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From: 
owner-stealth-3000gt-digest@list.sirius.com 
(Team3S Digest)
To: 
stealth-3000gt-digest@list.sirius.comSubject: 
Team3S Digest V1 #335
Reply-To: stealth-3000gt
Sender: 
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Team3S Digest        Sunday, 
November 14 1999        Volume 01 : Number 
335
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: 
Sat, 13 Nov 1999 09:22:11 -0800
From: "Mohler, Jeff" <
jeff.mohler@netapp.com>
Subject: 
RE: Team3S: Stock clutch??  Are you kidding me?
That's 
odd.
Weve been heavilly autoxing out 95TT for a year, and literally every 
single
weekend this season since March.
Two drivers each weekend (wife 
and I), most weekends the car gets 8 hard
dragstyle launches, and some 
weekends on divisional events 16 of the same
(including lots of WOT 
shifts).
Weve also dragraced on the weekends we had nothing beter to do 
(since we moved
to CA).
Clutch feels fine.
Theres a fine 
line the driver has to walk between too much, and bogging at the
line.  
It CAN be found.
:-----Original Message-----
:From: Curt Gendron [
mailto:curt_gendron@hotmail.com]
:Sent: 
Friday, November 12, 1999 9:07 PM
:To: 
stealth-3000gt@list.sirius.com:Subject: 
Team3S: Stock clutch?? Are you kidding me?
:
:
:If your just going to 
drive your 3/S around, a stock clutch is 
:fine.  But if 
:you start 
drag racing, there is no way a stock clutch will 
:hold up.  Here 
:are my examples.
:
:I started drag racing about 13 months ago.  
After one day at 
:the track and 
:many G-tech runs my stock clutch (95 
R/T TT) went south with 
:about 35,000 
:miles on it.  I now have an 
ACT clutch, that holds like glue.
:
:Mark has a 91 R/T TT, he started drag 
racing this Spring.  
:After one trip to 
:the track and many G-tech 
runs, his stock clutch went south.  
:He now has the 
:RPS Carbon 
claw and it appears to be holding up.
:
:Francis has a 96 R/T TT, after 
one or two trips to the track his stock 
:clutch started slipping.  He 
bought the RPS clutch, and now that is 
:slipping.  He only had about 
25,000 miles on the stock clutch.
:
:John has a 95 R/T TT and after one 
trip to the track and a lot 
:of G-tech 
:runs, his stock clutch started 
slipping.  He has since 
:replaced it with 
:another stock 
clutch.  (Don't ask why)
:
:Oskar has a 95 R/T TT.  He is the 
luckiest one.  He has made 5 
:trips to the 
:track on the stock 
clutch.  It comes and goes.  Sometimes it 
:holds up and 
:sometimes it slips really bad.  He'll be putting in an 
:aftermarket clutch 
:this winter. (hopefully an ACT)
:
:You learn 
a lot at "Minnesota 3/S"
:
:Curt
:
http://www.mn3s.org:
:
:______________________________________________________
:Get 
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Date: 
Sat, 13 Nov 1999 10:42:45 -0700
From: "Barry E. King" <
beking@home.com>
Subject: RE: Team3S: 
Stock clutch??  Are you kidding me?
Jeff makes the point I held back 
from making when I first saw this clutch
thread emerge.  Furthermore, he 
is not alone.  Most people with stock
clutches and successful racing in 
their VR4s actually have had good luck
with the stock setup and mild 
mods.
Several failed clutches is not necessarily indicative of a poor 
quality
clutch.  Virtually ANY clucth can be destroyed in a matter of 
moments with
incorrect use.
Unless the drivers mentioned in the 
previous thread are seeing 1.6-1.7 60'
times consistently they are likely not 
using the clutch correctly for this
car.  Most people tend to slip the 
clutch more than necessary because it can
be tricky to launch a car like the 
VR4 which tends to hook up very well.
Contrary to what some may think, you 
actually want some degree of wheelspin
off the line for an optimum 
launch.  People bogging off the line tend to
slip the clutch to get the 
car motivated and keep the engine in the sweet
rev range, which translates to 
accelerated wear if not immediate failure.
