What's wrong?

[MegaMang]

So here is the situation...

Going down the back stretch coming out of the corner and pouring on the gas, the engine revs right up and starts to burp, so obviously hitting the rev limiter.  This wouldn't be a problem except I'm going nowhere near fast enough.  The car is not bucking or swerving, easy to handle still.  Can't feel the wheels letting loose, so don't think that's it.  I let off the gas a bit and it stops revving so high right away.  Hmm... I thinks to myself maybe you've been riding the clutch without realizing it, so tuck my foot behind the clutch pedal.  Out of the next corner, lay on the gas, and it starts again...  This time I know it's not me riding the clutch for sure, so into the corner, and I start to hit the gas hard in the middle of the corner, and don't come around.  Now I figure for sure, I'm not breaking loose.

I checked to see if both wheels are locked up with the car in gear and the wheels off the ground, and both wheels are locked.  So probably not a broken axle... 

What is the most likely culprit?  Clutch plates worn, clutch springs loosened off, something entirely different?

Any suggestions are welcome.

Thanks,
Mike

[fasass47]

sounds like the clutch to me

[racerrad8]

Mike,

Don't rule out the broken axle or stripped spool yet . Do you have the two piece or billet axles? If you have the billet, then you will know when that style breaks. I have had many two peice axle break inside the welded coupler, but not break the axle into two pieces. The best way to check this is to make a mark on both tires with the car sitting still at the 12' o clock position. Take your car for a quick trip up your street making at least one turn, and romping on  the throttle. If the marks are in different positions, it can be one of two things; the axle is broken or the spool has stripped the splines. I have personally lost a total of three spools from being stripped out. (thats another subject for later).

If the marks stay aligned, then your clutch is slipping. Depending on the pressure plate sytem you are using determines the repair(s) needed. If you have caught the slippage early enough the the clutch will be okay. Shoot me an email about which pressure plate you are using and I can recommend the repair you needo rgive me a call and I will talk you through it.

Randy - RPM
rpm@swaybar.com
(209)492-0670

[RickyBobby]

I just wanted to say Randy what a great post that was.  You sure know your stuff and seem like a great resource.

[IraceLegends77]

Randy has good points but it sounds like a clutch to me also. Randy's has a quick and easy way to find out . Randy I have to ask though how are you going through so many spools? I have never hurt one. You must have 250hp in your car........LOL

Scott

[MegaMang]

Randy,

Thanks for the great tips.  I needed to change the oil this week anyway, so I'll pop open the clutch first.  If that looks fine, I'll check the rear axles after I get it put back together.

Thanks again,
Mike

Mike,

Don't rule out the broken axle or stripped spool yet . Do you have the two piece or billet axles? If you have the billet, then you will know when that style breaks. I have had many two peice axle break inside the welded coupler, but not break the axle into two pieces. The best way to check this is to make a mark on both tires with the car sitting still at the 12' o clock position. Take your car for a quick trip up your street making at least one turn, and romping on  the throttle. If the marks are in different positions, it can be one of two things; the axle is broken or the spool has stripped the splines. I have personally lost a total of three spools from being stripped out. (thats another subject for later).

If the marks stay aligned, then your clutch is slipping. Depending on the pressure plate sytem you are using determines the repair(s) needed. If you have caught the slippage early enough the the clutch will be okay. Shoot me an email about which pressure plate you are using and I can recommend the repair you needo rgive me a call and I will talk you through it.

Randy - RPM
rpm@swaybar.com
(209)492-0670

[racerrad8]

Scott,
         Since 1999 when I started roadracing I have lost the three spools. I attribute it to the flex in the rearend housing, and the splines working the spools. The road racing thunder roadsters are having a heck of a time with the spools. The combination of traction & flex is only alowing them get about 8-10 races out of one. So, in the interest of a possible DNF, I am sticking with the welded gears that have been heat treated properly by a large auto manufacture, not a chinese/taiwan company making 500 at a time for INEX.

Randy - RPM

Randy has good points but it sounds like a clutch to me also. Randy's has a quick and easy way to find out . Randy I have to ask though how are you going through so many spools? I have never hurt one. You must have 250hp in your car........LOL

Scott

[JGRacing]

Does anyone make a better quality spool that is INEX legal? 

[MegaMang]

Just thought I should follow up on this post since I started it.

So it was indeed a broken axle.  Boy that was a wild ride.

Getting it out was far easier than I expected.  I pulled out the outer part of the axle, then created a lasso out of mechanics wire.  I fished the lasso in and around the axle stub.  Once I felt some resistance when pulling back, I wrapped the wire around a stick so I could get a real firm grip on it, and tugged.  The rest of the axle slid out easily.

So maybe I was lucky...

I ran a magnet around down the axle tube, didn't find any pieces, so popped in a replacement, and bolted it all up.

Haven't had a problem since.

The axle was indeed a two piece and that's why I was able to grab the axle with the wire lasso.  The connector was still attached to the stub, and that's what the lasso caught.  I replaced it with another two piece since that's all I had the money for.   The one piece axles are still on my wish list.

Thanks for the ideas guys,
Mike