Spaniard

iTrader: (1)

So Im on my way to the track for my first 1/4 attempts. Like a 3 hour drive. Im exicted because I have been waiting for months to get a chance to try it out because I couldnt do it with my old clutch (well, not that old, but behaving old even though it had only 20K on it) and I also had to wait until winter was over for the track to open up (infineon).

Anyways I just (thought) I broke in my new HIGH PERFORMACE CLUTCH (oooooh).
Well, I thought I broke it in because it had recently stopped slipping under WOT. I figured heck, part of the break in period, might happen for a while until it gets worn in and nice and grabby. After all, its "Recommended for street applications, autocross, rally, pro rally, off-road, and any other applications where a clutch disk exceeding OEM specification is required"

I paired it up with a "Performance and Racing pressure plate". I had been referred to this outfit because apparently no one had ever had any complaints, and I went with the clutch that was recommended to me.

Well apparently I made a mistake because the clutch turns out to be a piece of fulking shiite. It started slipping worse than ever when I was about 30 minutes away from the track. I mean in 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th it would not grip at all. WTF. What a rip off.

What makes this worse is that this is the 3rd clutch that I have had installed in the last year. The first one's disk "diskintegrated" the 2nd day I had it, and the one that the shop replaced the first garbage one with had a random piece of metal fatigue and break loose and cause all kinds of hell.

Im out over $500 bucks for this (most recent) clutch install, not to mention the mental anguish and disappointment from all this clutch BS, as well as having my time wasted and my hopes for some fun 1/4s dashed. In short I am like, upset- and I feel that I have every right to be. My first clutch lasted 86K and thats with plenty of WOT, I can tell ya.

So can SOMEONE PLEASE tell me what I can do to get a good working setup? I am ready to give up "streetability" for a *@$@# clutch that will at least let me friggin put what I got to the wheels.

Man!!

BOSS

aftermarket clutches are all rip offs if you ask me. Stick to OEM. After all, your Maxima is not and never will be an 800hp Supra that actually needs this kind of "performance" clutch setup.

Jeff92se

iTrader: (82)

ACT PP and Disc(street setup). You will probably damage your tranny before this unit gives up the ghost.

OEM (I mean real OEM) parts are also qood quality and should hold up for all na punishment.

99Maxima5sp

Actually your partly wrong. Try running a 75 shot or boosting on a stock clutch. Watch how fast that thing just spins.


And dude, what clutch did you buy!?!? Im running an Exedy Stage 1, ran me 282 bucks and 150 for the install. I couldnt be happier (wish i had the money for a flywheel at the time though). Unless you just dont know how to break in a clutch...

And no, you are not prepared to give up streetability, because then you wouldnt have a transmisison worth shifting because you would be picking pieces up along the side of the road...then...you would be really ****ed


If your not boosting or spraying, which i dont think you are, stick with a stock OEM, NOT a key value clutch and you'll be fine. You have no reason for a performance clutch...



Eric

Spaniard

iTrader: (1)

Please keep the knowledge transfer coming.

FYI- This last clutch was the first aftermarket clutch. ClutchNet.com

Apparently I have zero luck since the 2nd and 3rd clutches on the car (the first clutch and its "free" replacement that I paid for) were supposed to be original Nissan parts- OEM. But they didnt hold up or transfer power successfully. I just want something that will work for me.... Since I am still mad I will just add "dammit!"

1FSTMAX

iTrader: (29)

So this clutchnet clutch gave out? My buddy has a 6 puck on his SC max with no probs. Could it be a bad install?

Spaniard

iTrader: (1)

It never held in the first place. the 6 puck is what the guy suggested as a replacement

The guy who did the install said that is was "hydraulic" so it COULDNT be his fault. Feel free to tell me the realness

turbomax97

iTrader: (6)

might wanna check your clutch hydraulic setup like he said... it could be that you're engagement point is too high up, and that the clutch is never totally engaging. This leads to the clutch overheating/wearing.

Ceasars Chariot

iTrader: (16)

i dont have much to add other than im still leaning toward a stock oem clutch ( NOT SORRY KEY VALUE !) lol

The only other one i might would consider at this time is the exedy. Soon I will be replacing the tranny so Im going to replace the clutch and flywheel during the surgery.

Spaniard, sorry to hear this man, TOTAL AND COMPLETE SUCK ! Im sick as a dog over my car being down its drivable but im going to miss alot of racing while i save up the cash for all this. So i understand how you feel missing the 1/4 mile fun today.

good luck

Spaniard

iTrader: (1)

man... thats a quality response... The clutch seemed to engage about 3/4 of the way up.... mebbe not 100% ever? dunno...

Spaniard

iTrader: (1)

sucks beyond description

FUBAR

oTranscendental

iTrader: (4)

I disagree. I got the unorthodox stage 2 with a stock flywheel, and I love it.
I still was able to make it slip though.
Still better than the OEM. That thing sucked gonads.

