viper2evo

People seem to be totally ready to forgive Mitsubishi for making a car that could not live up to its claims for very long without breaking.

By the way, whoever said that the Evo was not a drag car and that the Viper was, is wrong. The viper is not a drag car. When I bought it, I was told this, and if you are a member of the community, you figure this out.

Someone else said you don't need to launch the car to achieve 5.1 sec 0-60's. This person said this having mods in his car that void the warranty. LOL.

My car is bone stock, and the clutch is most definitely too weak. The parameters of design conspire against this clutch:

1) tall first gear
2) hi torque peak
3) restrictor forcing some slippage with every shift
4) AWD
5) 273 ft/lb of torque

Now, contrary to what the flag-bearers above were saying, I do NOT drag race the car. What I DO do is drive the thing.

Now, if this is Mitsu's flagship car, I would expect them to stand behind their design decisions, and acknowledge that clutch failures are happening at an ALARMING rate in the US. I'm not some 17y.o. student driver. I'm 37 with a long history driving manual cars, including very high-powered cars.

To the person above who claims you "CANNOT COMPARE THE VIPER TO THE EVO", I beg to disagree.

If you compare the contact patch on the 4 evo tires to the contact patch on the two Viper tires, you get an area that is GREATER on the VIPER. Furthermore, weight transfer puts all the Viper weight on the rears during launch.

For you to "break the viper tires loose" you would clearly need an extremely strong clutch, which you have in the Viper.

Unfortunately, the Evo has enough power to chirp all four tires on launch, but Mitsu chose to underdesign the drivetrain so that it COULD NOT handle 273 ft/lbs of torque. To compensate for this, they threw in a slippy clutch so that the drivetrain would never bear the brunt of the engine--as opposed to making a drivetrain equal to the engine.

Does anyone believe that you can't make an AWD drivetrain capable of handling 273 lbs with a strong clutch? You are mistaken. The ACR handles 500 ft/lbs. What Mitsu doesn't seem to advertise is that it's clutch is the failsafe, NOT it's tires--which SHOULD be.

Someone asked if I would prefer my tranny going out over my clutch. My answer is I would prefer my tires spinning, and both may tranny and clutch being strong enough to handle the power the engine puts out.

Anyone ever go to arbitration?

TT

ez76

iTrader: (5)

I think the bottom line is, if you want to drag race the car and preserve your drivetrain, do it in winter tires.

You might say, "but it's an Evo! That's ridiculous!" To which I would say, EXACTLY.

Given AWD, I suspect putting tires with 75% of the stock grip on all four corners wouldn't compromise traction so much as to hurt 1/4 mile times. Anyone try this?

leaveit2bevo1

Its prob not a good idea that your posting these storys of your clutch drops becuase mitsu has already used what people have said on this message board against them on warrenty claims.

GPTourer

This part I don't understand. Are you saying you would rather have them put less gripper tires on the car to accomodate the ability to spin them? This would surely compromise the handling characteristics of the car, which IMO would not be a welcome substitute. It is the handling capabilities of the Evo, after all, that allow it to keep the company of (and beat some) more expensive AND more powerful cars.

Tires are cheaper then clutches are cheaper the transmissions. I can't see equating a live axle Viper setup to a three differential AWD car like an Evolution. Just because a 500 ft/lb Viper drivetrain can do what it does, does not mean the same engineering priciniples aply to a transverse AWD 271 ft/lb Mitsubishi.

Mitsubishi's flagship? Maybe, but they say that about the Montero and Diamante too.

viper2evo

You don't need to drop your clutch to do 0-60 in 5.1. You DO need to launch smoothly and firmly, though.

vicbdn

Just buy a new clutch jeez. You had a viper, im sure you got the money. Stop whining and start driving. 30k gets you a fast car, not a perfect car.

viper2evo

There's nothing magical about the AWD drivetrain (although Mitsu has captured magic of a sort in it's performance!).

The same engineering principles DO totally apply.

Choose the component that gets consumed in hard launches.

With 90% of performance cars, even AWD cars, it's the tires, or engine bog. With this one, it's the clutch.

It's not just my opinion--the ACT Clutch expert agrees.

