Clutch Masters Clutch Slippin at 4500miles?!?

tarantula · Sep 15, 2003

I bought a Clutch Masters Clutch (HDSB2500) from Extreme when my stocker was burning up at 113000miles...... Now my tack says close to 118000 miles and last night while driving home on the freeway my clutch started to slip. RPM's went up rapidly and tach stayed the same. Did this repeatedly. Adjusted my pedal closer to the flor and nothing, still slips. Adjusted it to specs (176-182mm from Firewall) and still slips. How can this be.? Searched for an hour here and heard of Glazing. How can a "So called" better than stock clutch last less. My stocker lasted 113000!!!!!!! I know I'm probably running less than 250 horsepower figuring the turbo is the stock one if not at 250.
MBC set to 14psi
All intake pipes replaced. (Dejon tools; Injen) Stock intercooler.
3" cat back exhaust. All freemods.
Have done a couple of launches ((Not many)2G AWD))
RRE lightened stock flywheel
Taboo Speed Shop Steel clutch fork.
Steel braided clutch lines
New Clutch Slave cylinder

Is it time for a new clutch AGAIN?

Any comments or advice appreciated.

Taboo · Sep 15, 2003

Was the flywheel machined/stepped correctly? If so, what was the step height?

En90Tsi · Sep 16, 2003

and did you break it in properly?

tarantula · Sep 16, 2003

According to RRE, which is from where I bought the flywheel.... They step their Flywheels at .609. I didn't want to risk a local shop trying to resurface my original flywheel. And their flywheels are factory ones just shaved to lighten them up a bit. (At least thats what they say) When I found that its .609 and not .610 I called Clutchmasters and asked them if the difference would cause problems later... They said it would be ok.

I did break it in the way I read it was suppose to be broken in (no hard driving) On occasion I did have to spool up, like to advoid dumb drivers almost hitting me. but then i'd let off the gas. I never really hit full boost. On hills the boost automatically starts but tried not to accelerate... just enough to get pass the hills.

When It slips I don't smell any clutch smell. None at all which is why I thought about glazing as per fellow DSM'ers. As the break in continued and even after, the smell of the clutch was really strong. Especially after the break in ( I did it a little longer for security it broke in fully) When I would really hit boost and launch Clutch smell was powerful. Even if I was in traffic and had to use the clutch often to maintain a slow speed it stunk. Now I don't smell nothing, not even a hint.

Taboo · Sep 16, 2003

tarantula said:
When It slips I don't smell any clutch smell. None at all which is why I thought about glazing as per fellow DSM'ers.... Now I don't smell nothing, not even a hint.

There's a chance the clutch disc may be oily - if your rear main seal or the input shaft seal leaks - or the disc or the pressure plate is severely warped. The tranny and the clutch need to come off anyway - and further inspection is going to reveal what gives...

NOMIEZVR4 · Sep 16, 2003

think maybe the clutch adjustment rod is out of spec?

tarantula · Sep 17, 2003

You know that did cross my mind alot.....When I had the tranny off I looked at the rear main seal and it looked really good, no leaks. Now the imput shaft may be another thing. I don't know on that. How can I tell other than taking the tranny off? If theres a way to tell....

I ran the car today and noticed that it happened in third, forth and fifth gears more easily. It slips at the sign of 5lbs or above of boost. And it slips for a bit than grabs. The tach goes up a grand than comes back down and don't slip no more until I start all over again. (shift to next gear)

In desperation I tried something. I was on the freeway doing like 60 than I hit the clutch just slightly, enough to slip and reved it than continued to drive. After that rev in that second after I reved it I smelled the clutch. Than I tried to hit the boost to see if it still slips. And it didn't!? tried a couple of times more and it didn't slip. held all 14 lbs of boost till redline. in all top gears. Than I dropped the car off at the body shop.

I also thought that maybe because I have it sitting more now that I bought another car (cause of the accident) that maybe it had to eat the rust off the flywheel. Maybe thats a crazy thought and it does not rust in a week or two of not driving it. But I really wanted to deter the possibility of my rear seal leaking, Now I am worried about the input shaft seal which I didn't think of leaking. My car is in the shop now for a while being repaired cause of the accident (Hopefully the 97 conversion will become the end result) so I won't be able to test to see if it would slip again. Thanks guys for your help and other thoughts will be appreciated to solve this strange event. Hope it was just a phase and never will have to worry about it. I guess that just wishful thinking cause its a DSM

tarantula · Sep 17, 2003

P.S. I take it that the flywheel I have is ok at the step height of .609 right?

tarantula · Oct 30, 2003

Clutchmaster DIED!!!!!

Well My clutch hit 4735 miles and it finally went. It slipped so much that I could not move. And when it finally got to that point, I could not put it into any gears. Just wouldn't go into gear. When I shut the car off, it went in fine. I tried to start the car while in first and holding the clutch pedal down and the car jerked foward. Like if I did not have the pedal pressed in. Well the car is at the tranny shop now and I told the guy what Taboo said.... That my input shaft might be leaking. We'll see tomorrow when he has the tranny out. Most likely if the clutch is ruined should I just get the ACT 2600 instead of the ClutchMasters again.? Also if its the input shaft, it made me think I should just have the rear main seal on the block behind the flywheel replaced also. Is it something easy or will the shop charge me alot of $$$ to do that in addition. I just don't want to ever go through this again. I want to wait at least 2 years before I take the tranny out and when that time comes, I'll just replace the tranny with a TRE tranny. Appreciate your replys

tarantula · Jan 8, 2004

UPDATE!!!

Well I got questions about the outcome. Seems that more people have the same problems. Generally Clutch master Clutch dieing too early. I don't know but heres the update. I had the tranny shop took off the tranny and the clutch was completely destroyed! If you are curious on pictures heres the LINK Well I sent the clutch back to the vendor and the vendor sent the clutch back to Clutchmasters. After a battle the clutch was finally fully Replaced. Than the New clutch assembly was sent back to the vendor. I called the vendor and told them to keep the clutch and give me store credit (Cause it was like I never bought the clutch) I then took the store credit and got a S-AFC II. Very happy with the end result but will not use Clutch Masters again. Just my experience.

Heres the link to the thread on getting store credit.

http://www.dsmtalk.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=110437

1992TalonTSi · Feb 11, 2004

My clutchmaster Stage 2 is lasting for 20K miles now and its starting to show sign of slipage now. Gotta replace it soon

Clutch Masters Clutch Slippin at 4500miles?!?

tarantula

Taboo

En90Tsi

tarantula

Taboo

NOMIEZVR4

tarantula

tarantula

tarantula

tarantula

1992TalonTSi

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