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Mon Mar 15, 2010 7:50 pm

My dad has an 87 westy. I had to pick it up from the German auto specialist today. I live on a significant incline, so when I parallel park on it I often mess up the first time and I have to start on the hill. I can usually achieve this without the aid of a handbrake, however it just wasn't working for me and there was a car behind me so I decided to try the handbrake method to start. It didn't seem to be going anywhere no matter how much I pressed the gas or feathered the clutch and it stalled on me once. In retrospect I don't think I completely disengaged it; I just pressed the button and then let go because that's the way it works on my daily driver. I noticed white smoke coming from the back and a burning, almost metallic smell. So do you think that smoke/smell was from me leaving the handbrake on or from me revving the motor WAAYYY too much?

Mon Mar 15, 2010 7:57 pm

Sounds to me like you're burning the shit out of the clutch.

Mon Mar 15, 2010 8:06 pm

I don't know my sister thinks it smells like burning rubber and the fact that it just wasn't moving leads me to believe that I was a dumbass and left the handbrake on because I didn't push it down all of the way I just let go. Also, I wasn't red-lining it I don't believe it ever got passed 4,000.

Mon Mar 15, 2010 8:48 pm

Ok if it was the clutch do you think I need to replace it? If it isn't obvious I am very new to manual transmissions and this was the first time I tried to park it on that damn hill by myself.

Mon Mar 15, 2010 8:49 pm

Move to the Flat lander area. Problem solved.
Learn how to drive a stick would help also.
Sounds like you are burning up a clutch.

Mon Mar 15, 2010 9:02 pm

Doesn't smoke from burning a clutch come out o the bottom of the car near the front? Yes, I know it has a rear engine I'm not completely incompetent hahahahaha I'm just grasping on to any hope that I didn't completely mess up the clutch. Anywho the smoke was coming out of the back near the rear tires.

Mon Mar 15, 2010 10:03 pm

The clutch itself is attached to the engine, not the clutch pedal in the front.
You were burning the clutch. Hope you didn't ruin it.

Mon Mar 15, 2010 11:44 pm

You or your dad might need to start saving up.

Tue Mar 16, 2010 12:49 am

HA I knew I wasn't completely incompetent! The clutch seems fine, no slipping whatsoever. Believe it or not, it seems the culprit was a belt. The belt is completely cracked and there are shavings from it all over a pulley. With the motor exposed, it was obvious that the belt was the source of the smoke and the odd driving characteristics. It's early in the morning but we got it fixed and it runs beautifully.