TT

AD_LIB

iTrader: (1)

What I don't understand is like when you talk to the guys from motorex about the Skyline GTR, basically what they say about launching it is (and the guys at Sport compact car confirm this): "rev to desired rpm anywhere below redline, dump clutch and hold on" This is with stock drivetrain and little to no modification. Now I understand that their AWD system is completely different that the EVo, But essentially in a launch situation, the diff should lock up all 4 tires to gain traction right?
So it shouldnt be too different mechanically at that point from the EVO right ? Anyway it just doesnt seem to make sense to me why mitsu made these cars so difficult to launch. (I have seen the evo compared to the Skyline GTR before in terms of overall performance so I dont think that this comparison is out of line even considering the price/engine differences)

--end rant--

NRG

iTrader: (2)

Whoever asked me how am I doing this, electronics my friend, electronics.......

As for the launching the car part, like most people already know, slipping the clutch will burn it, and dropping the clutch will kill the tranny. Obviously clutch is much cheaper to replace but both methods will have an adverse effect on your car (given). Through personal experiences, slipping is much stronger and smoother. Dropping it, or dumping it if you will, shocks the tranny a bit too much and there is a chance you might bog if you don't do it right.

viper2evo

Oh, my mistake. Paying $1300 when I should have paid 0. I'm whining now.

I may have money, but I didn't get it by being stupid and getting robbed.

Furthermore, there is a matter of simple principle here. But maybe that's more whining, huh?

By the way, do you have $1300 you could send me? Why not? No, you don't owe it to me, but what does that matter? I want it!

If Mitsu is going to come over to America and compete with the big boys, they need to be ready to bring it. Right now it looks like we got the "delicate cherry blossom" version of a high performance car.

Someone said that the Evo would last forever roadracing. I am really skeptical and here's why: when you are accelerating out of a corner and the tach is passing up through 6500 rpm and you shift, what do you guys feel?

You know what I feel? I feel like when I come off the gas, the engine stays under boost for an addtional half second. So when you slam the clutch in to shift, it's like the clutch comes off a loaded engine and slips just a little. Just enough to add up over time. Am I the only one noticing this?

Does the restrictor affect the disengage direction in addition to the engage direction?

TT

gtr

iTrader: (6)

We have weak drivetrain and clutch. Therefore the WRX's powertrain is a larger joke.

Com'on built us a drivetrain as strong as a GTR with a clutch to hold

I wonder if the STi has a stronger and better drivetrain

BLKEVO8

iTrader: (4)

I am not sure about this but is the USDM Evo and JDM Evo clutch that different? I don't think they are and if is so why is it that you dont hear about this problem in the rest of the markets hmmm. Also it is in its 8th gen.

viper2evo

The explanation may be very simple.

Gearing may be lower for their 1st gear.

Torque may be greater, meaning less reliance on launching around 4K rpm--i.e., 3K rpm launches may be best, which would clearly favor clutch life. This IS the case with the WRX Sti. 3K rpm launches are sufficient because of greater TQ and shorter 1st gear.

vicbdn

You are whining like a little baby. Mitsu and subaru brought over amazing cars for under 35k. If you want a car with no problems, go buy a civic.

"By the way, do you have $1300 you could send me? Why not? No, you don't owe it to me, but what does that matter? I want it!" - Whine some more please! I like to read about it.

"If Mitsu is going to come over to America and compete with the big boys, they need to be ready to bring it. Right now it looks like we got the "delicate cherry blossom" version of a high performance car." - Mitsu didnt come here to "compete with the big boys." Its here to compete with the WRX/STi. The EVO/STi/WRX are rally bred cars with AWD, not RWD. THe WRX was not built for dragging, nor is the EVO/STi. THEY CAN but thats not the point, which is why evo clutches are breaking.

The evo is also NOT a 45k skyline. It can be compared, just like the ST4 is being compared to the EVO.

Theres a saying I'm sure you are very aware of, "Pay to play". For some reason, you seem to have forgetten this and now are here whining about a topic long dead and about how your perfect EVO was not so perfect and how you want your money back. Please, get a hobby.

How bout Mitsu not bring the evo here, and you can go and play with your "big boy" toys. Hows that for principle.

sr20det91

iTrader: (59)

That the stupidest thing you've said yet.

Why would put tires on the car that are sub-par to save ignorant people like you from toasting their clutch. Personally, I'd rather have the grippy tires that don't let loose on a road course or ralley course, where my stock clutch wouldn't be slipping anyway.