My stock clutch is slipping just on WOT pulls

[kmoore]

So, I went to the track last Friday and it was really only my first time going WOT with the car. On my first run I noticed that in 3rd gear, when I would punch it down to the floor, the rpm's would shoot up really quick but I wasn't going any faster. So, I got off it real quick and then got right back on it. What was weird though was I think I was still holding boost. When I got off it and then got right back on it, the clutch then grabbed and I started to pull again.

Whats weird though is this is only happening on WOT runs towards 3rd and 4th gears. And I am still able to build boost. And also, it is only happening towards the uppper rpm's.

If my clutch is really slipping would I still be able to build boost, like I have been? Also, would a slipping clutch stop if I got off the throttle and then get right back on it, like it did on that one run? And I was planning on going to the track again this weekend, would it be a bad idea to go and race again?

P.S.= the previous owner used to autocross this car, so I am sure that the clutch has some wear and tear on it. But, the car only has 55,000 original miles so, I would think it would still be good for a few more miles.

 

[DGajre777]

Your clutch is starting to slip. At higher RPMs you get more torque causing the clutch to slip. Also, when your clutch starts to slip it will slip in 4th, then 3rd, then 2nd and then finally in 1st and if you keep driving it, the car eventually won't move forward.

If you plan on a clutch change sometime soon, go ahead and take it to a track. If you need to baby it until you have money to do a clutch job, stay off the track and the WOT runs.

My car records show that my stock clutch went out at 42,000. I'm at 62k now and my clutch is doing the same thing your clutch is.

 

[kmoore]

OK great. Thanks for the response. I guess I will have to lay off it. It was just really weird because when I was more than half way down the track it was almost as if it got quiet and all I could hear was the motor reving up. Thanks for the help as usual DG

 

[99gst_racer]

I lost mine at 60K as well. It got so bad that the car could no longer accelerate on any type of incline.

Replace it asap, because like Dee said, it's only going to get worse.

 

[Eastwood95]

In 3rd and 4th gear, there's a higher load on the engine/tranny which is why everyone usually notices the slippage in those gears..........

 

[DiamondStarAwd]

ahah when I had my n/t when I was 16 I thought the car was fast enough to spin the tires in 5th when it was raining. Little did I know I was just toasting my clutch

 

[nightspeed87]

In 3rd and 4th gear, there's a higher load on the engine/tranny which is why everyone usually notices the slippage in those gears..........

Exactly...
On my stock clutch I drove it for like 3k with it slipping and it held up just getting my back to work but one day i got bold and hit it in 4th gear and next thing you know it was smoking because it was slipping so bad, and then it only got worse on a rapid rate to were i couldnt even excellerate in first without a struggle and it was no fun driving my car like that for so long, so then I got a centerforce but I didnt break it in right in which those clutches are sensitive to not being broken it right, so when i started significantly increasing hp over stock then that clutch started feeling slippingish, and wore unevenly, now I have the act2600 and it bites really hard and works on your leg muscles but seems to be holding good. As long as I can hold 400 lbs of torque on this thing reliably on a DD then ill be good...

ahah when I had my n/t when I was 16 I thought the car was fast enough to spin the tires in 5th when it was raining. Little did I know I was just toasting my clutch

I found that funny .

 

[kmoore]

ahah when I had my n/t when I was 16 I thought the car was fast enough to spin the tires in 5th when it was raining. Little did I know I was just toasting my clutch

When I was going down the track I thought that too. I was like, there is no way I am spinning in 4th gear. Thanks for all the replies

 

[cooldude919]

I went to the track friday and on the 2-3 shift my revs will just kinda hang there(not go down) and not go anywhere for a bit(engine sound like its bogging or something) and then i smell clutch.(1-2 shift is fine). Almost like the revs arent falling fast enough then the clutch eats the rpm difference? I thought it was maybe the clutch slipping but from what you guys are saying the rpms would shoot up, which mine wasnt doing. Ive only had it do this to me once on the street (it was on a 1-2 shift) but it did this 3 out of the 4 runs i had on the 2-3 shift. I changed my tranny fluid (bg II) saturday so i guess ill have to watch it and see what happens. Ive only had the car a few months and no idea what fluid the owner had in it before me. Any ideas?

