Now i know that this is going to be a dumb question, but I have Stg 2 intake header downpipe plugs etc. And i am not 100% sure but I think my clutch is starting to slip. Anyways you guys know how to test to see if it is slipping or not? Also, i have only had my car 6 months any chance u think the dealer would replace it if this is the case or will they pull the lame "its how i drive my car" deal? any help is much appreciated. Thanks -Dustin

 

they replaced my clutch after a year and 2 months .....with 15 thousand on it

but my dealership is big and stands behind anything

 

Lug the car down 1200 rpm with the clutch fully engaged in 2nd gear and mash on it till redline . If it slips its toast , if not its prolly something you can adjust in your driving style.

 

So basically just drive the hell out of it to see if that is the problem? Well its only been 6 months i mean i havent done anything to add power besides stage 2 except free up the motor with exhaust and intake...and its not the way i drive trust me

 

clutches usually slip more in 3rd and fourth first because of the ratios. when do you notice it? also. a clutch is a wearable item and they may not cover it either way.

 

a trick i use at work is to get the car close to redline in 1st gear then shift to 3rd or 4th let the clutch out then stomp the throttle, if it revs up the clutch is toast.

clutches are considered a wear item and dealers usualy wont warrenty them, however you may get luckey.

 

Yeah thats what i am worried about. I figured this was the case but dayum if they are going to support stage 2 but not the clutch to hold that power then they need to redesign the thing ya know. I can tell the stock clutch sucks anyway

 

well, honestly its all in the way the car is driven. my car is at 57k km (around 32k miles) with a hell of a lot more than stage 2. it has been beaten on, drag raced, and the stock clutch still feels and works great.

 

It is the way you drive. trust me.

 

yeah i understand what your saying. Obviously if your going to drive it hard u need to get out of the clutch all the way before u start to punch the throttle again inbetween gears.

Maybe i dont quite get all the way out of it before im getting back into the throttle idk? ill make sure to pay closer attention to that from here on out

 

mine slips

unfortunately I can't PROVE it to my shop foreman and manager......the complaint is documented and has been there for the past 1k miles or so. this is the only thing that is saving me from spending a lot on a new clutch

 

You Got That Straight!

And don't let anyone else tell you otherwise, as the people who would have you believe that's it's your fault are just demonstrating their profound lack of knowledge/driving experience as it pertains to performance vehicles.

Trust me.

And don't waste your time arguing with those people either - your best bet is to just ignore them.

Trust me.

So then, people having problems with our infamously lousy clutches should either:

1. First try to see if the dealer will replace it
2. If not, then save up about $1000 to have a real clutch installed

 

90% of cobalt owners say your wrong frank.
but if your ego feels better for it. believe what you will.

A bad carpenter blames his tools.

 

its how you drive it. 32000 kms on my ss/sc, no clutch worries ever.

too bad yours is gone tho. if your car is that new they may replace it. but the other thing you gotta worry about is them giving you a hassle about your mods...

 

sounds like it is the driving. you have to make sure, like you said, that you're completely off the clutch before you floor the car.

it it's happening in the middle of a gear, that's a different story. like if it starts slipping at the top of 2nd. if it's happening while you're shifting, 99% driver error.

 

I don't care what any one else says about the stock clutch... I know when i picked my car up from the dealership brand new... right after i got on the high way i got on it... it slipped in second... i did it a few times... its just because you drive it like a granny or like its a new car... the SS was ment to be driven like an SS and if you shift at higher RPMs the clutch wont glaze over and wont slip... Try it....
THIS CLUTCH WORKS BETTER AT A HIGHER RPM!

 

i fully agree the clutch works better with rpm. i dont shift lower than 3000rpm in town. the key is to let the clutch out quick and dont hammer on the throttle before the clutch is right out.

i agree when the clutch goes upgrade to a performance clutch. stock gm clutches in anything arent known for holding much more power than stock.

 

IF The stock clutch is so lousy , why would you ask the dealer to replace it? All that you will get is another lousy clutch, right? ...Or maybe since your now used to the car the 2nd one would last.

 

lol:
X2
Frank, maybe your driving sucks too.
When i first got my car it slipped... It only had a like 200 miles on it... When the clutch got use to me driving it (shifting at a higher rpm) it was/is great.. I chirp third every now and then and it grabs sweat... althou like i said before this clutch does really suck when pulling out or shifting at low RPMS... like what am i supposed to do when my speed is to high for first and to low for second?? i just try and stop and start over in first... kinda pisses the people off behind me, but F them... its easier on the syncros and gears

 

guys, dont' make fun of frank. he won a racing trophy in 1984, he knows what he's talking about.

 

 

Instead of making fun of people (which does nothing), why don't you explain to them your theory of "it's the driver" and give them some tips on how to make the clutch last longer in these cars and NOT slip.

1. when driving hard, make sure the clutch is fully engaged before hammering the throttle.
2. IMO, you can shift below 3k, just rev match the shifts and let the clutch out before touching the throttle.
3. on takeoff, try to keep it below 1k rpm. don't rev it up high and ride it just so the takeoff is smoother. that overheats it and really pisses it off.
4. in reverse, don't touch the throttle at all, unless ABSOLUTELY necessary. My technique is no gas, clutch out a little until the car starts to move, then back in. repeat if necessary.
5. DO NOT roast the tires in 1st and expect to grab 2nd with no slippage. It's not going to happen. Your tires are spinning really fast, but the car's actual speed is not. So, this would be like driving at 5mph, redlining the car, and dumping the clutch in 2nd. Catch my drift?
6. Anything else???

As for my SS S/C, 9000 miles, stock clutch, zero slippage. I must be doing something right.

 

you cant accuse me of not trying to help people on this my man.

 

Not at all. That one wasn't really directed towards you, BTW.

 

Man , ive tried to explain #5 on your list countless times , people find it easier to blame anything but themselves . I'm not saying their aren't any cases of faulty clutches , it's going to happen. When people say these clutches suck in general thats when this **** starts .