My stock clutch saw over 
47,000 miles of hard street use including countless
G-Tech and impromptu drag 
runs before it started to slip.  When it came out
it was actually in 
very good condition other than expected wear.  I have
been through no 
less than 3 after-market clutches for various reasons since
the stock 
one.
The stock clutch works great for mild mods and only becomes 
inadequate once
significantly more power is squeezed out of the stock 
mill.  Mine didn't
start slipping until after 15Gs and all the other 
associated mods.
Barry
> -----Original 
Message-----
>
> That's odd.
>
> Weve been heavilly 
autoxing out 95TT for a year, and literally
> every single
> weekend 
this season since March.
>
> Two drivers each weekend (wife and I), 
most weekends the car gets 8 hard
> dragstyle launches, and some weekends 
on divisional events 16 of the same
> (including lots of WOT 
shifts).
>
> Weve also dragraced on the weekends we had nothing 
beter to do
> (since we moved
> to CA).
>
>
> 
Clutch feels fine.
>
> Theres a fine line the driver has to walk 
between too much, and
> bogging at the
> line.  It CAN be 
found.
For subscribe/unsubscribe info, our web page is 
http://www.bobforrest.com/Team3S.htm------------------------------
Date: 
Sat, 13 Nov 1999 11:54:25 -0600
From: "Owens, Trent L." <
Trent.Owens@destia.com>
Subject: 
RE: Team3S: Thanks\Warning\AVC-R\Invitation :)
> FMIC in the mail and 
have started to design the system the way I want it.
> ETA on the 
installation will be over the Christmas holidays. (I will keep
> you 
posted and take lots of pics!)  Other mods will be an Eclipse 
K&N
FIPK,
> a custom exhaust and later, water injection. (Get ready 
for the questions
> John! ;) )
I don't want to sound negative but I 
miss the upgrade stages or better said
the path you are going. I don't see 
anything about fuel and I just wonder
what a FMIC will help with the stock 
turbos and possible stock IC piping. As
you design the system (?) the way you 
want it I wonder what way you go. Let
us know.
Roger
93'3000GT 
TT
Sorry about that!  
Your right!  The FMIC core is 
much bigger than the stock IC's and will help
(somewhat but not that much) 
with the stock turbos.  However I plan on
upgrading to 15G or (more than 
likely) larger turbos.  Fuel upgrade is a
MUST and a given!  I 
didnt include it with my last post cause it had so much
other information in 
it I didnt want it to get to long.  However, I plan on
doing a custom 
fuel delivery system (pump -> rail) with a highflow filter
and possibly a 
Supra pump.....  However Im not quite sure at this point what
pump I 
will run.  As far as injectors Im thinking of going with 
the
"dumpers" 720cc and controlling them with the SplitSecond 
ARC2-GP.  I WILL
NOT increase the boost until I know forsure Im in the 
safe.  That is why Im
not running at the 1.05 bar limit right now.  
These mods cost enough as it
is!  I dont have the $$$ to rebuild the 
engine unexpectedly!  However, a
rebuild (stronger bottom end and higher 
flowing top end) is in the long-term
plan too!  ;)
As for the 
path I am going to take....
1.  K&N FIPK
2.  Custom 
Exhaust
3.  FMIC
4.  Fuel system upgrade (pump and custom 
delivery)
5.  Water Injection
6.  SplitSecond 
w/720's
7.  Turbos
Thats as far as I want say right 
now......  The plans could change according
to things we find out here 
in 3/s land!
I am an senior electronics engineering major at Texas 
A&M University... I
have test labs and all kinds of neat stuff at my 
disposal.....  I would like
to start working on a circuit to monitor 
knock without destroying the
sensor.  I know John Basol had worked with 
that before and I was hoping to
discuss his findings a little more, although 
I havent asked him yet.  If you
have any info on this please e-mail me 
so we can start monitoring this
deadly force!
