Driving with a slipping clutch? UPdate: IS my clutch really slipping? UPDATE2: 6-puck

[juanmedina]

My ACT HD clutch started recently slipping on 4th and 5th gear it only lasted like 13k miles with 2 track days . My stock clutch last me 35k miles with 1 track day...

Anyways, can I hurt or damage anything by driving with a slipping clutch? I lowered the boost and I am trying to stay off boost. The last time I drove the car until the clutch was gone, I had to replace my flywheel because it was cracked .

I am going with a 6-puck unsprung this time

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[torinalth]

more slipping means more heat... more chance of warping, etc.

if it is any consolation, I had my clutch slipping for around 10k miles and finally got it replaced... no worse for wear, just machined flat and allwas good.... Maybe you are just too hard on it?

T

[09rexwagon]

If you are replacing the FW, disc, and PP, then drive it until it is undriveable I say.

As torinalth said, however, the extra heat might put a hurting on your FW/PP so they may need machining.

[juanmedina]

Originally Posted by torinalth

more slipping means more heat... more chance of warping, etc.

if it is any consolation, I had my clutch slipping for around 10k miles and finally got it replaced... no worse for wear, just machined flat and allwas good.... Maybe you are just too hard on it?

T

I drive the car really hard, but I think torque kill the clutch. My car makes like 370-400wtq on 3rd on airboys and the ACT HD is rated at 429 TQ

Originally Posted by 09rexwagon

If you are replacing the FW, disc, and PP, then drive it until it is undriveable I say.

As torinalth said, however, the extra heat might put a hurting on your FW/PP so they may need machining.

I am just replacing the disc, everything else should be fine

[juanmedina]

UPDATE

I really don't know if my clutch is really slipping . Sometimes it kinds of slips and sometimes it doesn't. My road dynos of 3rd gear pulls show no slippage at all, but sometimes when I do 5th gear pulls it seems that it slips from 3000 rpm to 3500 rpm and then it catches... but I am not certain.

How can I find out for sure? should I data log my car doing a 5th year pull from 2000rpm to something? What will the slippage look like? Any other ideas? I really don't want to spend my money if the clutch is fine.

Thanks

[340Duster]

My car did something similar when one of the rear axles came unsnapped from the circlip that holds it in the splines of the diff. If you're not sure its the clutch, check your rear axles.

[toconn]

From the sounds of it, you're clutch is JUST starting to slip. It'll get worse over time. Your clutch is more likely to slip in 5th than in any other gear, and I'm guessing from 3000-3500 rpm you're making peak torque, so there's your explanation. I've been experiencing something similar in my bugeye... holds most of the time, but if i gun it and hit my peak torque range in higher gears, it'll start to slip a little. Especially when cold/wet.

Also, I hate to say it, but if you killed 2 clutches in <50k miles, you might want to work on your driving style...

[jaxscuby]

its slipping..

[juanmedina]

Juan haz 6-puck sprung .

I was going to install a 6-puck unsprung but after almost everyone told me that it will suck for a daily driver, I sent the unsprung disk back and got a sprung disk.

The disk clutch that I replace (the HD street clutch) had a ton of meat left on it, so I guess I was just overpowering the clutch. I have driven the car with new clutch of about 2 days and it seems fine for a daily driver. I don't see what is the big deal, you just have to slip the clutch to get going....

I will update this thread in a few weeks

[reddevil]

What did the pressure plate and flywheel look like?

I just installed a 6 puck unsprung. LIKE BUTTER.....

I wonder if its because of the cable versus hydraulic?

[FuJi K]

I tell you... i'll be gettin an UNSPRUNG 4puck. But I have my reasons.
-lighter disc with 4pucks and no hub mech stuff with the springs means FASTER gear changes.
-4puck for better grip

The Outback tranny on the '03 WRX runs an unspring 6puck. I have no issues driving it. I don't slip at 3k rpms to get up and go. I slip at idle to 1500rpms. Get it moving and it'll go. Most people complain, but they forgot why they bought it in the first place.

[juanmedina]

Originally Posted by FuJi K

I tell you... i'll be gettin an UNSPRUNG 4puck. But I have my reasons.
-lighter disc with 4pucks and no hub mech stuff with the springs means FASTER gear changes.
-4puck for better grip

The Outback tranny on the '03 WRX runs an unspring 6puck. I have no issues driving it. I don't slip at 3k rpms to get up and go. I slip at idle to 1500rpms. Get it moving and it'll go. Most people complain, but they forgot why they bought it in the first place.

the shop that install the clutch (Motion Lab Tuning) recommend me the 4-puck instead of the 6-puck because of less heat retention and better drivability. I was going to send my 6-puck back but I decided against it since I already lost $40 sending the unsprung 6-puck back for the sprung one.

I search for info on the 4-puck in here and there is none, I found a video on streetfire about clutches and they said that 4-pucks drives better than a 6-puck

[juanmedina]

Originally Posted by reddevil

What did the pressure plate and flywheel look like?

I just installed a 6 puck unsprung. LIKE BUTTER.....

I wonder if its because of the cable versus hydraulic?

I didn't take a look at the pressure plate and flywheel, I reused them both.

[FuJi K]

I prefer drivin with pucks now because of the performance capabilities they give. Don't be afraid..... I'm not. 4puck unsprung for me!

[subynation]

im right at the cross road of needing a clutch.at 80k on the oem its still holding but a e85 tune will def kill it
i was going to get the act HD street but was also looking at the 4 and 6 puck clutches.theres just not alot of feedback on them.i want something that will last,hold and be fun to drive

[rexworx]

Originally Posted by juanmedina

I didn't take a look at the pressure plate and flywheel, I reused them both.

Well this isnt 100% more case by case, but the pressure plate and flywheel could have overheated a few times and created hot spots on the PP and FW. This causes high and low spots in turn chatter, faster disk wear etc.

Im assuming you are ok since you saw it before the install. It also sounds like it slipped mostly in mid rpm ranges when hitting the powerband. Not drag racing, dumping the clutch etc. So the heat that might have been made is less then it could have been.

[juanmedina]

Originally Posted by subynation

im right at the cross road of needing a clutch.at 80k on the oem its still holding but a e85 tune will def kill it
i was going to get the act HD street but was also looking at the 4 and 6 puck clutches.theres just not alot of feedback on them.i want something that will last,hold and be fun to drive

Is crazy how long OEM clutch can last if driven properly and nicely. My OEM clutch only last 30K miles, the ACT street was in there for 17K miles and it had plenty of meat.

In your case the ACT STi street clutch has a higher torque capacity rating than the WRX clutch, IMO u should be ok with it, if you are only running a VF39 on E85

Originally Posted by rexworx

Well this isnt 100% more case by case, but the pressure plate and flywheel could have overheated a few times and created hot spots on the PP and FW. This causes high and low spots in turn chatter, faster disk wear etc.

Im assuming you are ok since you saw it before the install. It also sounds like it slipped mostly in mid rpm ranges when hitting the powerband. Not drag racing, dumping the clutch etc. So the heat that might have been made is less then it could have been.

The old disk clutch had 2 1/8th passes and 8 1/4th passes including the 12.1.

[subynation]

vf39,no
blouch td06-20g