Brand new clutch has apparently disintegrated!

[smitty]

Just got word from snickells that my 5000k old clutch has apparently disintegrated, with friction material lining the inside of the bell housing.

I bought the clutch from a prominent motorsport workshop in eastern Melbourne. It is one they put together specifically for our cars.

They sold me the clutch but i had another workshop install it (was not going to pay for a tow from mentone to bayswater and back to have them fit the clutch in the middle of a manual conversion)

I'm going to need a new one, but what are my options? Has anyone else had this experience before with exedy/clutches bought from this workshop?

 

[unclepaulie]

NPC player.

nick's performance clutches could rebuild you a new clutch to suit what ever you need. would just have to freight it to QLD

 

[Scottie]

What Excedy model is it Smitty?

 

[smitty]

as I understand it, a combination of the one you got and the evo kit....

 

[Scottie]

Sports Organic?

 

[smitty]

Yup.

 

[Macca]

NPC player.

nick's performance clutches could rebuild you a new clutch to suit what ever you need. would just have to freight it to QLD

Still haven't installed mine :angry: but they do look to be great quality and are rated for 300kW at all four wheels. I think it cost me ~$750 including freight.

 

[smitty]

Thats about what my one cost me. Might be a go.... Ill wait and see once steve's split the box and got the clutch out.

 

[Guest]

I'm not totally surprised, I had a prominent motorsport workshop in eastern Melbourne underfill my transfer case, overfill the diff and not top up the AYC reservoir. After correcting the levels myself, they have remained fine over multiple subsequent services.

 

[cgunther]

They supplied and fitted my clutch - no problems. Done about 20,000km since. Mine was just the heavy duty Legnum one (no buttons or evo).

 

[smitty]

Turns out, after Steve split the box, the clutch is fine. There's a small ring that's popped out of place and that's what's caused all the grief. Clutch has been sent back to the manufacturer to test the spring pressure, as Steve suspects its too high, and that's why everything's popped apart.

 

[Scottie]

Hmmm i have a sports organic too and it makes grinding noises when releasing. Also, some times it feels like the pedal is dead.

Let me know smitty, i suspect i am gonna come to the same fate as you..

 

[Jonson]

Interesting, let us know what you find. So what was all the crap in the bell housing then?

 

[smitty]

Update: excedy have determined that the failure has been caused by the clutch being installed incorrectly. This has caused damage to the release bearing, wave spring etc and the clutch itself. It could be reinstalled but it'd probably fail again. So two out of two clutch installs on my car have both been fuckups. I'm back to needing a new clutch that I can't really afford and no car for fuck knows how long because the little retainer ring/whatever would have to come from o/s, which will take forever at this time of year.

Phooey.

 

[PeteGT]

Is it all because it was installed arse backwards first time round?

 

[Jonson]

I've obviously never tried putting the plate in backwards but would everything even bolt up? How can you fuck up a clutch install, unless it wasn't centred and they just pulled the box on using the bellhousing bolts...

 

[smitty]

When I originally did the manual conversion, I did everything myself except for installing the clutch/gearbox itself. The mechanic I hired to do that bit installed the clutch backwards somehow (snickells has the specifics) and didn't even realize. I picked up on it when, as we're attempting to bleed it, i noticed the release fork was poking out in the wrong direction (sitting away from the slave cylinder pushrod). Car was then whisked away from him and sent to another workshop, who discovered the first bloke had a) caused irreparable damage to the clutch, requiring replacement, and b) jammed the gearbox onto the engine. It would seem this second workshop, for all their cockiness, have fucked it again somehow.

So your answer Jon is apparently yes, it will bolt up. Or rather, jam on, causing many hours of frustration and a high labour bill.

 

[Scottie]

Who did you speak to at Exedy?

I am going to have to get some idea of wtf is wrong and wtf i have to do.

 

[smitty]

All the dealings with excedy were through tech-one auto. Snickells has all the details.

Also turns out that I think I was mislead, or misunderstood... The clutch I bought is apparently the run-of-the-mil mbk-7223 HD clutch. I distinctly remember being told otherwise when I bought it. Makes me wonder if anyone else has been mislead.

Is yours the mbk7223hd Scottie?

 

[Jonson]

wow that is shit on all accounts. warranty on labour and possibly parts?