Trent Owens
'95 RT 
TT
For subscribe/unsubscribe info, our web page is 
http://www.bobforrest.com/Team3S.htm------------------------------
Date: 
Sat, 13 Nov 1999 10:42:36 -0800
From: "Bob Forrest" <
bf@bobforrest.com>
Subject: Re: 
Team3S: Stock clutch??  Are you kidding me?
- -----Original 
Message-----From: 
TurboDrvn@aol.com<
TurboDrvn@aol.com>
- 
-------snip-------
>When I received a new tranny in June of 1998 at 59,957 
miles; I
asked the
>dealership to replace my clutch as well with an 
OEM/factory clutch;
the
>mechanic told me that my '92 VR4 with 59,957 
miles had the ORIGINAL
clutch; I
>was surprised to hear that since I 
had taken at least 12 HARD
launches on
>this original clutch!!  
And who knows how hard the previous owner
was on the
>clutch.  My 
car was bone stock at the time.  Mind you, the clutch
never 
gave
>me any problems but I figured might as well replace with a new 
one
at the
>time of the tranny replacement.
It bears repeating, 
(so folks don't get the wrong idea when a
negative opinion comes along), that 
most experiences with the stock
clutch are positive.  It's been said 
before on this (and other)
lists by *very* experienced drivers-- the stock 
clutch is excellent!
Many owners have been amazed with how long it lasts and 
how well it
grips...  including many who regularly race their cars with 
the
stock clutch with no problem.
>I have now put 24,800 miles on 
my car since that date on my new
tranny &
>clutch; with all my mods 
and at least 30 Hard Launches (several
1.7 - 1.8
>60ft. times); the 
factory/OEM clutch STILL feels strong!!!!  (I
hope I didn't
>jinx 
myself).  But the point I'm trying to make is that it all
depends on 
how
>you launch and how much abuse you inflict on your car.
That's 
the point that *needs* to be made-- if you launch poorly, any
clutch will 
suffer, as will other components.  If you pop the clutch
at 6500 when 
the staging lights go green, the stock clutch probably
won't last very 
long.  Similarly, if you do something stupid, like
slipping it while 
driving uphill at low speed, you can polish the
surface into oblivion in an 
afternoon.  I know, since I tried
*backing* slowly UP a 30-degree 
incline, a rocky, 1/2 mile long
country driveway, (around obstacles that 
barely cleared my bumpers)
and I toasted mine in under an 
hour!!!
>But if my current factory/OEM clutch fails....I may need a 
stronger
clutch
>soon??  Maybe ACT?  Centerforce?  or 
back to OEM???  My experience
with
>factory/OEM has been 
excellent!!!!!!  But I'm planning on having
over 500
>Horsepower 
fairly soon...so I think ACT or Centerforce would be a
wise
>decision 
for me when this current OEM clutch fails.
That's been the consensus in 
the past--  if you do modify your car
past the 500 HP level, that's when 
you should be looking at a clutch
with a bit more hold.  But you won't 
be as happy with those clutches
for driving in traffic; lots of chatter and 
the occasional
embarrasing lurch at 3 MPH during rush hour...
I put in 
the RPS Carbon Claw (not the RPS Turbo Carbon) and it's
great (no problems in 
6,000 miles), but since I race so
infrequently, if I ever need to replace it, 
I'll probably go back to
the stock 
clutch.
Best,
Forrest
For 
subscribe/unsubscribe info, our web page is 
http://www.bobforrest.com/Team3S.htm------------------------------
Date: 
Sat, 13 Nov 1999 18:22:56 CST
From: "Curt Gendron" <
curt_gendron@hotmail.com>
Subject: 
RE: Team3S: Stock clutch?? Are you kidding me?
I agree that a poorly used 
stock clutch will wear faster.  But that is part 
of the reason of 
buying a good aftermarket clutch.  Now matter how good of a 
1/4 mile 
driver your are, you will make mistakes and burn the clutch once in 
a 
while.  Or even during normal driving, there may be a need to slip the 
clutch, on purpose or accident.  A good aftermarket clutch will be more 
forgiving.