 

[DGajre777]

I thought it was maybe the clutch slipping but from what you guys are saying the rpms would shoot up, which mine wasnt doing. Ive only had it do this to me once on the street (it was on a 1-2 shift) but it did this 3 out of the 4 runs i had on the 2-3 shift. Any ideas?

Mine does the same thing, your clutch is starting to slip. My RPMs hold in 2nd and 3rd gear, but it slips in 4th. Over time when it gets bad, it'll start to slip in all gears.

 

[kmoore]

Is there any wrong with driving with a car with a slipping clutch? What I mean is, if I continue to drive the car could I do SERIOUS damage to the engine/trans?

 

[cooldude919]

Is there any wrong with driving with a car with a slipping clutch? What I mean is, if I continue to drive the car could I do SERIOUS damage to the engine/trans?

No but when it gets bad enough you will be stuck on the side of the road

 

[cooldude919]

Mine does the same thing, your clutch is starting to slip. My RPMs hold in 2nd and 3rd gear, but it slips in 4th. Over time when it gets bad, it'll start to slip in all gears.

I thought that was probably it. Time to start saving for a clutch it looks like.

 

[kmoore]

Would it be worth getting Extreme's clutch package with the Act 2100 clutch with Fidanza Flywheel? The only problem is that it is so expensive

 

[DGajre777]

Is there any wrong with driving with a car with a slipping clutch? What I mean is, if I continue to drive the car could I do SERIOUS damage to the engine/trans?

If you do WOT runs with a slipping clutch, you'll just kill it faster. I've been driving with a slipping (in 4th gear) clutch for about 2 months now, its now doing it in 3rd too. I haven't done any launches in about 2 months and if it starts to slip, I just take my foot of the gas pedal and the slipping stops.

As for serious damage to the engine/trans - No, you won't do any. The clutch slipping prevents the flywheel from being damaged. Now if you have a puck disc in there and you kept doing launches and WOT runs on a hot puck disc, you'll eventually crack the flywheel.

More info and some good reading material here - http://www.roadraceengineering.com/clutchandflywheeltech.htm

Would it be worth getting Extreme's clutch package with the Act 2100 clutch with Fidanza Flywheel? The only problem is that it is so expensive

I've heard of the Fidanza flywheel being too light and droping revs too quickly. I opted for a ACT 2100 with a sprung hub 6 puck disc with an ACT flywheel - It should be in the car in 2 weeks. You could get an RRE lightened flywheel if you are just trying to save weight. Also, when you put a clutch in there, make sure you use a Mitsubishi throw out bearing.

 

[thekellbeast]

My clutch is on the way out too.

I almost never go WOT when I'm driving around, but one day my friend was driving my car, and I told him to punch it. He slammed 2nd and the clutch just slipped like a bastard, and we smelled burning clutch for a while afterwards. When I'm driving around town, I can't detect any slipping at all.

BTW, it's at 155k miles on what I'm sure is the original clutch

 

[kmoore]

If you do WOT runs with a slipping clutch, you'll just kill it faster. I've been driving with a slipping (in 4th gear) clutch for about 2 months now, its now doing it in 3rd too. I haven't done any launches in about 2 months and if it starts to slip, I just take my foot of the gas pedal and the slipping stops.

As for serious damage to the engine/trans - No, you won't do any. The clutch slipping prevents the flywheel from being damaged. Now if you have a puck disc in there and you kept doing launches and WOT runs on a hot puck disc, you'll eventually crack the flywheel.

