Ok, I know what happens when a clutch slips, but is it possible that a clutch disk can get too hot and slip, and then be OK after it cools down?

I ask becuz I think thats what may ahve happened last week at the autocrosses. I think I just got the clutch so damn heated that it started to slip. It's been fine since then drivin on the street.

Also, how bad will a leaking rear main seal mess with a clutch? I know it could cause some problems, but would oil be able to get around the flywheel and into the clutch material? Could that be what's making the clutch slip in my CRX? The rear seal leak isn't extreme, but it's definitely apparent. thanks

 

You could have overworked your disc and glazed your flywheel. Some of the friction material kinda melts itself onto the flywheel's surface, making it semii-slick and hard to engage the disc. That happened to me once while I was semi-intoxicated. I though it would be fun to do some 3-4k clutch cumps on the street, and after about the third one, it didn't grab at all. I spun all the way thru 1st, 2nd, and 3rd. When I got home, I noticed that wonderful burnt clutch smell. It took about a week for it to go away, and the clutch seemed back to normal. I don't think oil from your main seal would be a factor, since the flywheel's rotation would probably spin off any oil that got onto it.

 

My clutch did that when I had an OEM-type on and was at the drag strip, I ended up compressing all the springs in the hub to the point that they allowed the clutch to chatter constantly, and it gradually went downhill from there. It did last another 5 months after that severe slipping though on the street.

Also, a leaking rear main seal won't affect the clutch too much, but a leaking shaft seal on the transaxle definately will.

 

When the clutch gets too hot, it should behave just like brakes fading from being too hot. The only difference is that the brakes are open so they cool off faster. Do it badly enough, & the clutch will get glazed like inspyral says...

 

Ok, so assuming I ended up glazing the clutch a bit, when it finally dies (which will prolly be much sooner than normal cuz of the race abuse), what's a good clutch for autocrossing?