Quote:
Originally Posted by mspeasl
Question: About 45 years ago (before good drag tires), we learned to launch a car at about 3000 RPM's using half clutch and maintaining a constant steady RPM level until the tires griped. At that point full clutch and WOT were initiated. When I first got my 350 in August of 02 I went out to my favorite location to see how the car ran out of the hole. I launched the car like I have for all of the years and O’crap…………. The car left great and hard, but the clutch when attempting to engage it completely, it wouldn’t engage all of the way!!! The clutch was just slipping and the car was not gaining speed like it should. That was the last time I attempted to drag race the car from a standing start. Now almost 7 years later I have a new 370. I head out to my favorite location again to see how this car runs out of the hole. It’s O’crap all over again. What gives? Has anyone else had this experience?
Thanks |
The technique you describe (with the half-engaged clutch) is basically overheating your clutch surface and making it slip (and eating a lot of life on it too). I killed a clutch in my Trans Am by doing this 2-3 times accidentally (in that car with its torque and the weak stock clutch, you had to drop your foot to the side and dump the clutch crazy fast. If you failed to get your foot out of the way in time, it would slow the clutch engagement enough to cause the exact scenario you're describing). I have no experience with doing this on Z's though, so take it for what it's worth.