M7
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 8,729
Likes: 1,508
From: Redmond WA
It's a fairly big jump from 1st (2.29) to 2nd (1.61) but with a 3.42:1 rear end I can't imagine starting off with a 1.61:1 ratio is going to hurt anything. I can't say it's the hot ticket to clutch life, but I guess it's "OK".
If you smell clutch, then you know it's definitely not "OK".
Biggest risk is you have to slip it too much in getting the car going, and that could heat up the flywheel. But if it doesn't take a lot of slip to do it, party on.
If you smell clutch, then you know it's definitely not "OK".
Biggest risk is you have to slip it too much in getting the car going, and that could heat up the flywheel. But if it doesn't take a lot of slip to do it, party on.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 41,030
Likes: 9,783
From: Charlotte, NC (formerly Endicott, NY)
Even starting in 4th isn't that bad. Both the LT1 and LT4 have sufficient torque that a lot of clutch slipping isn't required. Pretty easy to do with any Corvette made for decades maybe since 55 3 speed manual was introduced. Definitely not a challenge for any C4, C5, C6 or C7.
Bill
Bill
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 937
Likes: 70
From: Ponte Vedra Florida
It's a fairly big jump from 1st (2.29) to 2nd (1.61) but with a 3.42:1 rear end I can't imagine starting off with a 1.61:1 ratio is going to hurt anything. I can't say it's the hot ticket to clutch life, but I guess it's "OK".
If you smell clutch, then you know it's definitely not "OK".
Biggest risk is you have to slip it too much in getting the car going, and that could heat up the flywheel. But if it doesn't take a lot of slip to do it, party on.
If you smell clutch, then you know it's definitely not "OK".
Biggest risk is you have to slip it too much in getting the car going, and that could heat up the flywheel. But if it doesn't take a lot of slip to do it, party on.
