2013 GT500 Failed Clutch Thread

[farmboy90]

Hey guys,

I am a bit worried about my clutch. I just came back from a drive. At one point I stopped in the middle of the road in some industrial park. I ran the rpms up to about 5,000 and then let the clutch out. The RPMs stayed high (and maybe even climbed a bit), the car went nowhere, and all I got was a horrendous smell. The car bogged as well. Is this "clutch slippage"? And does this happen from time to time even on good clutches, or do I have something to worry about here?

Car is stock and has about 1,100 miles on it.

 

[Snoopy49]

farmboy90,
Did the clutch pedal seem to hang up a little when you noticed the slippage? It would be like the pedal wasn't pushing against your foot when the clutch was released.

 

[farmboy90]

farmboy90,
Did the clutch pedal seem to hang up a little when you noticed the slippage? It would be like the pedal wasn't pushing against your foot when the clutch was released.

I don't think so Snoop. To be honest, I was too freaked out by the RPM swinging, bogging, and smell to notice much about the pedal. But I am pretty sure the pedal was against my foot the whole time. ie - I didn't side step the clutch and just dump it. I "let it out". Know what I mean?

 

[Devious_Snake]

I don't think so Snoop. To be honest, I was too freaked out by the RPM swinging, bogging, and smell to notice much about the pedal. But I am pretty sure the pedal was against my foot the whole time. ie - I didn't side step the clutch and just dump it. I "let it out". Know what I mean?

Im leaning more towards error on your part then....monitor it, do some high rpm, quick shift pulls and see what happens

 

[farmboy90]

Im leaning more towards error on your part then....monitor it, do some high rpm, quick shift pulls and see what happens

What do you think the error could have been? (That way I can try to avoid it next time) Or better yet, maybe I can try to duplicate to confirm if it indeed was some error on my part.

By the way, I clicked the button next to the shifter to turn TC off. I did not do the trick where you hold your foot on the brake for 5 seconds (or whatever it is). Not sure if that matters or not....

 

[Blackmax]

I figure anyone that can afford to buy a 2013 has the money to install a McCloed RXT clutch and not have to worry. Mine has been awesome for two years of street and track use. Over 100 passes with slicks running 10's and it looked like new when I had the motor out. :rockon:

 

[Snoopy49]

Farmboy,
I plan on removing the the clutch over-center spring on the clutch pedal assembly as soon as I get my car. But that's just me.

 

[Devious_Snake]

What do you think the error could have been? (That way I can try to avoid it next time) Or better yet, maybe I can try to duplicate to confirm if it indeed was some error on my part.

By the way, I clicked the button next to the shifter to turn TC off. I did not do the trick where you hold your foot on the brake for 5 seconds (or whatever it is). Not sure if that matters or not....

based on what you said, the clutch might not have been fully engaged. You could have inadvertantly still had enough pressure to let it hang and not completely let out. Next time, get your foot off the clutch pedal entirely. Now the assist spring snoopy mentions could have something to do with it. Also just hitting the TC button still leaves the advancetrac on, so the nannies could still kick in.

Farmboy,


I plan on removing the the clutch over-center spring on the clutch pedal assembly as soon as I get my car. But that's just me.

I have yet to hear an GT500 owner do this but im interested in the results

 

[CMP]

I figure anyone that can afford to buy a 2013 has the money to install a McCloed RXT clutch and not have to worry. Mine has been awesome for two years of street and track use. Over 100 passes with slicks running 10's and it looked like new when I had the motor out. :rockon:

I can afford to buy a clutch, but would expect a stock clutch to at least last a reasonable amount of time (OP has like 1000 miles?). I mean a functioning clutch is part of the purchase price...and I don't feel like giving free money away:dw:

 

[Snoopy49]

I have yet to hear an GT500 owner do this but I'm interested in the results

I will post back when I do it, the only problem is, if I don't have a problem with my clutch, is it because I removed the spring or did I just luck out and get a good clutch?
It looks like I won't get my car until late Jan or early Feb, so if someone (farmboy90) wants to try it and report back, I am all for it.

 

[BOD89LX]

Hey guys,

I am a bit worried about my clutch. I just came back from a drive. At one point I stopped in the middle of the road in some industrial park. I ran the rpms up to about 5,000 and then let the clutch out. The RPMs stayed high (and maybe even climbed a bit), the car went nowhere, and all I got was a horrendous smell. The car bogged as well. Is this "clutch slippage"? And does this happen from time to time even on good clutches, or do I have something to worry about here?

Car is stock and has about 1,100 miles on it.

Dont take this the wrong way but why did you rev it to 5000 rpm and try and let the clutch out?? That is a sure fire way to destroy a good clutch with a tall first gear and 2 tons of fun. So first thing is the car detected clutch slip before tire spin and thats were the bog came from and the rpm hanging was from the clutch slipping before the ecu shut you down. Thats not to say that maybe you had the clutch pedal hang up like a few others said. I would not try that again and if you want to do a burn out turn everything off and rev it a little and let the clutch out fast. Once again do not do that again unless you want to buy your self a new clutch.....

