Camshaft

Clutch plate came apart, throwout bearing is starting to seize up. Centerforce says that its because I was "downshifting" and that the clutch is not designed for that. WTF!!! I push my clutch in, like at a light, the car dies. I try to start it and its really hard on the starter. Makes a loud tapping sound when I depress the clutch and you feel a vibration in the pedal. However, I try to re-create the problems to see exactly whats going on, everything works fine. Still a chirping sound when I tap on the pedal, and still a slight tapping sound when completely depressed, but everything works, other than when I come to a stop, the car bogs down a little to about 500 RPM then back up to 1000. Seems like it has been doing it alot, bogging down at start up and bouncing back up to 1000. Grrr, so much for getting some stock times at the Tulsa strip this weekend. Any body have any similar problems?

Camshaft

Talked to Centerforce, they want me to send it in so they can "look" at the clutch and see whos fault it was, which will be mine of course. Anyone had any experience with a different clutch company?

awj

What exactly happened? How did the clutch problem start?

Camshaft

I was driving to work on the interstate and when I got off on my exit, and I depressed the pedal when I was nearing the car ahead, the car died. I shifted into 3rd, popped it to start it back up, and put the car in neutral. A sort of loud tapping noise from underneath the car and some vibration in the pedal when depressed, and RPM fluctuation between 200 and 1000 rpm. Barely made it to work, which is about 300ft from the exit, and it died twice on the way, both times like the engine was bogged down like when you put your hand over the intake while running. Talked to Nopi and the Centerforce people, and went back outside to try to recreate the problem and try a few things to ID the source, and it was like everything was running fine again, other than a slight tapping sound that was much less than before. My mechanic says he is about 95% sure that the weights are hitting something and that the plate has come apart. Centerforce agrees on the weights hitting something. My mechanic also says the fingers on the clutch are making the chirping sound. I am going to pull the tranny tonight or tomorrow day to send it off, I am just wondering if there is something before I tear into it and what kind of clutch I should buy now. Clutch Masters has an OEM replacement for 149.99 and a stage 1 with 30% more holding power for 321.99.

Lex Luthor

I've heard good things about the CM unit for the 5spd, talk to SC300TURBO, he was using it before he had the 6spd, and i'm pretty sure ComputerWiz was using their clutch too.

Camshaft

Are there any special things I need to know before tackling this? I am going to take some pictures while I am at it. This could get interesting....

awj

Was there any kind of previous indication of trouble? Like squalling sound when the clutch engages? The SC300 I bought has an aftermarket clutch that does this now on occasion. Usually when I first start it and go driving. It goes away after a few shifts. I had a ACT 6 puck clutch in a previous del Sol, it made the same noise but it never broke on me. I'm just curious if there is an action I should take. Let us know what you find out and good luck.

Edit: I don't really have any advice on action to take, it sounds like you are prepared well. Hopefully centerforce will make the situation right for you. I'm not sure what clutch is in mine it is either the centerforce or the clutchmaster - I need to double check.

SC300T

My Sprung Carbon RPS squeals like a pig on takeup.

I had a very brief period of time when the clutch would not entirely release and the car would want to creep slightly when stopped. I did a few harsh clutch drops and it went away, so I assume a peice of friction material had chunked off slightly and the disk needed to be burned smooth again.

Camshaft

I was told that greasing a certain side of the throwout bearing would create squealing for weeks, even up to a year. That was from Centerforce and from a few mechanics.


Ummm, okay guys. How the hell do I pull the last two bolts from the top of the tranny without air tools? Those two are murder....

Camshaft

Pulled the clutch, everything looks good though. Pilot, throwout bearings are good, pressure plate and disc look good. Soooo, looking a little closer, there are dark spots on one side of the pressure plate, and on the other half of the disc, it is smooth and silver. There is blue discoloration on the friction disc on the inside metal part. The flywheel is normal, and the teeth where the throwout bearing hits are fine. Nothing is bent, out of place, or anything else, but I know its the clutch. I have a problem and it sucks hard.