Clutch help

This weekend i let a friend who i thought to be a good driver drive my lgt. He asked if he could "launch" it and i told him he could but, just to be easy on it.(not rev to 4k and drop the clutch). So, he reved it to 3500 prm and then slipped the it a little to ease into it. As he was slipping the clutch, he floored it and the tach instantly jumped to redline while it was still slipping. He then proceeded to shift to second gear where it slipped again. Now he says he had let the clutch all the way out but, i think he had it in most of the way.

 

As expected the clutch stink came and it was bad. But here is the deal. I drove right after that and it seemed ok. A little clutch chatter on engagement but no more slipping. I even put in in 3rd at 15mph and held the gas to load it and see if it would slip but it didnt. Now 3days later, it feels totally normal. Should i be worried about anything.

 

Keep in mind that in the 18k miles the car has on it, i have NOT launched it 1 time. I really take care of this car and the only time i even do "spirited driving" is on the highway or in the twistys. I am just worried that this may lessen the life of my clutch??

 

Secondly, i drove a stage 2 05 this weekend as well. WOW, what a difference. But, his Totally stock clutch felt way different than mine. His pedal was stiff and harder to depress whereas, mine is like butter. I mean the difference was huge. his clutch felt like my old cobra mustang and mine feels like my girlfriends 2.0 jetta:icon_conf what causes that?

If you've never launced your car ever, why would you let a friend do it?

You will be fine, but you put some wear on that is for sure. If you burn't the flywheel bad then you would likely notice right after.

 

I have done that a few times trying to launch my car, but I try and avoid it.

What year is your friend's Legacy GT? There were some differences in pressure plates causing the difference in feel like you described. I've thought about contacting the dealership about my car's pressure plate since the clutch has always felt really vague compared with other newer Legacy GT's I've driven. <shrug>

If you've never launced your car ever, why would you let a friend do it?

 

+1000

It should be fine. I did very similar in my car after I got it (see crappy video), and a few other times too. All in all I've probably slipped the clutch on launch 4 or 5 times, with no ill affects during daily driving.

For example, I can floor it in 3rd+ gear without slipping.

Yeah, I did exactly that one time. I planned on sliping it slightly around 3K RPM for a peppy takeoff, but ended up giving it way too much gas a bit too early and smelt the thing burning up at 6K RPM. Woops:(. It seems fine though. Well, no worse than it ever was.

 

I just stick to 2K RPM takeoffs now

I have not ever launched mine. But, my buddy has a 03 cobra putting down almost 600 at the wheels so i figured he would do it without hurting it. I guess i felt comftorable with him as a driver :/

 

and the car i drove that was stage 2 was an 05. If i take it to the dealer, is there anything they do for the sloppy/non firm clutch plate issue i have?

Hi, don't know how to use this site, but hope you can help. I have a 97 Brighton wagon with manual transmission and only 124K miles. Although performance, feel of the clutch, and everything else feels exactly the same (no slipping, change in stick, difficulty shifting, power, etc.) it has begun to make a grinding/whining noise when the clutch is engaged, sort of like driving an old Willy's Jeep. The noise is not gravelly, high pitched, or squeaky, if you know what I mean, and although it sometimes fades for awhile with clutch engaged at idle, its there almost all the time and getting gradually louder.

 

Have checked fluid and it seems clear and full. Is there anything this could be other than a dying clutch, throw-out bearing, or similar? I don't know much about the history of the car, and have not taken it to a shop yet, even though it passed inspection and was road tested only a few weeks ago.

 

I'll probably take it in tomorrow, but was interested in perspectives/ideas first. I'd rather not spend much on this one- some rust and dents and other small problems that make it less than valuable.

Throwout bearing and/or pilot bearing going bad. Fix this as soon as possible.

 

It's part of normal wear.

There is a difference between the 03 Cobra's drivetrain and the clutch it has in that T56 verse a Subaru's.

I have had my clutch slip a little on a 'harder launch' (less than 3k rpm) and it also slipped right after while flooring in second, without a hard shift. Got the smell and it has been fine since.

 

I have a very firm pedal, it was almost too much until I got used to it. Dealer said it was fine even though the dude just felt it for a second. But it is kinda weird how some are so different in resistance. But now I love my clutch pedal feel...would hate a sloppy Honda clutch.