My view on stock clutches is based on my first hand 
experiences.  We have 6 
"Minnesota 3/S" members that do drag 
strip racing on occasion.  Four of us 
have replaced clutches in the 
last eight months.  Another person is about 
too.  The sixth person 
has only had his car for four months.
IMO, if you have a lot of miles on 
a stock clutch, your either drive your 
car perfectly or you haven't pushed 
it to its limits enough.
later,
Curt
http://www.mn3s.org>From: 
"Barry E. King" <
beking@home.com>
>Reply-To: <
beking@home.com>
>To: <
stealth-3000gt@list.sirius.com>
>Subject: 
RE: Team3S: Stock clutch??  Are you kidding me?
>Date: Sat, 13 Nov 
1999 10:42:45 -0700
>
>Jeff makes the point I held back from making 
when I first saw this clutch
>thread emerge.  Furthermore, he is not 
alone.  Most people with stock
>clutches and successful racing in 
their VR4s actually have had good luck
>with the stock setup and mild 
mods.
>
>Several failed clutches is not necessarily indicative of a 
poor quality
>clutch.  Virtually ANY clucth can be destroyed in a 
matter of moments with
>incorrect 
use.
______________________________________________________
Get Your 
Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com
For subscribe/unsubscribe info, 
our web page is 
http://www.bobforrest.com/Team3S.htm------------------------------
Date: 
Sat, 13 Nov 1999 19:32:44 EST
From: 
Klusmanp@aol.comSubject: Team3S: bent rim 
repair
Got some new tires today. I drove up to Tire Rack HQ in South 
Bend, IN to 
have them install some Dunlop SP9000s on my '91 VR4. I've been 
having a 
vibration problem I can't get rid of, so I was interested in having 
Tire Rack 
"match" the tires to the rims (position the tire on the 
rim so the low spot 
on the rim matches the high spot on the tire - gives an 
overall more round 
rim/tire combo).
They found two rims bent pretty 
badly (.08 runout on the worst one) - you 
could see the wobble as the 
rim/tire spun on the test machine. They mounted 
the two bent rims on the 
rear, and the car drives pretty much glass smooth... 
for now.
I was 
told that running the new tires on bent rims will cause the tires to go 
out 
of round, so I'm interested in having the rims repaired before this 
happens. 
It shouldn't be too difficult, just build up some weld on the low 
spots 
where the tire bead sits, mount the rim on a lathe, and turn it back 
true 
again. Yes, I realize this will cause the rim to be unbalanced. No big 
deal, 
just have to put more weights on the rim to get everything 
balanced.
Anybody know of a good shop that can do this sort of rim 
repair?
Thanks
Paul Klusman
For subscribe/unsubscribe info, our 
web page is 
http://www.bobforrest.com/Team3S.htm------------------------------
Date: 
Sat, 13 Nov 1999 16:49:34 -0800
From: "Darcy Gunnlaugson" <
wce@telus.net>
Subject: Re: Team3S: Stock 
clutch?? Are you kidding me?
Curt
You responded to Barry's post 
with the following:
>My view on stock clutches is based on my 
first hand experiences.  We have 6
>"Minnesota 3/S" members 
that do drag strip racing on occasion.  Four of us
>have replaced 
clutches in the last eight months.  Another person is 
about
>too.  The sixth person has only had his car for four 
months.
>IMO, if you have a lot of miles on a stock clutch, your 
either drive your
>car perfectly or you haven't pushed it to its limits 
enough.
>
While opinions are held by everyone, they can in fact 
become close to
affronting if not managed properly. My experience with Barry 
would indicate
that he is an aggressive driver, not one who does not push his 
car to the
limits. His numerous past postings would indicate the same. And, 
he is not
he only person with mods who has indicated that stock clutches are 
a
reliable choice. Only when mods exceed 500hp does it seem that OME (or 
for
that matter some AM) clutches do not hold up. There are also obvious 
cases
where clear abuse is the cause of clutch failure. That Minnesota 
members
seem to go through stock clutches rapidly, may be either a comment on 
their
advanced modifications, or on a similar launch skill that they have 
learned
from one and other. It is certainly not for me to judge which, as 
similarly
it is not the place in this group for any member to judge 
another.