More info and some good reading material here - http://www.roadraceengineering.com/clutchandflywheeltech.htm



I've heard of the Fidanza flywheel being too light and droping revs too quickly. I opted for a ACT 2100 with a sprung hub 6 puck disc with an ACT flywheel - It should be in the car in 2 weeks. You could get an RRE lightened flywheel if you are just trying to save weight. Also, when you put a clutch in there, make sure you use a Mitsubishi throw out bearing.

From what I have learned from searching, is that all new clutch kits come with OEM Mitsubishi throw out bearing in the kits. I hope thats right. But, in the mean time, I guess I will staying off the track for a while. DAMN!! Thanks guys

Edit: How can a flywheel be too light? Is it just a pain to engage the clutch at a stop light or something. Or can it stall out easier?

 

[DGajre777]

From what I have learned from searching, is that all new clutch kits come with OEM Mitsubishi throw out bearing in the kits. I hope thats right. But, in the mean time, I guess I will staying off the track for a while. DAMN!! Thanks guys

Not really. ACT makes their own TOB but I got a Mitsubishi one and will be trashing the ACT one. Apparently ACT's kit comes with an OEM plastic sleeve TOB, but the one I got with my 2100 is a metal sleeve.

Edit: How can a flywheel be too light? Is it just a pain to engage the clutch at a stop light or something. Or can it stall out easier?

When you shift the RPMs will drop faster that the stock flywheel. You can get the fidanza but you'll have to adapt your driving habits a little bit. Some info here - http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/showthread.php?t=223377

 

[nightspeed87]

Not really. ACT makes their own TOB but I got a Mitsubishi one and will be trashing the ACT one. Apparently ACT's kit comes with an OEM plastic sleeve TOB, but the one I got with my 2100 is a metal sleeve.

Yes get mitsubishi tob. But actually just because its a metal sleeve doesnt make it better. For instance say you have problems with the tob or the alignment of the tranny of some other weird issue, that metal sleeve can damage your input shaft... Much more expensive... If you do go metal sleeve, make sure everything is greesed well.

When you shift the RPMs will drop faster that the stock flywheel. You can get the fidanza but you'll have to adapt your driving habits a little bit. Some info here - http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/sho...g off 10lbs of vehicle weight so do the math.

 

[kmoore]

^^^ That's what I would have thought. I thought you would want to go as light as possible so that when you shift it brings the rpms up/down quicker so that you can get as much power out of that gear as possible?

Here is the post where it was stated that the new Act kits came with OEM TOB (post #10):
http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/showthread.php?t=146344&highlight=Act+clutch+flywheel

 

[kmoore]

And I guess this is the TOB that I will need? http://www.extremepsi.com/store/customer/product.php?productid=18238&cat=958&page=1

 

[DGajre777]

^^^ That's what I would have thought. I thought you would want to go as light as possible so that when you shift it brings the rpms up/down quicker so that you can get as much power out of that gear as possible?

Here is the post where it was stated that the new Act kits came with OEM TOB (post #10):
http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/showthread.php?t=146344&highlight=Act+clutch+flywheel

Yes, however slightly heavier flywheels will allow you to keep your momentum and allows you to have a street car that may require more inertia. For a total drag car, yes, the lighest flyweel is the best but on the street it will stall easier. This is why I opted for a slightly heavier ACT flywheel instead of a Fidanza one. Some more info here - http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/showthread.php?t=241066. In the end it will come down to preference.

I have a ACT TOB in my closet and my OEM Mitsubishi one should be here in a day or two, I'll take some pics to compare the two.

EDIT: Yes, that's the one I bought from my local dealership.

 

[kmoore]

Thanks a lot that would be great. I guess for $50 MORE you can get the Act flywheel compared to the Fidanza. I am willing to "re-teach" myself for $50 just because of money situations at the moment, so I am going to go with the Fidanza flywheel. Thanks for all the help

 

[Eastwood95]

Check this website out for drivetrain packages:

www.extremepsi.com

 

[kmoore]

Check this website out for drivetrain packages:

www.extremepsi.com

Yes, Extreme is the vendor that I am referring to