First off i didn't know if this should go in racing or performance.
So I hit the track last night for the first time this season. I have a stage 2 clutch, flywheel, headers and cat and my times got worse! I was getting 2.6-2.4 60's which i know are bad but they are the same i got last year and my times are .4-.3 slower. I ran consistant 16.3's over 4 runs and last year i was 16.1-16.0. It felt like i was slowing down in 3rd and 4th and on my last run i figured out why. My clutch was slipping mid gear! I would get it into gear, 3rd, foot all the way off the clutch and hit about 4 or 4.5 RMP and feel it hesitate. The RPM would climb and the speed stay the same or go down a little. I haven't had the clutch more then 3 months!
The weirdest part is it drove fine on the way home and fine today. Was the clutch just too hot or something? I was expecting something like mid 15's with the mods i have. I know i am not the best driver but not this bad. Anyone have any thoughts?
Shawn M.
PSN ID: Phatchance249
I dunno...maybe you just dont know how to drive. I'd get the clutch checked out just to make sure though.
RE Audio
Were you spinning alot off the line?
RE Audio
a little, but not much. I am going to get the clutch looked at asap, the place isn't open till monday, i think.
PSN ID: Phatchance249
Well...with that kind of 60' it should have spun alot....there would be no mistake about it. So if it only semed to spin a little it probably is your clutch.
RE Audio
sounds to me like driver difficulty more than anything... with a lightened flywheel and a grabby clutch, if you're not getting a good launch its gonna bog the hell out of the motor... Describe your launch technique in as much detail as possible... i'm pretty sure i know what you're going to say, just by the way you describe whats happening, but i don't want to jump to premature conclusions.
Arrival Blue 04 LS Sport
Eco
Turbo
Megasquirt
'Nuff said
I did a small burn out two of the five runs to clean the tires off like you said scarab. I get to the line, stage and rev to 3-3.5 rmp. I know that is kinda low but it feels like i am getting a good launch and spin the tires if i am too agressive or the car shakes like mad if i drop it too fast. Anyway I know i suck at that part, i am just mad that my clutch is slipping, or it feels like it. I was also my first time at the track this season and i have now only done 15 runs total in this car. 5 with this set up.
That part goes like this. The worst one was in 3rd. The clutch is to the floor, i put it into gear, let the clutch out and get on the gas as it is grabbing. I take my foot all the way off the clutch and I am at WOT around 5k and the engine hesitates. It feels like i just lose power for about a second but the RPM is still going up at the same rate or maybe a tad slower. It happends in 2nd too but not as long. And i haven't gotten that fast in 4th to see. The reason why i think the problem was it getting too hot is because it seems to work fine today and started to work better that night on my way home.
I also posed in another topic in performance that my car hesitates/lags in low rpm around town at odd moments. That feels like its dieing casuse the clutch isn't out all the way but i have made sure when it does it that my foot is on the floor with the clutch and it doesn't help.
I am sorry if my explinations aren't great but i don't know of another way to describe it. I am going to take the car into the shop on monday and have the clutch looked at. Thanks for any and all help.
Shawn M.
PSN ID: Phatchance249
sounds like you didnt break in the clutch properly and its now glazed.
its cause your lighten flywheel...
i had one at the track and it felt liek it hesitated too..and mine actually did ended up being messed up too..so just my 2 sense
Kyle Strosnider wrote:its cause your lighten flywheel...
i had one at the track and it felt liek it hesitated too..and mine actually did ended up being messed up too..so just my 2 sense
it shouldn't have anything to do with the flywheel, although for the fact that he's rocking a lightened flywheel and only launching at 3-3.5k could be part of it....
like owen said, it sounds more like he glazed the clutch.... and also shawn, i'm not sure because i'm having a little trouble following what you wrote, but if you're getting on the gas more than just a little bit before letting the clutch out all the way, while already moving, this may be contributing to you problem... at first it kind of sounded to me like you're just not giving it enough gas, and that the "hesitation" was the engine bogging. A lightened flywheel has less momentum, and thus needs more throttle applied to make use of it than a heavy stock fly. But if its doing it even from a 3rd gear roll it may very well be a clutch/glazing issue.
Arrival Blue 04 LS Sport
Eco
Turbo
Megasquirt
'Nuff said
I think part of it was i wasn't giving it enough gas, so engine bogging a little. Also i think the clutch "slipping" was due to it being too hot. Is that usual? I thought once i replaced the stock clutch It could take a little abuse and heat? Its a SPEC Stage 2 clutch and Aluminum flywheel. I did a little testing on a back road and got a pretty good launch by playing with the clutch a little more and giving it more gas. I am going to get the clutch looked at sometime this week. I had forgotten about the new flywheel having less momentum and me needing to give it more gas. I will do better next time at the track. Thanks for the help.
Shawn M.
PSN ID: Phatchance249
I talked to a performance shop today and they agree i may have glazed the clutch. The guy said since it drives fine now I only glazed it slightly and it probably wore off. Scarab i couldn't quite follow what you said. I should bring up the rmp and let the clutch out fast? Or should i just re-read your "how to launch thread'? Thanks everyone.
Shawn M.
PSN ID: Phatchance249
Hey, this is Brad. I'm the guy who came up and talked to you Friday night. Sorry to hear about your crappy runs, hopefully it'll go better for you next time. You heading up again this Friday? My friend Zach (with the red 96 Z24) is gonna be there, but I probably won't.
Owen Stampflee wrote:sounds like you didnt break in the clutch properly and its now glazed.
x2
PPPSSSS!!!! MMMMMmmmMMM boost=yummy
Stage 2 clutch right? We noticed our 300hp tiburon lost .5 at the track because of a stage 3 clutch with a pretty much stock pressure plate even though the manufacturer clamed it was a stage 3 plate good to up to 400hp. The new on e we've recieved has a steper engage angle, which seems to have solved the problem. Did you buy your clutch on ebay or by a machine shop, maybe they didn't get the pressure plate setup correct.
Anyway, when you tear it apart check for glazing, chances are your going to have to scuff it up a bit in order to get it working again.
