Clutch question... Slipping??

[95gsrturbo]

I think my clutch is slipping after only about 7000 miles which shouldn't be at all. I am pretty easy on the car for the most part-
Samson had the car before me and i know he BABIED it.

Never been tracked. just wanted to preface that as well.
I do drive fast on the highway but i know how to shift so that cannot be it

The only explanation i have is that when i take of in first gear or if i cam backing up the car occasionally i ride the clutch which i can smell when i get out. However, i have only had the car a month. even if i did this minimal burning everyday (which i cant becuase i only drive the car 2 times a week if that) the clutch should not be worn... so here are the symptoms:

if i am in gear - any gear say 4th and i try to accelerate, I notice the RPM's will rev 500 to 1000 rpms before i feel the car really move- almost as if i double clutched it this is if i depress the gas pedal too quickly - if i ease on the throttle it seems to grab just fine... does this mean i hav worn out the clutch disc????

please help

 

[zahntech]

Re: RPS clutch question... Slipping??

The clutch was installed 7000 miles ago?...your symptoms are that of a wornout/slipping clutch...RPMs going up when applying the throttle in 4th or 5th are the first signs of a failed clutch.

on another note What the hell were you doing doughnuts for??....If you wanna do doughnuts get one of these.:wink: :smile:

 

[NSXDreamer2]

Re: RPS clutch question... Slipping??

Why nsx and not camero, we'd do it in style MAN... In fact, putting the beautiful aluminum beauty in danger is that much COOLER than trashing a POS..... :tongue:

I'll do donuts, in fact, with the LSD the nsx is much easier to do donuts than my miata in tight places......

Back to the topic, if you smell clutch, you are not doing right. And yes, you are kissing the clutch plate good bye.... Please understanding tracking a nsx clutch is not = abusing the clutch.. As a matter of fact, I let my cousin's husband driving my car a month ago, I keep telling him drop the clutch, drop the clutch, (he had a 3000GT).. well all he did was dragging my clutch, (simular to your riding clutch)... Obviously, I had never smell my clutch in my last 4 yrs of ownership. (and numerous burn out, donuts, drifts, and 20+ track days.) I regretted of letting him driving my car, but oh well.

There's only one way of properly driving a nsx, (in fact, you should do this in every manual car!!) Blip the throttle as you clutch in (disengaging the clutch), engage the clutch as the rpm drops... If you don't understand what I was saying, do a search or read the FAQ.

 

[latzke]

Re: RPS clutch question... Slipping??

...occasionally i ride the clutch which i can smell when i get out.

You should never (NEVER) smell the clutch. Given your description of the symptoms (and behavior) I'm quite sure you've tosted yours. When you get a new clutch, don't slip it.

 

[latzke]

Re: RPS clutch question... Slipping??

There's only one way of properly driving a nsx, (in fact, you should do this in every manual car!!) Blip the throttle as you clutch in (disengaging the clutch), engage the clutch as the rpm drops... If you don't understand what I was saying, do a search or read the FAQ.

I disagree that this is the only (or most-optimal) way to do it. It doesn't describe how I start from a stop. In normal driving on level ground I rev to about 1200 RPMs, use the clutch to get the car rolling enought to fully-engage clutch, which I do so ASAP. Once the clutch is engaged I'm free to do whatever I want with the throttle without effect on clutch wear (floor it, baby it, etc)

Ignoring various well-intentioned but prescribed techniques you might hear (from me, NSXDreamer2, etc) the bottom line is that one should find what works for them to minimize wear (slippage) of the clutch as much as is possible at all times (starting from stop, shifting up, shifting down, backing, going forward, sitting at a stop light, crusing, monkeying around, showing off, driving on a track, driving on the street, driving on a sunny/cloudy/rainy/snowy/spring/summer/winter/fall day, etc).

 

[95gsrturbo]

Re: RPS clutch question... Slipping??

The RPS was very stiff and hard to get used to inthe beginning and this is why i think i burned it in first gear just trying not to let off too soon-

Samson told me he took a while to get used to it also- so i guess between the two of us we wore it out just in take off.

does anyone know if i can just replace the disc with the RPS or do i need to spend another 2000 for the whole kit including flywheel etc again?

