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The amazing self-healing clutch

C

CLASSVT

Veteran CEG'er
Joined
May 2, 2003
Messages
738
Location
Fort Wayne, In
So it's been no secret that my clutch has been slipping really badly for the last few months or so. I've just made it a habbit not to get on it at all, or at least not in third as that is where it seemed to slip the worst. It had seemed to get worse, slipping in second as well, and I could smell it every time it happened. But today I got on it in second, just because I felt like abusing something, and no slippage. So the next opportunity I rowed through each of the gears at WOT, and no slippage or smell? Why would it suddenly stop? Not that I actually believe it to be miraculously fixed, because I'm sure it will return to slipping. But it is very strange to me why this would happen as no variables have changed, including weather. Ideas?:shrug:
 
Has nobody else experienced this? It was back to slipping today, but not as bad as before. It's just very inconsistant all of the sudden.
 
CLASSVT said:
Has nobody else experienced this? It was back to slipping today, but not as bad as before. It's just very inconsistant all of the sudden.
Click to expand...

Wishful thinking.....you are gonna have to pull the trans. The question is, are you gonna wait till it breaks down on you somewhere?:shrug:
 
I had a similar thing happen. I was messing around and did a e-brake burnout attempt, where I dumped the clutch and it slipped instead of the tires spinning. I put the clutch immediately in when it happened, but it smelled really bad and it slipped for the next few days, while I babied it. Now almost a year later, no slipping at all, and I'm at 72k on the factory clutch.

If you think about it, if the friction surfaces are glazed over, and then you take it easy, each engagement of the clutch should roughen different areas of the surface and over time the glaze goes away.

Anyway, just my untechnical theory.
 
CLASSVT said:
So it's been no secret that my clutch has been slipping really badly for the last few months or so. I've just made it a habbit not to get on it at all, or at least not in third as that is where it seemed to slip the worst. It had seemed to get worse, slipping in second as well, and I could smell it every time it happened. But today I got on it in second, just because I felt like abusing something, and no slippage. So the next opportunity I rowed through each of the gears at WOT, and no slippage or smell? Why would it suddenly stop? Not that I actually believe it to be miraculously fixed, because I'm sure it will return to slipping. But it is very strange to me why this would happen as no variables have changed, including weather. Ideas?:shrug:
Click to expand...

My car used to do this bad - it was sad. I babied it for a long time pissed off because I couldn't launch my car - but now, I can bang through the gears at redline with practically no slippage (nothing like the grabbing power of a stage 3, but damn good)
 
yamaha racer 686 said:
yeah i cant do burnouts either past said 4500 rpms or the clutch just slips. should i replace it??
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No wonder there are so many broken diff stories lurkin' these boards:blackeye: j/k:crazy:

Although a burnout does things for a man that even a woman cannot, it is still just an other way to break your [everyday driver] car.

I'd be worried about your diff, less you have an LSD (don't see it in your mods)
 
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yamaha racer 686 said:
yeah i cant do burnouts either past said 4500 rpms or the clutch just slips. should i replace it??
Click to expand...

Depends on how many miles you have on the current clutch, but you'll eventually burn it up...but on the other hand, keep doing that until something breaks, then you'll have a reason to upgrade! :laugh:
 
i have no traction control
the only t/c i have is the a/c oh snap
turn that button on it wont spin at all
everyone is paranoid about doing burn outs in the car
my car will set the tires on fire
with 117k on the clock
 
You might need to bleed out your clutch line. Bubbles in the brake fluid could be causing unpredictable sponginess in the clutch and irregular grabbing. Whenever I bleed my brakes, I do the clutch line as well. The glazing others mentioned could be the cause as well.

I have a Torsen, yet still I've only done ONE clutch drop from a low 2K RPM, right before I got a new set of tires installed. Even at that low RPM, both front tires easily broke loose on dry pavement. Mods help, I guess... ;)
 
drivebymashing said:
heck i can stomp if from a 2k roll and spin a little
Click to expand...

So can I.... Thats not really something to be proud of though!

Now after I get drag radials I don't forsee that being a problem :cool:

LSD ftw!

My probe clutch also acts the same way. After a week or two of easy driving the clutch grabs well. Enough that I don't feel like replacing it yet. After a couple hours of city driving back when I delivered pizzas I could start to tell it was getting weak and wouldn't grab as firm. Glazing is probably my guess. Still plan on replacing it, just be gentle in the meantime.
 
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