At SSO yesterday I launched my car whilst the clutch would have been pretty cold. Diff set to 1 back from fully locked, it felt like it was slipping, Idon't know if the wheels were spinning, and i couldn't get any decent drive until i put in 4th.

When i finished it the clutch smelled pretty bad, to be expected.

When i drove home it was still smelling when i got back.

Been for a drive today and when i finished it was smelling again.

Is this normal or a sign something is on its way out?

Clutch was checked about 1500 miles ago and was half worn, its done 18k miles, standard STI Exedy item AFAIK.

 

My hillclimb Sti sometimes does the 'smell' and I've put this down to the car doing road miles and the grunge being burnt off to a degree, but certainly any slip will create intense heat.
Last had it 3 weeks ago while reversing the car up a steep slope. Smelt for 24 hours, but drop in competition superbly, no slip off the hard starts.

It is an AP Organic, 4 years old and 9000 road miles, but at least 150 drag starts on a 360 x 360 2 litre.

I think i would change the clutch to an AP before the flywheel suffers too much.

 

When the gear box was off to put 'the' nut back on.
My mechanic said there was about 1/2 the life of the clutch left and some scoring + cracking on flywheel, but nothing to worry about.

So best to leave it to replace both a new clutch and lightened flywheel.
Best get saving

 

Good advice, but if it slips then time to do both.

API can do a nice deal on a clutch 'kit' and pre machined lightened flywheel

Call David and tell him '911' sent you (private joke)

Welcome to the API website

 

I had exactly the same happen to me at SSO mine was an Exedy organic which has only done about 800 miles, running about 380hp and 360lb/ft torque, it started smelling previously at Santa Pod and i also thought i was spinning the wheels, also my times were down. Partly i think it was slightly my fault as i was holding up the handbrake when i staged which in turn was putting the car into 2 wheel drive so i was getting wheel spin off the line, but still my clutch was smelling badly dunno i am trying to get a single hyper clutch or a twin plate fitted now before Santa Pod this weekend but i am very fast running out of time