Clutch slipping when cold out?

[sixsixtwo]

Hey guys, The past few days in Minnesota have been absolutely brutal. It's been below zero and last night was hovering right around -13 last night. I was driving my gsx last night and when I hit boost right around 4k the engine would free rev a bit. I have a stock clutch in here wth about 1k miles, properly broken in. I've never had any problems with it slipping or engaging. Also, the rear main seal is brand new. Does anyone have any experience with the clutch slipping from extreme cold weather conditions? Discuss.

 

[onesickcrx]

You sure its not just spinning tires?

 

[sixsixtwo]

Yes I'm sure. I was in 4th gear merging onto the highway, there was no ice on the highway whatsoever or I would have been focusing on staying alive rather than hitting boost /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

 

[CSMShaun]

How much power do you think you are making? Is it possible that it was just that clutch's time to die?

 

[sixsixtwo]

I'm running a ported 14b, fmic, and 3" exhaust on stock boost. The stock clutch should be more than able to handle that. The clutch has shown no other signs of wear, it engages smoothly each and every shift and has 1k miles on it.

 

[NateCrisman]

The only thing cold weather should have to do with it is that your likely making quite a bit more torque for more dense air and less knock/more timing. A "cranked up" 14b can make more torque than the capacity of a stock clutch. Time for ACT or turn the boost down.

 

[CSMShaun]

I agree 100%. A 14b can certainly max out a stock clutch and colder weather yields more power for possibly two reasons. Reason one is the air is more dense and reason two is that winter fuel has slightly better knock resistance than summer fuel. The fuel difference may not apply in your area of the US but it probably does.

 

[sixsixtwo]

Now I'm going to agree with the both of you. Took the car out again today and the clutch is definitely slipping at higher rpms. I guess there is no mystery phenomenon causing clutches to slip in cold weather. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif The car definitely pulls hard with this cold weather; even with the clutch slipping it still pulls pretty hard. Not a big deal, the clutch is doing fine for me right now. I'll just stay out of boost for now and throw in a heavier duty clutch in the spring. So much for not modding my daily right? First the t25 goes out so I throw in a 14b, now the clutch can't handle it so I'll throw in a beefier clutch. Then I mind as well throw in an Evo III 16g, and on it goes. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/devil.gif

 

[Muskrat]

Another posibility is the colder weather mean's the friction material wont grab as well. Have you noticed if it improves as the car warms up, or if you're doing a lot of clutch engagements? (in traffic or around town). It's a theory, anyway.

 

[sixsixtwo]

That's somewhat along the lines of what I was thinking. I know the possibility is probably pretty slim, but I will keep an eye on my car for the next few days, especially since it's starting to warm up somewhat. Maybe, maybe my clutch will stop slipping once it gets a bit warmer, if not then I'll just baby it and start planning a mild e3 16g build /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif