When your clutch slipped at the track, did you smell it? I swear my clutch slipped thru most of 1st and some of 2nd while I was at the track yesterday, but I didn't smell anything. I popped the hood and there was no odor. I have burned the clutch before (accidently) and I definately smelled like clutch. I'm trying to figure out if the clutch slipped or if I got a "peg-leg" launch thru 1st and 2nd. 3rd gear felt fine.


Dave

 

how about a big white puff of smoke in the cabin smelled nasty too

 

you peg-legged it. mine slipped the other day while I popped a 3rd gear shift on the on-ramp.. outside the car STILL smelled like burning clutch 15 minutes later when I parked at work.

 

Burning clutch smell is different than burning rubber smell. Clutch smell is odd.

 

I smelled it inside the car for days.

 

Haven't at the track, but everytime someone else drives my car they end up doing it. Mostly because they are all used to a cable clutch. I can smell it everytime they come back from wherever they went. I wonder exactly how much life it takes off everytime that happens.

 

Maybe I did peg-leg it. If so, it would be a first for the track. It was kind of like that sensation when you're on a slick surface. You're still accelerating slowly, the rpms are going up, but you can't hear the tires spin. I did note a bunch of people were having traction problems depending on where they lined up in the lane. I guess I'll see how it goes next time.


Dave

 

Yeah, the NIssan clutches have a rotton peanut or fart smell to them.

 

I'm stupid. What is a "peg-leg" launch?

 

Dave, I can relate.. for some reason when I would run over 8psi on stock clutch, it simply would not hold any longer (4th gear would spin free) even with a almost brand new nissan clutch. The odd thing is, I drove it like this for a little while and it really did not "smell" or stink like a burning clutch does (and yes i most definately know that smell, even now with an ACT(has slipped once)!).. if i then proceded to cut my boost down to say 6psi the clutch would hold again (not very well on shifts.. but when engaged it would). When the clutch was removed to upgrade it was in almost brand new condition, not burnt or worn out.

this i still do not understand.

also, when my hydrolics (master cylinder) were messed up and would build pressure causing my clutch to not fully engage and make it seem to be slipping, I rarely smelled clutch burning. But then , you feather a launch from 0mph in 2nd gear, and you SMELL THAT LIKE MAD!

 

You dont always smeel clutch when it slipps. I have unfortunalty burned my ACt once driving up those stupid yellow ramps and it smelled way diffrent.

 

anyone?

 

"peg-leg"=Only one of the wheels is spinning out.

 

bascially no lsd??

 

Yeah, like most Hondas that only need one slick at the drag strip.

 

The first time I went to the track I lost the clutch. Not only did it smell at the track,it smelled for days! Anybody who walked within 5' of my car could smell burnt clutch. The clutch had 99k miles on it so it was on it's way out. In normal driving the clutch was fine. Replacement of the old clutch showed a glazed flywheel and a well-worn clutch disc.

 

Mine never smelled, but I think it did do something because it feels softer than it orginially did. With 95K miles, lots of 1/4 mile passes, and more than stock power, this should be expected. I'm going to make it last as long as I can though. I know Neal's clutch has slipped on him before, but he's still running pretty good. I guess I might lower my launch RPMs and see how it goes.


Dave

 

What RPMs are you guys launching from at the track? Are you straight dropping the clutch or feathering it to get a roll?

I've burnt the clutch a few times when I was in the early stages of learning stick (my driveway is on a steep incline, and I had to back out of there = gave too much gas and slipped the clutch a little too long), and I could smell it. The burnt clutch smell is VERY distinct--you definitely know when you did it.

Iron Lung: What do you mean your friends are used to a cable clutch and therefore burn yours? How does being used to cable linkage get in the way of your clutch (rod or hydraulic?, not sure)? I'm just curious since I'm not sure how this would differ.

Also, is "excessive" wear on the clutch only when you burn it? In other words, how can you tell if your clutch technique puts excessive wear on it? If you never smell the clutch, does that mean you're safe?