Best
Darc
For subscribe/unsubscribe info, our web 
page is 
http://www.bobforrest.com/Team3S.htm------------------------------
Date: 
Sat, 13 Nov 1999 22:10:53 -0800
From: "Sam Shelat" <
sshelat@erols.com>
Subject: Re: 
Team3S: Stock clutch?? Are you kidding me?
I have 58,000 miles on my 
stock clutch and drive it pretty hard on my
commute back
and forth from 
home to work.  However, this clutch cannot hold more than a
3000 
rpm
launch.   Anything more sends it burning away with the car just 
sitting
there.   If I drag the
clutch out, it moves quickly out 
of the hole, but not that aggressively.  It
seems to get
the turbos 
to start spooling and take off hard, I have to cheat and get the
car 
rolling
just slightly and then bring up the RPMs and slip it out.  A 
recent tranny
replacement
proved that the stock clutch had much of its 
material still remaining.  Its
a really great clutch
in traffic, but 
its too soft for hard launches IMHO.  Someone said that
perhaps 
the
previous owner glazed the flywheel?  Everyone who has ever driven my 
car has
burnt the
clutch bad on there first try.  Most do not like it 
and can not understand
how it does a 4.8
second 0-60.  I am going to 
get a Centerforce because I believe it is soft
enough to
keep the tranny 
from blowing apart, but clamps hard enough to blast the car
off 
the
line.  After driving this car for a year now, I still can not get a 
great
launch without burning
the stock clutch.  Many times, the car 
just sits there while the clutch
stinks up the air.  My
T/A had a 
much better tranny.
Sam 95 VR4
For subscribe/unsubscribe info, our 
web page is 
http://www.bobforrest.com/Team3S.htm------------------------------
Date: 
Sat, 13 Nov 1999 21:42:42 -0700
From: "Barry E. King" <
beking@home.com>
Subject: RE: Team3S: 
Stock clutch?? Are you kidding me?
The flywheel won't be glazed per se, 
but rather the surface of the friction
plate.  This happens when it gets 
too hot too fast and the resins which bind
the friction material together 
melt rather than burn off.  This same
phenomenon can happen to brake 
pads.  It can also happen early in a clutch's
life from premature 
break-in.
My stock clutch regularly withstood 6500 rpm "near 
side-step" launches even
with in excess of 45,000 miles without 
signifcant slippage.  This was before
the 15Gs etc.  This induced 
wheelspin which is what you want to do for super
quick launches.  If the 
wheels are not spinning and the engine is revving
steadily at launch time 
then the clutch is slipping.  Not what you want to
do.  There will 
always be some degree of slippage since that's how clutches
work, but there 
should not be enough to cause the engine to rev freely
without providing 
forward momentum.
The tranny is not at fault here, you just need to be 
more agressive with the
launch if this is what you want to do.  From 
experience, this gets expensive
fast.  I have been through two 
transmissions and a driveshaft.  The key to
string launches is to 
literally let the clutch out as fast as you can lift
your foot without 
actually side-stepping the clutch.  On a properly tuned
VR4 this will 
allow adequate engine load to facilitate quick spool-up
without overspinning 
the clutch prior to it grabbing.  As soon as it starts
to get hot gases 
will form on the surface and hamper the clutches ability to
clamp.  The 
clutch has to hook up while it is still relatively cool.  This
means 
inducing wheelspin.  Usually this is around 4500-5500 rpm at the 
line
depending on the car and other conditions.
All of this is 
terribly hard on the car of course, and is on any car.  Two
wheel drive 
cars however tend to break loose first which makes it easier on
the 
driveline.  Our cars hook up so well that it really takes a lot to 
make
them break loose.  The AWD configuration puts an incredible amount 
of stress
on the drveline in these situations.
For spirited street 
driving 4.8 sec 0-60 times can be had with 3000-3500 rpm
easy launches.  
This is ually enough to stomp on most street cars.  Hard
launches (4500 
up, with the method described above) can put you into the
1.6 - 1.7 sec 60' 
bracket, which is closer to a 4 second 0-60 time.  Not
shabby for a 
street car.
