OK I've got a 2001 Accord, 5 speed, 4cyl, vtech with 181K.

Question is, when should I replace the clutch or should I only do it if it's necessary?

Currently I have no problem with the clutch (which is original). 99% of my driving is highway driving on Interstates to and from work (110 miles/day). Occaisionally I'll get stuck in traffic but for the most part there isn't a whole lot of stress on the clutch in "city" driving.

Should I replace it just because it already has 181,000 miles on it or since I'm having no issues should I leave it alone??

I replaced the timing belt at 120K, I guess as was reccommended.

Any thoughts?

 

The clutch is one of the few parts in a car that falls under the "if it isn't broke don't fix it..." category, rather than a regular maintence item. The timing belt only needs to be done about every 80-90k miles so you're good there too.

 

Cool!! Thats sort of what I was thinking but being the plan ahead type that I was conflicted on if I should change it or not. Plus I"m sure my only driving it highway miles will help extend it.

 

I've got 315K on my clutch and it is still going. It slipped a couple of months ago when I went to pass someone, so I checked around and was looking at $800-900 to get it replaced. I'm having mixed emotions about spending that much on a thrice totalled 93 Honda with 315K on the rest of the car too, so I've just been driving it and taking it easy on the clutch. Hasn't slipped lately and I figure I'll drive it till it goes. If you're nice to it that clutch will probably last a while yet. I drove mine like an idiot when I was a teenager (got the car new) and mine's lasted FAR longer than I thought would be possible.

 

800-900 dollars is too much to do a clutch job.....

labor is about 5 hrs,,,,,so it depends on the shop's hourly rate to determine cost on labor

non-factory clutch kit $135-175
rear main seal $ 17-20

resurfacing the flywheel $ 40-50
tranny fluid $ 6-8

 

wow, 800$ is waaay to much.. i believe i got mines recently for 350, labor alone

but yeah, as soon as the clutch starts to slip, replace it before it goes out..cuz you'll regret it if it goes out at the worst situations, like what happened to me on the freeway..but if its still good, no need to for now

 

I've checked around at about 1/2 dozen shops, and the cheapest I found was $650 for the clutch/pressure plate/tout bearing and another $75-100 for the rear main seal. Sales tax runs 9% here so that puts me at $790 and that's the cheapest shop I've found that I would think of taking my car to.
Right now I'm putting about 3K/ month on the 93 and if/when it dies I have another Accord waiting to take it's place. I'd like to keep driving the 93 for as long as possible as I'm reimbursed for mileage by my employer, and I don't want to start putting all those miles on my backup (2000 LX) Accord, but I've been easy on it and it hasn't slipped lately, so I'm going to keep nursing it along until I can either find someone to do it on the side for a more reasonable amount, or I'll drive it till it dies and sell it for scrap. Again, it's been thrice totalled, body is trashed, so it's not worth much.Mechanically it's running ok for now, but with that many miles on it I don't know that I can justify dropping close to a grand into a car that still has 315K on the remainder of it.

 

fix it when it breaks.