Topic: Clutch starting to go???

[Gadget]

Ever since I got these Dunlop Z1 star specs, I never get to "hear" when I brake traction. I have never owned a set of tires that did not squeal before and have always used my sense of hearing as a component of pushing the car.
So, a couple of times recently in traffic, I have down shifted to power out a stopped lane into a moving one on the freeways and noticed a distinct lack of forward momentum compared to rpm. Normally I could just enjoy the screeching of my spinning tires with a huge grin on my face while I backed off the throttle to regain traction. However I can't tell if I am spinning wheels or burning clutch as the only thing I can hear is the engine revving.
Shortly after these occurrences, I have gently popped the clutch in first and second gear and it seems to engage properly...
PS> these tires definately smell different when burning out than what I am used to, keep in mind I have never had super/ultra/extreme summer tires before, so not coming from a "smell" point of reference.
Also, she is a GXP with solo HF cat/Mach shorty and a trifecta selecta-tune.
I lowered the car, added the tires and had the exhaust and cat all on the same day. The cars performance changed significantly ( looove me some Solo) after that so a whole lot of new simultaneous variables.
Also, I have been driving for 25 years (mind you, nothing as "tuned" feeling as this car) and sometime something just "feels" wrong when you are driving and the what the car is "feeding back" to you doesn't compute.
This feels like that. It just isn't consistent which is what is driving me nutts.

So:
1) are these symptoms of a failing clutch?
2) car has 30,000 miles on it... Too soon?
3) what does a burning clutch smell like?
4) anyone whose had their clutch fail, how did it "start"?

Thanks in advance to all and anyone that may be able to give some insight...

[Sol Asylum]

Big symptom is engine revs, it's in gear, foot off the pedal, and the car just doesn't go.

Clutches can go at anytime for a host of reasons.

Burning clutches smell like burning brakes, they often use the same kind of lining material.

[TomatoSoup]

Big symptom is engine revs, it's in gear, foot off the pedal, and the car just doesn't go.

Clutches can go at anytime for a host of reasons.

Burning clutches smell like burning brakes, they often use the same kind of lining material.

but our clutches have a weird burning-rubber smell thrown in.

[Kelu]

Push in 3rd, switch to 4th to fall in the rpm where is the bigest tq spike (400tq in my case with similar boltons) and continue to floor it, rpm goes up for a moment and than climbs down to match the mph.
This is how is started to me around 20 000miles.

Just use stock clutch to replace.

[TomatoSoup]

Push in 3rd, switch to 4th to fall in the rpm where is the bigest tq spike (400tq in my case with similar boltons) and continue to floor it, rpm goes up for a moment and than climbs down to match the mph.
This is how is started to me around 20 000miles.

Just use stock clutch to replace.

What did the original clutch look like?  Photos?

[Kelu]

I don't have any photo, sorry. By the report of the mechanic, "wasn't so bad".

I could feel the clutch slipping only in drag races.

[Brazen17]

If you were burning the clutch you'd know. It is a pretty distinctive smell. As for screeching tires I have the Hankook Ventus V12 evo K110's and they rarely squeel even on concrete.

[Gadget]

Brazen:
It was the not squealing when throwing into hairpin turns that scared me the first time I took her out on the Dunlops. I always had an audible warning when pushing too many G's into a corner that gave me a heads up to slow down. (Well sometimes I'd slow down
As far as the smell, these tires smell different when spun.
Talking about describing a smell is kinda like dancing about architecture, if you know what I mean....

Kelu:
My situation (it has happened twice now) is i will be rolling along about 20mph, in stop and roll traffic in 4th gear, then spot an opening in a neighboring lane and drop it to 2nd and accelerate as I merge into that lane. RPMs soar yet the car does not. The last time it happened I shifted up to 3rd and the RPMs continued to mis match the cars momentum. There was no "butt dyno" effect. The rear did not slide out either. Pulled off the freeway to make sure all was safe an the car drove completely normally the rest of the way home...
I will try your 3rd into fourth, sounds like a good test..


SA:
Understood, however has it been your experience that the clutch will work on and off then on again?

TS:
That is my fear, that I am smelling both which is why the smell of burnt Dunlop is so different than burnt Goodyear (because I am now burning the clutch as well...

Does anyone think 30K is a reasonable mileage to start experiencing clutch failure? I don't know whä the previous owner did to the car, but it was bone stock with 12k miles when I got it. I have not autocrossed or raced it in any real sense, though I do spend maybe a little to much time anticipating that red street light to turn green to see how fast I can get to the speed limit.


Thanks all for the advice

[Sol Asylum]

Because of the many ways a clutch can fail the answer is yes you can have it work and then slip then back to normal.  It may not be the clutch disk but rather the release mechanism is not always releasing properly.

When stopped do you let the clutch out or do you keep the pedal pressed?

[bun1t]

You're tires are probably just quiet. Some tires don't make noise when spinning.

Anyways, when my clutch went bad it still grabbed 1st and 2nd but it started slipping through 3rd and 4th gear. If your clutch is bad it will slip when there is more load on it (higher gears)

[Brazen17]

The wild card is not knowing how the previous owner treated the car those first 12k miles. It may have been their first manual...

[Gadget]

SA, i almost always take it out of gear and roll to a stop with the clutch out while waiting for red lights. Dont know whether that is "good" or "bad" and in fact have been doing it subconcsiously as until you asked, i never really paid attention to that..
 

[elff]

I have a spec 3+ clutch for sale if you decided to go that route.
It only has 2000 miles on it.   

Only reason I am selling it is because I am getting a T56 transmission which was just released.
Pm me if you are interested

[Sbutcher2]

All good info. With 40,000 on my GXP I am experiencing an occasional slip in third gear with high revs.

Looking on feedback on a Spec 2 Clutch and flywheel. The Solstice is slightly modified, turning 300 HP at the rears with no immediate plans to increase power, maybe a turbo upgrade.

Thanks......

[elff]

With that power you will want a Spec 3+
The 2 is not any stronger than stock, so if you have already blown the stock one, you will go through the Spec 2 as well.

make me an offer

[Topdowneh]

If you were burning the clutch you'd know. It is a pretty distinctive smell. As for screeching tires I have the Hankook Ventus V12 evo K110's and they rarely squeel even on concrete.

Mine too. No squeal at all. The OEM tires were ridiculous in comparison. I know the Hankook Ventus V12 are spinning because the rear end gets loose when I push it. I love the V12's. Good in the rain too. 

I really wanted a manual shift tranny but after hearing about clutches going at 20K, I'm thinking the auto is not all that bad after all.

[Gadget]

Just to be clear, I haven't posted in a while on this thread because it stopped happening.
The only reasons I can deduce for this are:
1) it happened several times on the very same section of highway (perhaps oil on the road?)
2) operator error (perhaps I suck at driving?)

In any case, for the record my clutch is not "going" at 30K miles. It seems to be fine now...

To quote Bob Hoskins from "Brazil"..
"It fixed itself?"