DeTomaso Mailing List: August 97, Message #232
     



From: MikeLDrew@aol.com

Subject: Re: RE: Clutch life

Date: Fri, 8 Aug 1997 10:32:17 -0400 (EDT)



Nobbie wrote:



>One question, just exactly what does a slipping clutch feel like?



>>>Once you feel it, you'll certainly know.  You know how when you stop on

the gas, the tach moves at a more or less linear rate, and the car's

acceleration seems to match the movement of the tach?  Well, when your clutch

starts to conk out, the tach will sweep normally until engine torque

overcomes the clamping ability of the clutch, and then suddenly jump several

hundred (or thousand) revs higher.  The engine behaves exactly like you've

spun the rear tires, but the car reacts very differently.  Instead of

fishtailing around, the car continues to track smoothly, but acceleration is

reduced, and in extreme cases the car can actually start to slow down!



Gently lifting off the gas (slowly) will bring the revs down to the point

where the clutch can do it's job again, and it will  grab, the revs will drop

several hundred (or thousand) suddenly, and the car will sort of lurch

forward.



My beater VW Scirocco's clutch is on its last legs.  The car runs just fine

in normal driving, but under hard acceleration in second or third gear, the

massive horsepower (?) is enough to overcome the clutch, and it will slip

passing through about 3,000 rpm, and skyrocket to 5,000 and more.  Gently

lifting until the clutch grabs lets me continue, and if I gently accelerate,

I can run all the way to redline in each gear (well, I haven't tried redline

in 5th recently, the out-of-balance and very bald tires start to vibrate the

steering badly, and my vision starts to blur...)



Another neat party trick you can do with a bad clutch:  I can put it in 2nd

gear while stopped, rev to about 5,000 rpm, and just dump the clutch, and

NOTHING happens, the car will just merrily spin 5,000 rpm and not move an

inch.  Slowly lift off the throttle, and at about 2,500 rpm, the clutch

starts to catch and the car starts rolling.  Makes for very smooth launches

from stop signs!  Not going to help clutch life any though (only did this

once to verify it wasn't my imagination that my clutch was slipping.)



One of these days (years?) I'm going to attempt to adjust the adjustment

cable, see if it's possible that there simply isn't enough freeplay.  Yeah,

that's it.  Couldn't possibly have to spend MONEY or anything... :>)



Personally, I stayed away from the Centerforce unit, Dennis Quella

recommended against it.  I just went with his dedicated made-for-Panteras

clutch (heavy-duty pressure plate and Kevlar disc), and everyone I know who's

used this unit really loves it.  Larry Stock swears by them, in fact he buys

his clutches from Dennis.



Mike



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