My 02 Protege5 has gone several months without any noticeable clutch slipping.

It has slipped before, on occasion, in 4th & 5th gears. But, it has been several months. Furthermore, in those interim months, I've been pulling a small and light sailboat with the thing! It's small and light, but I know it's a strain on the entire drive system.

So, I'm confused about why this clutch slip comes and goes.

Could it be a cylinder issue instead? Or should I just buck up and pay for the clutch swap?

I'm supposed to drive to NC and back, 3000 miles, in two weeks!

 

Do you have a cable operated or hydraulic operated clutch?

Check the clutch free play & pedal free play.

Towing a trailer does put extra load on your clutch, which will cause an increase in heat, heat is not a clutches best friend. A increase in heat will decrease the friction of the clutch disc causing slippage.

I suggest taking your car to a trusted Mechanic or clutch specialist for inspection.

It's not looking good.

 

That's partially why I'm so confused. It didn't slip at all while I was pulling the trailer with 3 people in the car, a bunch of gear, and 102 deg F outside to boot!

Shame on me for attempting such a thing, I suppose. But, the clutch performed 100% perfect during that abuse, so why should it slip for 10 minutes during a drive to the grocery store yesterday?

Does that reveal anything about the nature of the problem?

 

have you noticed any oil leaks? if the back crankshaft oil seal leaks, it can get the clutch wet with some oil and slip. check the clutch/pedal adjustment, it might help. that adjustment is not complicated but makes a big difference.

 

Generally clutches don't slip intermittently unless they are out of adjustment. Some things like tire slippage can sometimes seem like a faulty clutch.