Ugh. Great. Say it isn't so =(

[FDSpirit]

I think the clutch is gone or close to it . The car doesn't shoot up in RPMS when I floor it in 3rd 4th or 5th though. But I can no gas launch in 3rd. I don't really know very much about how to test them when stuff like this happens. So why is it that I can launch in other gears besides 1st, but when I try the flooring method, the RPMS don't shoot up? Any help is greatly appreciated. I know clutches eventually wear out and I've been saving for car repairs in case shit like this actually happens.

[IMBoring25]

I think that means you're getting better. I see no reason the condition of the clutch would impact which gears you can no-gas launch in unless the clutch were SO bad it just wouldn't stall, but I think you'd be seeing other symptoms of that. It will still stall, won't it?

[FDSpirit]

I never let the clutch FULLY out if that's what you're getting at. Like I would lift it and it would move, but it FELT like it wanted to stall and I think if I had lifted it just a wee bit more, it would've because I did this at night. And I know if you don't give the car enough gas(gave it a little gas the first time I tried it), the dash would flicker, which it did. So I don't know. It's still driving normally. My friend said it is possible to launch in other gears. I tried browsing the web and this seems to be true. I just never thought it was possible and I don't even know what caused me to even try it.

[IMBoring25]

Yeah, it's absolutely possible to launch in other gears. It burns a lot of clutch to do it, but a skilled driver can launch a car in any gear and a patient skilled driver should be able to no-gas-launch (on level ground) in most of them, provided the clutch doesn't smoke up in the process.

[watkins]

Ive launched in 3rd several times. Nothing wrong with your clutch.

In winter, I do 2nd gear launches almost as often as a regular launch in 1st, depending on weather.

[LHOswald]

2nd gear launches are sooooo much easier in the winter. i've only witnessed my dad doing them before, the closest i've ever gotten was doing it in loose dirt, but it is pretty much guaranteed you won't spin your tires. unless you give it way to much gas of course

[FDSpirit]

Ok. Thanks . I thought I royally f'ed something up.

[theholycow]

I still don't understand the logic behind the 2nd gear launch in winter. Why not just slow down your 1st gear launch?

[vedran]

I still don't understand the logic behind the 2nd gear launch in winter. Why not just slow down your 1st gear launch?

same here.

my guess is that shifting into 1st can be a bit hard (twss) during the winter time, therefore making a 2nd gear launch a bit easier. i had trouble shifting into 1st on cold mornings until i switched to synthetic MT fluid.

[watkins]

Its easier to control torque when theres less of it to begin with. In RI it plain old doesnt matter since the bumps, potholes, and cracks act well as a launch platform and keep you from sliding around too much, but try driving in PA where they dont know what a plow is, despite the several annual snow storms. Or try the mountains. Or better yet try Amherst MA during a snow storm. Countless cars, countless hills, and sliding backwards will inevitably end up with you bumping the idiot college student who stops 3 inches from your rear bumper.

[six]

I've accidentally launched in 3rd gear quite a few times... nothing wrong. If your car stalls and accelerates pretty normally, your clutch is fine. You'll know when your clutch is shot... your car wouldn't move very fast (your engine will, though).

[fa22raptorf22]

I've accidentally launched in 3rd gear quite a few times... nothing wrong. If your car stalls and accelerates pretty normally, your clutch is fine. You'll know when your clutch is shot... your car wouldn't move very fast (your engine will, though).

Hell, I can dump my clutch in 3rd....well 2nd and get tire spin instead of clutch slip LOL

I still don't understand the logic behind the 2nd gear launch in winter. Why not just slow down your 1st gear launch?

To get moving from a standstill, something must slip.
In this case, either the clutch or the wheels.

In winter we'd rather slip the clutch than the wheels..soooo
You scrub off the excess torque with the clutch, and let that spin, instead of your tires to the ground.

This is why autos are great in the winter. You let the torque converter spin (instead of burning the clutch) and this lets you burn off the torque and get moving slowly without spinning out the tires

[IMBoring25]

Unless your auto is fancy enough to start in second gear, it's been my experience that a surface can be so slick that an automatic will apply too much torque to the wheels at idle, so if you fully release the brakes, the wheels will just spin, so you have to drag a little brake, which means the non-driven wheels will be applying braking force against the attempted travel. RWD cars can use a little parking brake, but that's a little unconventional.

[watkins]

Hooray for winter mode!

[fa22raptorf22]

Unless your auto is fancy enough to start in second gear, it's been my experience that a surface can be so slick that an automatic will apply too much torque to the wheels at idle, so if you fully release the brakes, the wheels will just spin, so you have to drag a little brake, which means the non-driven wheels will be applying braking force against the attempted travel. RWD cars can use a little parking brake, but that's a little unconventional.

Muahhah

The MDX has a "center diff" that actively transfers torque to the rear when needed. Or there is a button to lock it into 4wd.

Also, the shifter allows you to make it stay in 1st, 2nd, or 3rd. Its not a prndl. its a prn d5,d4,d3,2-1 LOL