FIXED!!Monster clutch. Those that have tracked,question concerning your 1LE's clutch

[Camaro Dude]

So basically they are saying that you guys don't know how to properly shift?

[markgws6]

The clutch should be "heavy duty" in a track car. I don't buy this for one second. How often do they recommend we switch back to Dot3? What is the technical reason for doing that?

[cornerspeed92]

They said switch for every track day.

[crc91]

Just curious but why switch back to dot3? What's the problem with just running dot4?

[Bad@ssCamaro]

When do you know if you are really letting the clutch slip? I have a tendency to ride the clutch a little when going from first to second, and from second to third in order to have a smooth transition and not jerking the car on the street. Would this have any long term effect on the clutch and pressure plate? I also have to ride/feather the clutch in reverse to keep from jerking and stalling out the car. I've yet to use the launch control.

I think I need more seat time

[Camaro Dude]

The following points in this thread caught my attention in the past:

Originally Posted by X25

I don't get it. You're supposed to dump the clutch and the engine manages the torque; why would it be hard on the clutch surface and cause smell? Perhaps your clutch was slipping?

I have never tried it on the 1LE, but I tried launch control on my 2013 Z06 and 2012 Grand Sport, and I had no smell whatsoever (though I had wheel-hop with the Grand Sport).

Originally Posted by X25

We should note clutch abuse happens very easy on high torque cars. A split second timing error on gas v.s. clutch engagement would slip the clutch at every up-shift, for instance. In the same manner, if you're not rev-matching your downshifts perfectly, you're riding your clutch AND loading the transmission gears to some extend. Fortunately, our transmission is tough, and can tolerate our mistakes to some extend, but the supposedly-tough LS7 clutch seems to be less forgiving in a heavy car like ours.

....and then they told cornerspeed92

Originally Posted by cornerspeed92

........ they dont us feathering the clutch on decel and downshifting, they want us dumping the clutch as if we were starting off in launch control. He said this puts too much heat in the clutch to be feathering the clutch on downshifting...

Just thinking out loud here, regarding shifting techniques.

Personally, I've always found this car drives best with an aggressive left foot.
Learn the car with an aggressive foot...do_not_feather, ever.

[Camaro Dude]

Originally Posted by crc91

Just curious but why switch back to dot3? What's the problem with just running dot4?

+1

Curious as well.

[h018871]

i understand that slipping clutch = heat. i can clearly see that happening in a drag race start. i can accept that the clutch can get hot on a road race track session, just by the repeated use of the clutch. i don't think that i slip the clutch "a lot" at the track, but i don't side step it either..........rev matching should really cut down on the slippage over a 25min session.
i can only think that they recommend to swap back and forth between DOT 4 & 3, so that they (GM) can ensure that any clutch dust gets flushed from the system (they assume that the clutch and brakes share the same reservoir). IMO it is a good idea to remove any and all contaminants to avoid excessive wear on the seals.

we all have to keep in mind that the vast majority of camaro owners that race, drag race their cars. road racing is a completely different thing.

does the Z/28 have a seperate reservoir and/or DOT 4 from the factory?

[Electric]

Originally Posted by Camaro Dude

Learn the car with an aggressive foot...do_not_feather, ever.

My experience in the 1000 miles I had this car, is that you don't need to feather it. You can dump the clutch, and as long as you shift correctly it will be very smooth.

[markgws6]

Originally Posted by Camaro Dude

+1

Curious as well.

It's possible the dot3 is slightly better at letting the clutch engage without slipping more. That would be my guess. But I've had high-HP cars before and slipping the clutch never caused any issues such as this.

[Electric]

Originally Posted by cornerspeed92

FE said is they want us using DOT4 for the track(both clutch and brakes)then changing back to DOT3 for the street, apparently that is somewhere in out manuals, he said he knows nobody does this.

This makes no sense. The only difference between DOT 3 and DOT 4 is the temperature rating. Supposedly, DOT 4 absorbs water more readily, but I don't see how it can be an issue in a sealed system.

[h018871]

i am still struggling with this concept

i flush my clutch system often, without a doubt after each track day weekend and other times when it looks "dirty".
i haven't had the issues that others have had (knock, knock), but i've had fewer track days then them also......
i'm either sitting on a time bomb or just a nevrous Nelly. we'll see

Balue, Cornerspeed & others with pedal sticking: do you flush the fluid through the slave or use the baster/pump method?

[cornerspeed92]

Rather then quoting everyone to try and give answers, i dont have the answers, im only reporting what the GM field engineer said. It goes against my heart and soul to dump the clutch, but either way it seems as though they have covered their ass with regards to our cars. If we dump our clutch and have issues it's our fault, if we feather our clutch and put excessive heat and warp it it's still our fault. I do believe that I (we) need to completely master heal toe driving as others have said this should more then likely take care of the issue. As i have said i often change the fluid in the seperate clutch reservoir and i will be installing the tick bleeder and stainless clutch line.

[crc91]

^i agree probably our best bet. I've been needing to learn anyway.