 

[clr1024]

Re: RPS clutch question... Slipping??

The RPS was very stiff and hard to get used to inthe beginning and this is why i think i burned it in first gear just trying not to let off too soon-

Samson told me he took a while to get used to it also- so i guess between the two of us we wore it out just in take off.

does anyone know if i can just replace the disc with the RPS or do i need to spend another 2000 for the whole kit including flywheel etc again?

Yes you can replace the disk, although I am not sure if you would go to RPS or to a vendor. I guess check RPS's website.

 

[zahntech]

Re: RPS clutch question... Slipping??

Call RPS they will sell you a replacement disk.

 

[latzke]

Re: RPS clutch question... Slipping??

The RPS was very stiff and hard to get used to inthe beginning and this is why i think i burned it in first gear just trying not to let off too soon

I have the Comptech PowerGrip2 which is very similar to the RPS (both are Sachs clutch w/ lots of clamping force (compared to stock). They don't make smooth engagement and minimal slippage mutually exclusive. A little less throttle until fully engaged may be the prescription.

 

[95gsrturbo]

Re: RPS clutch question... Slipping??

I called RPS today and honestly told them about how i have ridden the clutch- They told me it was a little normal with the stiffness of their pressure plate,

I was told to send them the entire kit and they will inspect it- if they find any kind of manufac. defect they will replace the whole thing-

the guy on the line feels like it may be a defect in the disc material- wierd

 

[95gsrturbo]

Re: RPS clutch question... Slipping??

I also caught myself doing something else tonight--
when i shift smoothly - I.E. not pushing the car hard, i notice that i dont depress the clutch FULLY, in other words i notice that i can shift gears very easily without fully engaging the clutch which seems to make a faster shift.

could this do harm? please dont speculate- looking for honest info.

thanks

 

[clr1024]

Re: RPS clutch question... Slipping??

I called RPS today and honestly told them about how i have ridden the clutch- They told me it was a little normal with the stiffness of their pressure plate,

I was told to send them the entire kit and they will inspect it- if they find any kind of manufac. defect they will replace the whole thing-

the guy on the line feels like it may be a defect in the disc material- wierd

Did they tell you what time frame they had in mind, sounds like your car may be sitting a while without a clutch until a decision is made, i.e you purchase new disk or they replace the whole thing.

 

[NSXDreamer2]

Re: RPS clutch question... Slipping??

I also caught myself doing something else tonight--
when i shift smoothly - I.E. not pushing the car hard, i notice that i dont depress the clutch FULLY, in other words i notice that i can shift gears very easily without fully engaging the clutch which seems to make a faster shift.

could this do harm? please dont speculate- looking for honest info.

thanks

not exactly, if you are not fully disengaging the pedal doesn't mean that you weren't fully disengaging the clutch, as long as you don't need to force your shifter out of the gear, your clutch is already disengaging.

Or, say, if you didn't disengaging the clutch fully, when you push the shifter in gear, you will hear the grinding..

Typically, on the nsx, clutch pedal will go up when the clutch is worn, and of course you only need very little pedal play.

 

[95gsrturbo]

Re: RPS clutch question... Slipping??

not exactly, if you are not fully disengaging the pedal doesn't mean that you weren't fully disengaging the clutch, as long as you don't need to force your shifter out of the gear, your clutch is already disengaging.

Or, say, if you didn't disengaging the clutch fully, when you push the shifter in gear, you will hear the grinding..

Typically, on the nsx, clutch pedal will go up when the clutch is worn, and of course you only need very little pedal play.

can you elaborate a bit more?

 

[nsxtasy]

can you elaborate a bit more?

I think there are a couple of things to keep in mind (and either one may or may not be what NSXdreamer2 is trying to say).

First, the clutch pedal has a "sweet spot" where all the engagement action takes place. If you press the clutch pedal down below that "sweet spot" range, the clutch may be fully disengaged, even if the pedal isn't all the way down to the floor.

The other thing to keep in mind is that a clutch isn't exactly required to accomplish a shift. You can actually shift into and out of gears without using the clutch at all. However, if you are not absolutely precise about matching the revs, this can easily cause damage to your car's transmission - which is why they have clutches on cars in the first place.