Barry
> -----Original Message-----
> 
From: 
owner-stealth-3000gt@list.sirius.com> 
[
mailto:owner-stealth-3000gt@list.sirius.com]On 
Behalf Of Sam Shelat
> Sent: Saturday, November 13, 1999 11:11 PM
> 
To: team3s
> Subject: Re: Team3S: Stock clutch?? Are you kidding 
me?
>
>
>
> I have 58,000 miles on my stock clutch and 
drive it pretty hard on my
> commute back
> and forth from home to 
work.  However, this clutch cannot hold more than a
> 3000 
rpm
> launch.   Anything more sends it burning away with the car 
just sitting
> there.   If I drag the
> clutch out, it 
moves quickly out of the hole, but not that
> aggressively.  
It
> seems to get
> the turbos to start spooling and take off hard, 
I have to cheat
> and get the
> car rolling
> just slightly 
and then bring up the RPMs and slip it out.  A recent tranny
> 
replacement
> proved that the stock clutch had much of its material 
still
> remaining.  Its
> a really great clutch
> in 
traffic, but its too soft for hard launches IMHO.  Someone said 
that
> perhaps the
> previous owner glazed the flywheel?  
Everyone who has ever driven
> my car has
> burnt the
> clutch 
bad on there first try.  Most do not like it and can not understand
> 
how it does a 4.8
> second 0-60.  I am going to get a Centerforce 
because I believe it is soft
> enough to
> keep the tranny from 
blowing apart, but clamps hard enough to
> blast the car
> off 
the
> line.  After driving this car for a year now, I still can not 
get a great
> launch without burning
> the stock clutch.  Many 
times, the car just sits there while the clutch
> stinks up the air.  
My
> T/A had a much better tranny.
>
> Sam 95 VR4
For 
subscribe/unsubscribe info, our web page is 
http://www.bobforrest.com/Team3S.htm------------------------------
Date: 
Sun, 14 Nov 1999 10:45:02 -0800
From: "Mohler, Jeff" <
jeff.mohler@netapp.com>
Subject: 
RE: Team3S: bent rim repair
I belive you can visit www.fixarim.com for 
details.
:-----Original Message-----
:From: 
Klusmanp@aol.com [
mailto:Klusmanp@aol.com]
:Sent: Saturday, 
November 13, 1999 4:33 PM
:To: 
stealth-3000gt@list.sirius.com:Subject: 
Team3S: bent rim repair
:
:
:Got some new tires today. I drove up to 
Tire Rack HQ in South 
:Bend, IN to 
:have them install some Dunlop 
SP9000s on my '91 VR4. I've been 
:having a 
:vibration problem I can't 
get rid of, so I was interested in 
:having Tire Rack 
:"match" 
the tires to the rims (position the tire on the rim so 
:the low spot 
:on 
the rim matches the high spot on the tire - gives an 
:overall more round 
:rim/tire combo).
:
:They found two rims bent pretty badly (.08 runout 
on the worst 
:one) - you 
:could see the wobble as the rim/tire spun on 
the test machine. 
:They mounted 
:the two bent rims on the rear, and the 
car drives pretty much 
:glass smooth... 
: for now.
:
:I was told 
that running the new tires on bent rims will cause 
:the tires to go 
:out 
of round, so I'm interested in having the rims repaired 
:before this 
:happens. It shouldn't be too difficult, just build up some 
:weld on the 
low 
:spots where the tire bead sits, mount the rim on a lathe, and 
:turn 
it back 
:true again. Yes, I realize this will cause the rim to be 
:unbalanced. No big 
:deal, just have to put more weights on the rim to 
get 
:everything balanced.
:
:Anybody know of a good shop that can do 
this sort of rim repair?
:
:Thanks
:
:Paul Klusman
:For 
subscribe/unsubscribe info, our web page is 
:http://www.bobforrest.com/Team3S.htm
:
For subscribe/unsubscribe 
info, our web page is 
http://www.bobforrest.com/Team3S.htm------------------------------
End 
of Team3S Digest V1 #335
****************************
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