Thanks

 

i smelled burnt tires before`

 

Maybe one of the springs in the pressure plate gave out as opposed to the clutch disk wearing down???????

 

Interesting I came across this thread, I drag raced the Corvette again tonite and I believe I had the same thing happen. My first run was right on, my 60 foots were still lousy. 2.3 60 foot, but this time I pulled 13.4 @ 108.5 mph. The second run is where it happened, I did a 2000 RPM launch (which now the C5 owners say is too low cause it would cause me to let the clutch out too slowly in order to stop bog) and at about 4000 RPM still in 1st gear the tach shot to redline, but the car wasnt goin anywhere. I thought I was spinning wheel but the rear end wasnt moving. Ran a 13.6@ 106. Then when I slowed down and got the time slip all I smelt was clutch... oops. My friends told me they saw a huge puff of blue smoke blast out from the bottom of my car, so that probably shaved a couple thousand miles off its life.

So I waited about 45 min or so till my 3rd run to see how much damage I did. I lauched it very gently (2.4 60 foot), then hit 2nd gear the car felt like it lost power. Fearing I broke something I let off, then I realized I had left the traction control on. The clutch didnt slip again after that. I ran a 13.99 @ 106 that time. On the way home, I did the drive at 50 and floor the gas test and the clutch held. I'll be darned if I have to do a clutch job on the C5.....

 

The Vette bogs at 2k rpms? Have any of you seen the M5 video where the guy (Greg) teaches how to do launches? In the racing launch, he only brings up his M5 to 1500rpms, and then rolls into the clutch, once it hooks up, stomps the gas. This way you don't burn the clutch and you don't get significant wheelspin.

I've tried doing this on the Max (not a track, just on an isolated road), and it worked well. You get a crisper launch without wheel spin and burnt clutch.

Anyone else agree?

 

I don't agree with the Maxima example because:

1) We don't have near the torque to pull off the line with a soft 1500rpm launch.

2) We're FWD

I don't know if you've ever been to the track, but the pulling a 2.2 or lower 60' sounds like you're breaking the car. I can launch pretty hard on the street, but I know I'm not pulling 2.2s. I know we all talk about how torquey the VQ is, but it doesn't have the 300+ft/lbs of torque at 1500rpms like an M5 or LS1 has. It makes a HUGE difference. Believe me.


Dave

 

Ok, I see what you're saying. I know we don't have the same amount of torque that an M5 has, but an M5 is a lot heavier, and we still have a pretty good amount for the weight of the Maxima (talking about 02/03 years). But ericdwong was talking about his Vette, so I'm assuming it has torque numbers close to the M5, so launching in a similar fashion may be more beneficial. I'm by no means an expert, just throwing out some ideas.

Also, even if we're FWD, wouldn't using too high of revs and dropping the clutch just spin the tires? Either way, you want to minimize tire spin and try to get a roll going. Correct?

Dave, so how do you launch at the track on your car? Drop the clutch? What rpm are you at? Etc etc...

Thanks

 

With as much torque as the M5 has the extra 800lbs doesn't make a huge difference. RWD, lots of torque, fat sticky tires, and deep gears let the M5 launch hard at a relatively low rpm.

With the FWD VQ, launching at too high revs without modulating the clutch will smoke the tires pretty easily especially if you have crappy tires. On the street with my 17" HTR+ I can launch at 3500rpms pretty easily. With my 15s on the street it takes a lot of careful modulation launching at a mere 2500rpms. On the track, I can launch on my 15s at well over 4000rpms only because the track is typically more sticky than the street. I've launched anywhere from 1500-5000rpms. I've always gotten the best launches between 3000-4000rpms. The trick is releasing the clutch and feeding it gas at the right time. I release the clutch jsut enough for the car to roll and then I feed the gas and I quickly release the clutch. Dumping the clutch is a no-no and will get you nothing, but spin and wheelhop. My goal is to come off the line at 3000+rpms because if I come off the line any lower, my VQ bogs down. My 60' and especially the 330' suffer badly. If I bog, I'm usually .2-.3 and 2mph slower.


Dave