 

[farmboy90]

Dont take this the wrong way but why did you rev it to 5000 rpm and try and let the clutch out?? That is a sure fire way to destroy a good clutch with a tall first gear and 2 tons of fun. So first thing is the car detected clutch slip before tire spin and thats were the bog came from and the rpm hanging was from the clutch slipping before the ecu shut you down. Thats not to say that maybe you had the clutch pedal hang up like a few others said. I would not try that again and if you want to do a burn out turn everything off and rev it a little and let the clutch out fast. Once again do not do that again unless you want to buy your self a new clutch.....

Yeah, could just have been user error. I hope you are right actually. I will try this using your tips and see how things go. Thanks for the help!

 

[72MachOne99GT]

I figure anyone that can afford to buy a 2013 has the money to install a McCloed RXT clutch and not have to worry. Mine has been awesome for two years of street and track use. Over 100 passes with slicks running 10's and it looked like new when I had the motor out. :rockon:

Shouldn't assume for everyone.

I am on a budget with my car, I can't afford to go replacing stock parts that fail.

 

[Snoopy49]

I figure anyone that can afford to buy a 2013 has the money to install a McCloed RXT clutch and not have to worry. Mine has been awesome for two years of street and track use. Over 100 passes with slicks running 10's and it looked like new when I had the motor out. :rockon:

Not everyone that buys a GT500 can afford it, there are a lot of people who put themselves in harms way financially just too get one of these cars. Some people will make huge sacrifices for something they really want and end up borrowing a lot of money to get it. If something goes wrong with the car, they simply don't have the money to fix it, so the car has to sit until the money is available.

It's not easy living in these financially troubling times. Look around you and see how many people are now living in nice houses that they can't afford and are about to lose. Your possessions don't make you rich, they make you vulnerable.

 

[Tonyalaskarms]

Not everyone that buys a GT500 can afford it, there are a lot of people who put themselves in harms way financially just too get one of these cars. Some people will make huge sacrifices for something they really want and end up borrowing a lot of money to get it. If something goes wrong with the car, they simply don't have the money to fix it, so the car has to sit until the money is available.

It's not easy living in these financially troubling times. Look around you and see how many people are now living in nice houses that they can't afford andare about to lose. Your possessions don't make you rich, they make you vulnerable.

Well Said:rockon:

 

[Shhhh]

I have around 900miles on mine now and all the smells have gone away. Clutch doesnt seem to mind the 713fltbs+ either :beer:

 

[Jroc]

This may be a stupid question, but is there a chance that some of us having the smell might be confising it with a new exhaust system? At leaset for the first 10 miles or so? reason being, is I have toasted my share of clutches growing up, and i came across a nasty smell when I first got my car. It was so similar, that I even asked the tech if he smell the clutch too. He said, no. What he was smelling is the exhaust. He said that a few mustangs that came through have had that same smell. He mentioned that after they were brought back for oil changes, the smell was gone.

I guess my quesiton is, is the smell really that similar to all the oils buring off a new exhaust system. I have had my car for a month now and just passed 70 miles on her. The smell is still there, yet it is significantly less. When i first got the car, I chased the smell from all angles. It was strongest when smelling the heat extractor in the hood. After about 4 or 5 cruises, it is 90% gone.

Thoughts? Again.... maybe I am crazy.

Well it's happened to Ford vehicles in the past.

Some Terminators use to get a smell similar to a burnt up clutch, and it was just clogged catalytic convertors. Terminator owners referred to it as the "Skunk Smell" and it was really only noticeable at WOT or when the motor had a heavy load on it anyway. It was actually a very bad thing and could destroy a motor. The remedy was either a O/R midpipe, or a good aftermarket midpipe with some good high flowing cats.

My old Terminator actually suffered from the Skunk Smell, and my remedy ended up being a O/R Prochamber. At night after pushing the car hard, and smelling that stink the cats would be glowing red.

Still with only 10 miles I seriously doubt your cars cats are clogged. lol

 

[MNCobra]

hi guys, this may have been discussed in previous posts but, i am wondering if the clutch smells/issues i have been reading about have anything to do with the fact that the clutch pedal releases so high? it would make sense to me that some of us in the begining would not be used to that setting and would tend to ride the clutch and also it would make sense that the smell would go away after a few miles because we have gotten used to the pedal release? also i can set how it may pop out of gear because the pedal was release or still ingaged but we felt otherwise....just my thoughts...cheers

 

[MrUnsubtleNinja]

hi guys, this may have been discussed in previous posts but, i am wondering if the clutch smells/issues i have been reading about have anything to do with the fact that the clutch pedal releases so high? it would make sense to me that some of us in the begining would not be used to that setting and would tend to ride the clutch and also it would make sense that the smell would go away after a few miles because we have gotten used to the pedal release? also i can set how it may pop out of gear because the pedal was release or still ingaged but we felt otherwise....just my thoughts...cheers

Well I know that the person whom installed my new Clutch told me, due to the change in feel after putting the new clutch in, it was more than likely the flywheel affecting how stiff the pedal was. Now my pedal is much looser so the engagement is much nicer.

 

[Papabear1981]

Ditto