Now I want to know the answer to the clutch question ☺️
Comment on How could AI be better than an encyclopedia?
Perspectivist@feddit.uk 1 day ago
Looking at my ChatGPT “random questions” tab and the things I’ve asked from it, much of it are the kind of things you probably couldn’t look up on encyclopedia.
For example:
“Is a slight drop in the engine rpm when shifting from neutral to 1st gear while holding down the clutch pedal a sign of worn out clutch”?
Or:
“What’s the difference between Mirka’s red and yellow sandpaper?”
bright_side_@lemmy.world 1 day ago
Perspectivist@feddit.uk 19 hours ago
It’s normal. Worn out clutch has different and more noticeable symptoms.
XeroxCool@lemmy.world 23 hours ago
It’s not. A worn clutch is losing its ability to connect the engine to the transmission. With the pedal depressed, the clutch should not be touching the engine [flywheel] at all. So a worn clutch would provide slightly more of an air gap between the engine and the transmission. So to answer OP’s question, assuming there’s no computer programming involved with the drop and it’s a purely mechanical effect, then the clutch is dragging. There’s many possibilities, including misadjusted clutch mechanisms (cable/plunger nut, pedal free play screw), worn clutch mechanisms (bent clutch fork, leaking fluid/worn cable sheath/stretched cable, broken pedal mount, bent levers), or a jam (extra carpet under the pedal, debris in transmission lever) to new several possibilities.
I had both a worn clutch and a dragging clutch in my Geo at different points. The only result of a worn clutch is having the engine rev up faster than the trucklet was accelerating, as if it was a loosey goose automatic. No shifting issues. When the cable was out of adjustment, it wasn’t disengaging properly. It happened while driving and made it very difficult to drive since I came to a stop. I had to ride the poor synchro to get it up in speed to, essentially, clutchless shift into 1st. 3 blocks later, I forced it in just in time to climb my driveway.
But, to a much less dramatic experience, often enough, the aftermarket floormat would slip under the pedal and just slightly limit the clutch pedal travel to an effect more like the parent comment’s experience. It go into gear with a little crunch and a little shudder and a little engine drop.
Side note, it’s normal for letting the clutch out in neutral and having the engine drop a little. If the clutch pedal is up, the engine will be driving multiple input components - they just won’t be further connected to the output components. It takes a little energy to spin those back up to 700rpm. They should spin down after a few seconds. If 5-10 seconds pass with the pedal depressed and the gears still resist then comply being engaged with the shifter, they aren’t slowing down. That’d be another symptom/diag point for OP to test for a dragging clutch. A caveat is that if there’s zero input and output speed on the transmission, the dogs may not be lined up and will still prevent engagement. It takes a few tries to confirm “sometimes won’t engage” vs “really will not engage”
XeroxCool@lemmy.world 23 hours ago
Hopefully, it told you that’s not a sign of a worn clutch. Assuming no computer interference and purely mechanical effects, then that’s a sign the clutch is dragging. A worn clutch would provide more of an air gap with the pedal depressed than a fresh clutch. If you want to see a partial list of potential causes, see my reply to the other comment that replied to you.
Your questions are still not proof that LLMs are filling some void. If you think of a traditional encyclopedia, of course it’s not going to know what the colors of one manufacturer’s sandpapers mean. I’m sure that’s answered somehow on their website or wherever you came across the two colors in the same grit and format. Chances are, if one is more expensive and doesn’t have a defined difference in abrasive material, the pricier one is going to last longer by way of having stronger backing paper, better abrasive adhesive, and better resistance to clogging. Whether or not the price is necessary for your project is a different story. ChatGPT is reading the same info available to you. But if you don’t understand the facts presented on the package, then how can you trust the LLM to tokenize it correctly to you?
Similarly, a traditional encyclopedia isn’t going to have a direct answer to your clutch question, but, if it has thorough mechanical entries (with automotive specifics), you might be able to piece it together. You’d learn the “engine” spins in unison up to the flywheel, the flywheel is the mating surface for the clutch, the clutch pedal disengages the clutch from the flywheel, and that holding the pedal down for 5+ seconds should make the transmission input components spin down to a stop (even in neutral). You’re trusting the LLM here to have a proper understanding of those linked mechanical devices. It doesn’t. It’s aggregating internet sources, buzzfeed style, and presenting anything it finds in a corrupted stream of tokens. Again, if you’re not brought up to speed on how those components interact, then how do you know what it’s saying is correct?
Obviously, the rebuttal is how can you trust anyone’s answer if you’re not already knowledgeable? Peer review is great for forums/social sites/wikipedias in the way of people correcting other comments. But beyond that, for formal informational sites, vetting places as a source - a skill being actively eroded with Google or ChatGPT “giving” answers. Neither are actually answering your questions. They’re regurgitating things they found elsewhere. Remember, Google was happy to take reddit answers as fact and tell you elmers glue will hold cheese to pizza and cockroaches live in cocks. If you saw those answers with their high upvote count, you’d understand the nuance that reddit loves shitty sarcastic answers for entertainment value. LLMs don’t because they, literally, don’t understand anything. It’s up to you to figure out if you should trust an algorithm-promoted Facebook page called “car hacks and facts” filled with bullshit videos. It’s up to you to figure out if everythingcar. com is untrustworthy because it has vague, expansive wording and has more ad space than information.