Along with my freaking engine disaster, I get icing on the cake with the discovery mid-week that my brand new Stage II clutch kit is basically trash. This is just awesome, yipee. Another whopping $925 down the drain. The Fidanza FW is a piece ot cake to repair, but the rest are history.

After 2,500 relatively easy street miles, NO dumping of the clutch even once, here's a brief description:

- Pressure plate (this is the high pressure version from Valeo) has cracks all over it, and is loaded with hot spots and heavy bluing.

- Fidanza aluminum flywheel is loaded with hot spots and heavy bluing.

- Clutch disc has garring all over the springs (this is a sprung hub disc).

I contacted Carolina Clutch and sent them photos (unfortunately I can't upload them right now at the Forum), and am waiting for their reply. The kit is still under warranty. I don't know if I'm eligible for a dime in refund $$ yet.

I wanted to get some informed opinions here as to what happened. This clutch setup was not abused at all. My mechanic informed me he installed it absolutely correctly (he's no idiot, but I probably am), and that he's never seen such a thing on an almost brand new clutch & flywheel. he said it looks like 150,000 miles were put on it.

Any ideas? Is this pretty much a candidate for a parts refund, or am I screwed real good on yet another expensive disaster?

 

Your discription tells me the clutch was slipping. It also sounds like the disc damper springs were hitting on something. Is there any sign of what that might have been? Flywheel to crankshaft bolts, maybe? My first diagnostic guess, is that the clutch disc was installed backward. It HAS happened before.

RACE ON!!!

 

Bummer That sucks Good Luck

 

I agree. That's my first guess... I read here somewhere that some of their clutch discs were leaving the factory with mislabled engine decal - meaning the disc was being installed incorrectly.

To be honest, I would expect you to hear that, tho.. cause it would be REAL loud.

 

thanks guys. your assumption sounds logical. i'll check into the azz-backwards clutch install issue. i'll post an update early this week..........

 

dude
Spend your $ on M'cloed street twice clutch. The best clutch $ can buy. I love mine street twin. People are running 1000hp launch it on slick tires, they have broken, many parts, driveshaft, yoke, convertor and all other stuffs. Guess what their street twin are in one piece. Need to say more.

Bruce

 

Wow! That's really bad news. Sorry for you having to go through all this.
Can't help with trannys though, neither auto nor manual. Never got into fooling with them.

Jake

 

If this is a SPEC clutch you need to call them, they are great to work with, I have a similar problem with one of their clutches and they treated me pretty good.

One of the problem with '89 and up C4's is the action of the clutch, if the pressure plate is too thin the clutch will not engage completely and will slip, it could be you have the incorrect flywheel.

As far as the flywheel I believe the Fredanza (spelling?) has a replaceable pressure/contact surface and you can probably order another one and replace it.

Most of the C4/ZF6 Pressure plates were mae by Valeo and moddified to suit the clutch manufacturer, again, I would contact SPEC directly if Carolina Clutch can't/won't help you.


vettmike

 

Hey Brad, sorry to hear about the problem, since you are doing it over, tell them you want a Dual Mass thiis time and see if they can credit you for the Aluminum FW.

Hang in there!

 

Very disappointed and sad to hear this news. There is nothing more frustrating than shelling out that kind of money to "reputable" mechanics and builders, only to have to go thru the heartache and expense a second time. Ask me how I know this.

It is amazing to me how these reputable shops get away form any of the responsibility and liablity of their wrongdoings, generally passing it off as you over abusing the car.

Mike

 

I killed a Street Twin in a real similar manner. Wore the clutch discs to the rivets, wore out the floater, same type of heat to the pressure plate and flywheel. All in under 2500 miles.

I'm pretty sure my problem was in the slave cylinder or the master. I think that while idling with the clutch in, it wasn't completely disengaged. I know it wasn't slipping under power.