With my centerforce dual friction clutch on my s4 na i can never seem to get the car to launch the way it should into first gear, it never seems to have that bite when i engage it and seems like its slipping and burning up. Ive rarely gotten it to actually engage like I want it to , so Im wondering if its because the clutch just sucks or because my technique sucks. (people who have experience using this clutch should please give feedback)

The only other thing I could think of is the clutch slave needing to be better bled (i installed a new one like 6 months ago. I thought maybe the pedal pressure could be associated with teh problem because the clutch pedal in my car engages when the pedal is close to the top..but i really didnt think the level of engagement has anything to do with how it actually engages.

I usually try launching it around 3500-4000rpm , even if i try launching at higher rpms it seems like it still has the slipping/burning problem..

Anyone have any ideas ?

 

centerforce DF clutches are notorious for failing

 

Youre probably right and maybe thats why it was on sale when I bought it for $220, next time I'll probably go with an act , exedy or racing beat clutch.

I bought this one because I figured it was better than stock but it wasnt going to be too harsh on the transmission on engagement... but obviously its not going to be harsh on engagement if its only burning up and slipping and not engaging

 

put it in third or fourth and slowly let off the clutch. If the car stalls or moves forward then the clutch is ok. if the car doesn't stall or move then it's a bad clutch.

do you DROP IT or ease off of it (feather)?
aren't you launching a tad low in the RPMS?

It bogs down for me at those RPMS with the NA.

rebleed the clutch Hydraulics.

 

The clutch shouldn't really slip during launch at all....especially on a stock car.

1: was the flywheel re-surfaced when you installed the clutch?
2: was any oil present in the bell housing when you installed the clutch? either from the rear main of the engine or front main of the tranny?
3: Go out and drive in 5th gear. Bog the car down to about 2500rpm (ish) and mat the throttle. If the rev's shoot up but the car doesn't move - then the clutch IS slipping. If it doesn't, chances are you're simply imagining things.

 

The clutch only has about 12,000 miles on it and i havent really burnt the clutch enough times in my opinion for it to be almost burnt out already.

I highly doubt the clutch is already on its way out, it never slips except for when im taking off in first gear from a stop, but from a roll it seems to engage much easier.

Ive had the car already at 2500 rpms before in 5th gear and the rpms dont rise up like the clutch is slipping.

Dont believe any oil was in the bell housing, and as far as the flywheel goes its brand new and was installed with the brand new clutch, the flywheel is a lightweight steel racing beat.

As far as my technique, i usually try to drop it...feathering it the car always seems to bog down too much,unless thats only because im doing it wrong and/or not doing it from a high enough revving point..but i always thought 3500-4000 was where you should launch it.

 

maybe you're not pulling your foot off fast enough?

 

If the clutch doesn't budge during the 5th gear test - there's nothing wrong with it.

Given the gear ratio and load placed on the clutch in 5th gear, it would slip there LONG before it would EVER slip in first.

There's either something else wrong, or its just the way your car launches.

 

That could be what it is who knows...i guess i should bleed the clutch slave again soemtime if i can find someone knowledgable enough to do it right so i know that its pressure is where it should be..then maybe one day I'd like to goto the 1/4 mile track to see how i run so i can get some practice launching without worrying about a cop seeing me or someone else callin the cops on me...my car is pretty loud and attracts alot of unneeded attention.

 

if you ever want you can come to g-ville and feel my spec stage 3. I like it...alot.

 

you can do it yourself. go buy a bleeder kit and it's a piece of cake. If you're not knowledgeable enough then figure out how to cram that info in your head. It's not hard, just bleed until all the air bubbles are gone, even if it means doing it for 20+ minutes. Have you gf sit in the car and pump the clutch while you are under the hood.