Thing is, this problem happened once, and immediately went away after I stopped the car and then started again. Further, I really was not asking very much at all of my clutch in the morning session. A freeway traffic jam would cause far more wear, I think.

I have another idea though...

 

"How often have I said to you that when you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth?"

• The Sign of Four (1890)

I think I have figured out what happened, though I still don't know how I managed to do it.

Today, intentionally, I put the car in THIRD, goosed the revs, and dumped the clutch. The revs stayed high, yet acceleration was obviously quite slow. I shifted to fourth, and the whole process continued over again, until eventually the revs dropped down and the engine started lagging at being in too high a gear.

I think this is what I did at the track.

Leaving aside how dumb this is, is it also a pretty good sign that the clutch is OK after all? I cannot make it slip in first, whether the ASC is off or on. I can get a tiny amount of wheelspin in first before the ASC takes over, and I can get quite a bit of wheelspin with the ASC off.

Have I eliminated the impossible here?

 

If you're in third from a standstill, the revs are high but speed is low... the clutch is slipping. That's actually a lot like the test for a worn clutch I learned from a VW mechanic years ago. And, uh... your clutch isn't passing.

Instead of doing this from a standstil,l go out and accelerate gently through 1st and 2nd gears. Then instead of shifting to 3rd, shift to 4th or even 5th, apply the throttle generously and let the clutch out somewhat quickly. Keep an eye on the tach. This test eliminates the possibility of wheelspin. When nothing slips, the increase in revs translates directly to an increase in road speed.

If the car bogs, the clutch is OK, If the car keeps the revs but the road speed doesn't match... you're on your way to a new clutch. But, you're under warranty, so just take it in and let the dealer fix it up for ya.

 

So, if I try my 3rd gear start trick, I would probably stall the engine or at least get a rude buck for my trouble?

This is finally starting to make sense to me. I will call the dealer and let them take it from here before the warranty expires.

 

Sounds like a better cause of what happened.


I wouldnt tell them any of this of coarse and just say he felt the clutch slip once or twice....Dont even tell them you think you were in any other gear but first to start out....That will give them a base to work with on an excuse.....Let them just test it themselves to give you an accurate answer on what they feel.

If thats all you think you did i wouldnt really worry about it.

 

The dealer sponsored the track event, so being there should not be a cause for concern. Lotsa folks drove a lot harder than did I.