until muscle memory makes it natural. 

[martswain]

The Aygo engine has so little torque you need to use considerably more revs to get it moving without stalling.

 

[haelewyn]

Both reactions are true imho. Revving it just a bit is not easy to do.

The biting point of the aygo is always very high.

You do need a free space of around 1 cm once the clutch is released and the car drives on. Or from the other side, when parked, one cm where the clutch doesn't catch.

If that is not the case the cable needs to be set.

Most technicians will make the cable a bit accessible first which means the job will take about an hour. You will have to do this regularly. Maybe every year / every 2 years. If not, the clutch will be damaged faster.

Buying a new clutch for an aygo + installation is rather cheap to do. Count on 500 £ but surely less than 1000 pounds.

[bellamongoose]

I think I'm just worried about revving too hard and going sailing into the car in front when in traffic, as I'm mostly town driving (to and from work). It was juddering today when I was doing it which it hasn't done before, although I know it's a me issue I have no idea what I was doing to cause it.

I'll try your suggestions this weekend out of town to see if I can get more comfortable with it. Thank you all!

[Rhymes with Paris]

That is difficult if you don't know what's causing it.

Ok I know it's hard on the clutch for a short while, but maybe a session on a steep hill somewhere quiet will help you feel where the bite point is exactly.

My friend finds the bite point on her 2015 Aygo a bit tricky, she misses her old 2005 Yaris as easier to drive.

But try and remember to not worry about revving as pushing on the clutch pedal stops the car moving under power.

[Cyker]

Don't be afraid to rev it, learn to control the power with the clutch, smooth and progressive, and it'll never suddenly fly off.

One routine my driving instructor used to help students get a feel for the clutch, was to get us to park on a deserted incline/gentle hill, facing in the upward direction.

Next, set the accelerator and hold it steady at about 2000rpm - Try and hold it there for the duration of this exercise. Now, bring up the clutch, aiming to hold the car on the clutch, and slowly release the handbrake - If you're doing it right, the car shouldn't move apart from the weight transfer from the rear wheels to the front.

Hold it there for a few seconds, then allow the car to roll back very slowly by dipping the clutch a tiny bit, then bring the clutch back up (And add power if needed) to slow the roll and bring it to a stop again, again only on the clutch.

Then add a bit more clutch and slowly crawl the car back up to where it was before and go back to handbrake + neutral.

This really helps getting a feel for the clutch.

You can start off with gentler inclines, and progress to increasingly steeper ones as you get more confident until you think you're good enough.

 

 

[bellamongoose]

Yeah, sounds like I need to go find an incline somewhere! Would be extra useful as I love at the bottom of a relatively steep hill with only on street parking. Thank you for your help 😊