Verifying clutch life and number of launches?

[DSI]

Hi, I have traded in my 09 R8 V8 6 speed for an 09 V10 R-Tronic. I didn't think I was going to like the R-Tronic, however after driving it on a relatively long test ride I fell in love with it. I'm picking up the car tomorrow, however I was wondering if the dealer can plug in the car and verify the clutch life, as well as the number of launches (launch control) that exists on the car? Is this possible with the R8? I know on the gallardo egear you can verify the clutch life. Would anyone know, responses appreciated.

[KfabR8]

The car keeps a log of launch control uses. I was told this by the tech that works on my cars.

There is a clutch life indication, but from what my tech tells me it's not an actual wear measurement, but more of some sort of gauge of life. He said it's actually sort of bogus.

[postdady]

speak of the devil just got this today


http://lh5.ggpht.com/_-sAR-Eecb6g/TF...8%20Clutch.JPG

[harrison]

GOOD post Daddy. \"/

[desperado]

The clutch position sensor is only present on the R-Tronic, not on the manual. The correct values for engaged/disengaged are read into the R-Tronic controller ("adapted") initially by the technician when the clutch pack is installed or replaced. The computer then continually fine tunes (adapts) these settings while the car is being driven and as the clutch wears. The current setting is available to the technician as shown in postdady's image and can be used as a estimate of remaining clutch life with a little interpolation.

On the manual for sure, and I'd guess the same on the R-Tronic, it is possible to remove the plastic undertray and look into the two little square openings in the bell housing. You can see the edge of the rear clutch disc through openings in the clutch pack's housing. The disc is a thin metal plate sandwiched between two friction linings. The forward disc is not visible as it sits inside the rim of the flywheel. The thickness of a new disc is maybe 5.5 mm (taken with a ruler, so this is not a very accurate measurement). I don't know what the minimum permissible thickness is, but there is not that much material above the rivets which hold the linings to the disc. I'd guess that at perhaps a total thickness of approximately 3 to 3.5mm? the rivets would start to hit the flywheel and pressure plates (i.e., ~1 mm wear per side). This is just a WAG (wild ass guess) on my part as I didn't get a chance to put a micrometer on the new clutch pack I saw.