Sorry for the long post - lots to cover, thanks to all that take the time to read it and respond!

So I've read post upon thread upon post about how most people aren't all that impressed with the stock clutch, and at 43k I'm falling into that same category. My car is bone stock except a K&N drop in filter and the removal of the airbox shield, and I've done two track days at NHIS (one was shared with my dad, so the car was out for two of the three sessions all day) as well as an autocross and ADSS.

I drive agressively but avoid abuse on the clutch and minimize clutch engagement opportunities whenever possible. Up until a week ago, the clutch was grabbing just a bit off the floor, and I loved it. Once or twice after some high speed runs on the highway then trying to get on it after getting on it I'd get slippage from 1-2, but once it cooled off it was fine.

Wednesday I went to New England Dragway, more just for fun but also to see how she'd do. I was launching around 4k, no LSD, no DSC, stock GY runflats on S-lites, and ran a best of 15.7. However, I was getting a LOT of slippage in first and second gears. Bothered me, but I remembered that when it was heat soaked it would slip, and just assured myself that the next day it would cool off and it would be back to normal.

Next day comes, and oddly, the grab point has come up almost halfway - to me that equals me burning off half the clutch. It's much less grabby than it was before, which doesn't make me feel confident about it.

Lastly, the car has trouble getting started in the morning, and NEVER has before - ever since the track, the first start of the day stutters and bogs, and has stalled out once or twice as well. Again, I've read similar complaints, but NEVER had this happen before.

Do I need a clutch? If so, I'm NOT going stock, so what should I replace it with? I don't EVER want it to slip again, I want at least 50k out of it, be able to hold up to autox, track, drag, and aggressive driving abuse, and hold up to any bolt ons I plan on doing (pulley, exhaust, etc) without having to upgrade again, but also be driveable in stock form, as I'll probably replace the clutch before anything else.

Last but not least - is my hard starting/stalling issue in the morning at all related to the clutch issue?

THANK YOU!

 

bump - time to buy a clutch... :( after an autox event (all in 1st gear, no shifting) the clutch can be dumped and you feel no shock or hard grab. I want the low grab point and hard engagement back...