Will the Engine Stall If the Clutch Is Fully Depressed?
2 Answers
Depressing the clutch pedal fully and then applying the brakes will not cause the engine to stall. How the clutch works: It is located between the engine and the transmission, transmitting the torque stored on the engine's flywheel to the transmission to ensure the vehicle delivers appropriate driving force and torque to the drive wheels under different driving conditions. Here is a detailed introduction: 1. Composition of the clutch: The clutch consists of friction plates, spring plates, pressure plates, and a power output shaft. 2. Operating states of the clutch: The clutch operates in three states—disengaged when the clutch is fully depressed, fully engaged when the clutch is not depressed, and partially engaged when the clutch is partially depressed. 3. Operation of the clutch: When starting the vehicle, the driver depresses the clutch pedal, causing the pressure plate to move backward and separate from the friction plate. At this point, the pressure plate and flywheel are not in contact, eliminating relative friction. During normal driving, the pressure plate tightly presses against the flywheel's friction plate, creating maximum friction between them. The input and output shafts maintain relative static friction, rotating at the same speed. The third state is the partially engaged clutch, where the friction between the pressure plate and friction plate is less than in the fully engaged state. Here, the pressure plate and flywheel's friction plate experience sliding friction, with the flywheel rotating faster than the output shaft, transmitting partial power to the transmission. In this state, the engine and drive wheels are in a soft connection.
When driving a manual transmission car normally, fully depressing the clutch pedal won't cause the engine to stall. At this point, the power connection between the engine and transmission is completely disengaged, leaving the engine idling. As long as the idle speed remains stable, the engine will keep running. I've tested this several times - when waiting at red lights with the clutch depressed, the tachometer needle stays steadily at 800 RPM. However, if your car stalls when depressing the clutch, it's likely due to either a dirty throttle body or a faulty idle control valve causing unstable idling. Additionally, older vehicles with severe engine carbon buildup or worn-out spark plugs may exhibit this symptom too. Therefore, never ignore clutch-related stalling - have these components inspected promptly.
