I think my clutch is going out. I have a 99 FRC with ~73K on it. Yesterday, I was traveling about 60 MPH and accelerated hard (down shift to third) to about 90 and leveled off. Soon after I leveled off I smelled an odor through the AC (vented to the outside) similar to burnt rubber/oil. I have notice over the last few months that in 5th or 6th when I accelerate there will be a sensation of wheel spin for just a second. While I would like to think the car had that kind of torque at 60 to 65 MPH I know something is slipping (clutch???). This sensation occurred several time yesterday after the odor went away. When I engage the clutch from a standing stop there is not apparent slippage and the clutch feel is normal.

Anyway, I would like some opinions as to whether my suspicison the clutch is going our is correct or not. I could also use some recommendations as to where in the Seattle area one could get the clutch replaced with confidence of good quality workmanship.

Thanks

Danny

 

The best way to see if a clutch is slipping is to leave it in 6th gear at highway speed 65-70, floor it and watch your tach. Normal the tach will hardly climb at all, but if your clutch is slipping, youll be able to watch the tach as it slips. This may be more effective after youve run it hard through a couple of gears to heat it up so it will slip easier.

 

That makes sense, I'll give it a try.

Danny

 

Well, I tried to evaluate the clutch slippage today by accelerating in 6th and watching the rpm. There was no apparent slippage according to this method. Yet, I still had the hesitation/chugging. Anyother suggestion would be greatly appreciated.

Danny

 

On an older car I would start to look at the engine but with the OBDII system it seems like you would get some codes if you had a fuel or ignition problem. Using your term hesitation I looked it up in the Service Manual and came up with the following steps to analyze the problem:

DEFINITION: Momentary lack of response as the accelerator is pushed down. This condition can occur at any vehicle speed. This condition is usually more pronounced when first trying to make the vehicle move, as from a stop sign. This condition may cause the engine to stall if severe enough.

Preliminary
Refer to Important Preliminary Inspections Before Starting in Symptoms .
Search for bulletins.
Inspect the PCM grounds for being clean, tight, and in the proper locations. Refer to Engine Controls Schematics .

Sensor/System
Test the operation of the Column Lock System. Refer to Diagnostic System Check - Body Control System in Body Control System.
Test the MAP sensor operation.
An Extended Travel Brake Switch that is mis-adjusted or an Extended Travel Brake circuit that is open causes a perceived misfire under heavy load conditions from a stop. Use a scan tool in order to monitor the Extended Travel Brake Switch parameter. If the scan tool displays Extended Travel Brake Switch applied when the brake pedal is released refer to DTC P1575 Extended Travel Brake Switch Circuit .

Fuel System
Test for proper fuel pressure. Refer to Fuel System Diagnosis .
Inspect for a restricted fuel filter. Refer to Fuel System Diagnosis .
Inspect for a contaminated fuel condition. Refer to Alcohol/Contaminants-in-Fuel Diagnosis .
Inspect both injector fuses for being open. An open injector fuse causes four ignition coils and four injectors not to operate. Replace the fuse. Inspect the ignition coil circuits and the injector circuits for an intermittent short to ground.
Test the fuel injectors. Refer to Fuel Injector Coil Test - Engine Coolant Temperature (ECT) Between 10-35 Degrees C (50-95 Degrees F) .
Inspect the items which can cause an engine to run rich (long term fuel trim near -13%). For a rich condition, refer to DTC P0132 HO2S Circuit High Voltage Bank 1 Sensor 1 and DTC P0152 HO2S Circuit High Voltage Bank 2 Sensor 1 .
Inspect the items that can cause an engine to run lean (long term fuel trim near 23%). For a lean condition, refer to DTC P0131 HO2S Circuit Low Voltage Bank 1 Sensor 1 and DTC P0151 HO2S Circuit Low Voltage Bank 2 Sensor 1 .

Ignition System
Wet down the secondary ignition system with water from a spray bottle. Wetting down the secondary ignition system may help locate damaged or deteriorated components. Look/listen for arcing or misfiring as you apply water.
Test for proper ignition voltage output with spark tester J 26792 . Refer to Electronic Ignition (EI) System Diagnosis for the procedure.
Remove the spark plugs and inspect for the following:
Correct heat range; refer to Spark Plug Usage in Engine Electrical.
Wet plugs; refer to Spark Plug Visual Diagnosis in Engine Electrical.
Cracks; refer to Spark Plug Visual Diagnosis in Engine Electrical.
Wear; refer to Spark Plug Visual Diagnosis in Engine Electrical.
Improper gap; refer to Spark Plug Replacement in Engine Electrical.
Burned electrodes; refer to Spark Plug Visual Diagnosis in Engine Electrical.
Heavy deposits; refer to Spark Plug Visual Diagnosis in Engine Electrical.
An improper spark plug gap causes a driveability concern. Gap the spark plugs using a wire gauge gap tool (J 41319). Refer to Spark Plug Replacement .
Determine the cause of the fouling before replacing the spark plugs if the spark plugs are gas, coolant or oil fouled. Refer to DTC P0172 Fuel Trim System Rich Bank 1 or DTC P0175 Fuel Trim System Rich Bank 2 for diagnosis of the rich condition. Refer to Spark Plug Visual Diagnosis in Engine Electrical for diagnosis of coolant or oil fouled spark plugs.
Inspect for loose ignition coil grounds. Refer to Electronic Ignition (EI) System Diagnosis .

Engine Cooling System
Test the engine thermostat for proper operation and correct heat range. Refer to Thermostat Diagnosis in Engine Cooling.

Additional Checks
Test the generator output voltage. Refer to Charging System Check in Engine Electrical. Repair the charging system if the generator output voltage is less than 9 volts or more than 16 volts.

Bill

 

By the way, did you recently clean your BlackWing? Excessive oil on the air filter can cause a similar problem and GM has a TSB out on it.

Bill

 

Thanks for the information, Bill. I will go through the tests over the next day or two. I have cleaned the Blackwing, but was very careful to not over oil it. Besides I cleaned it about 6 months ago and have only started having the problem in the last couple of months. I did check the fluid in the clutch resevoir. It was very dirty, so I sucked it out and swiped out the resevior and refilled it will new fluid.

Danny

 

This isn't related to your problem, but cleaning the MAF every once in a while is a good idea with any oiled filter. Just use a Q-tip and some type of fast evaporating spirit (I used thinner) and clean the wires very carefully. It ensures a good reading.

I got some black residue off of mine. Good luck