Leaking coolant contaminate clutch disc?

I had a coolant leak (small one, only lost about 1/4 - 1/3 gallon) on my turbo, bad crush washer.

 

I fixed the leak, but then noticed my clutch can't hold the same WTQ.

 

In the winter I was easily running 360, and sometimes 380 WTQ, with not a hint of clutch slippage. Since then I have done nothing even remotely hard on the clutch.

 

About 1 week after I fixed the coolant leak, I started my alky tuning again. No instead of 330 WTQ I am at 350+ in the summer. Hard to tune though, as the clutch starts to slip at 3500-4000 rpm.

 

It is fine in normal driving. I tried once, and was able to squawk the tires a bit on a launch. It doesn't slip in 1st or 2nd, or when going WOT above 4500 rpm in any of the higher gears. So it is not bad, but going WOT in 5th, is a BIG mistake, slips a fair bit then.

 

My clutch has about 60K on it. Bully Clutches has sold well over 50 of the same units I run, and has not had any complaints. (cept that one that had some install error, or something like that).

 

It seems to me that the leaking coolant might have somehow contaminated the clutch disc a bit. Does that seem plausible?

I would think coolant would burn off and dry up. Are you sure it's not oil that's contaminating the clutch?

I would think coolant would burn off and dry up. Are you sure it's not oil that's contaminating the clutch?

 

Could be. Me + crush washers don't get along well. I should really check my brakes again!

 

It was actually leaking oil from the top banjo bolt on the turbo, but I found that right away and fixed it. I lost maybe a tsp of oil from it.

 

Just seems odd that anything leaking there would get into my clutch. Has this happened to anyone else?

I think the clutch is pretty well sealed inside the housing. IIRC there is a baffle plate at the back of the block that could leak oil. I remember re-gasketing mine when we did the clutch.

Time for a real clutch. Call Spec and get one of there's. at least a 2+

 

Drive it for a few day's and see if it get's better. IMO if it was from a leak it would slip all the time. If it's in the top gears...IMO clutch is shot.

Time for a real clutch. Call Spec and get one of there's. at least a 2+

 

Drive it for a few day's and see if it get's better. IMO if it was from a leak it would slip all the time. If it's in the top gears...IMO clutch is shot.

 

I have no experience with Spec clutches, but I have heard mixed reviews.

 

Everyone I have ever talked to with this Bully Clutch has loved it, and has not had problems.

 

At any rate, maybe 60k is about what I can expect from this set-up with my driving?

 

Anybody there have a city driven Spec or ACT clutch with 350+ wtq and more then 60K?

Spec frightens me. Here's one reason:

http://legacygt.com/forums/showpost.php?p=1595639&postcount=2

 

The other reason is a conversation with someone... but I gotta respect his privacy.

 

The clutch bellhousing is open at the bottom to let stuff fall out, but I don't think there's any opening at the top to let stuff fall in.

 

No slip here yet... I haven't been dynoed yet but I think I'm making about what everyone else with an ATP 3076 is making, perhaps a bit less due to my catted exhaust and stock mufflers, but then again I run a couple psi more than most so it probably evens out (23 tapering to 22 until recently, now more like 24.5 tapering to 23.5). I have about 10k miles on it, but probably a third of them were at low boost due to changing one part or another and troubleshooting or retuning afterward.

Little Blue - I doubt coolant from the turbo even touched the clutch, let alone hurt it. It would be about the same as going through a puddle and getting the clutch wet.

 

Clutches hold fine, then they slip once. Then they slip again. Then they slip all the time. But you knew that, so smack yourself and buy a new clutch.

 

I have a WRX flyhweel, ACT PP and Street disc at about 365ftlbs and it holds fine and I'm not nice to it. In a month or two I'll be at 400+ and I'll report back.

 

 

 

NSFW - I don't get asked about or ever really see Spec clutches out here

Little Blue - I doubt coolant from the turbo even touched the clutch, let alone hurt it. It would be about the same as going through a puddle and getting the clutch wet.

 

Clutches hold fine, then they slip once. Then they slip again. Then they slip all the time. But you knew that, so smack yourself and buy a new clutch.

 

I have a WRX flyhweel, ACT PP and Street disc at about 365ftlbs and it holds fine and I'm not nice to it. In a month or two I'll be at 400+ and I'll report back.

 

 

 

NSFW - I don't get asked about or ever really see Spec clutches out here

 

I was really doubting it too, it just seemed very coincidental (leaking coolant, a few days later it slips for very first time).

 

I guess with my driving style 60k was about it for this clutch. I will now more when it comes out.

 

Like I said, works fine for 320 wtq, just not much more. I am in no rush to replace it. After my next track day (next week) I may be in more of a rush.