Dave B

OEM clutch, never replaced, 106K miles, 4000rpms launches, 150+ 1/4 mile passes, never has slipped, 200fwhp/195fwtq, 'nuf said.


Dave

MrEous

iTrader: (11)

What kind of break-in are you giving the clutch?? You know you can't just install and drive away like a madman, right? You really shouldn't be having that much of a problem.

Did the same shop do the 1st install?

The reason I ask about the break-in period is because of what you said here:
You should be babying the new clutch for a good time...(I'm not sure of the break-in period)

Spaniard

iTrader: (1)

I drove it really easy for 200 miles... Different shop did installs (better believe it after the shoddy work that I got from the first place- ("yarnells")

I also drove about 50 miles gently shifting between 3rd and 4th every 2 seconds in order to make sure it was getting broken in nicely. So I dont think it was the break in.

BadFish

I remember the break in period should be around 500 miles, or so i was told. I had an XTD Stage 3 clutch installed about 3 months ago and i have had no problems really, except that i wouldnt recommend it for slow-stop-slow rush hour traffic. or going uphill really slow. or going anywhere slow. Its really hard to creep up on your unsuspecting friends in your car now. hehe

Engagement is instant/harsh and somewhat scary, but i like it. i like it alot. Saving for a custom Porsche Turbo setup.

Cheerio.

DAVE Sz

iTrader: (2)

If you're still in the break-in period why are you going WOT? You said it stopped slipping when WOT so you thought it broke, how exactly is that a break-in period? Aren't you supposed to take it easy for 500-1000 miles or so?

Dave B

I'd say the longer, the better. I'd do no WOT runs for the 1st 500 miles and I'd do absolutely no WOT shifts for 3000 miles. IMO, hard shifts are typically what really stress clutches (instant torque shock). I think the reason my clutch has lasted so long is because the prior owner (women) probably never went WOT or shifted hard for the first 20K miles of ownership. I think the longer you give the surfaces to get adbrased (sp?) and properly heat cycled, the longer a street clutch will last. That's just my opinion though.


Dave

MrEous

iTrader: (11)

I think it is safe to say that after 200 miles that it is WAY too soon to go WOT with any new clutch, no matter what brand it is.

It's your choice...I'd rather be safe with my hard earned cash and not go all crazy on my new clutch.

My car is at 65k now and you'd better believe that if my clutch ever goes out I will be babying the new one for at least 5-10,000.

MAXSRB

Why are you even using a 6 puck clutch? Ive read articles on clutches since 1999 here on the org, and the only clutches that haven't given people tranny or clutch related problems are the Exedy stage 1 and 2 kits, the ACT street strip organic disc (HDMM) kit, and oem replacement kits. EVERY single time ive read about a 6 puck or 3 puck installs people start complaining....
The fact remains for our cars, use OEM, exedy stage 1 or 2, or ACT organic disc/heavy duty pressure plate......and even then there are lots of people lately complaining about the wear on the ACT, and some even complaining about toasting their trannies.
One thing you have to remember is that Maximas clutch system is a very sensitive one. Even back in 96 when MotorTrend tested a 5 speed the editor mentioned how much of a rookie 5 speed driver the Max clutch made him feel like.

Flava_24/7

iTrader: (46)

I agree, the min. break in period should be 500miles.
I dont see why you would go WOT within the first 200 miles, especially after youve replaced numerous clutches.
Its not normal to go through them this fast, its either a bad setup or bad break in period.

Spaniard

iTrader: (1)

I figured 200 miles of easy driving + 50 miles of nothing but what I thought would be ideal break-in-treatment: light easy engagement/re-engagement from 3rd to 4th and back over and over repeatedly. In my mind that 50 miles was worth at least 3 times normal driving probably more since I was shifting 10 times more frequently than average driving.

Example of bad info #1:
The guy who installed the clutch said that aftermarket clutches are "pretty much good to go" after install.

#2: said by the rep who sold the clutch: "If its been 200 miles then its probably the pressure plate if the clutch is slipping, if you went with the kevlar disk"

#3: same person as #2the next time I called him) "I always warn people not to go with the kevlar disk when they order it. Something about it makes it spin at certain RPMs". I wasnt warned when I ordered it tho...

So the upshot is that I havent been getting good information it seems. I read 300 miles was enough of a break in period and figured aftermarket disk/racing pressure plate= good to go after 200 + 50 break in. My bad I guess but I was going with the advice that I had gotten.

So, going forward, is it worth staying with the clutch and waiting to see if it "breaks in" better still, good enough to go to the drag strip?
Or should I jump on the offer to get a refund and basically eat the $500 bucks I paid to get it installed, and basically go back to square 1.

I guess what I am asking is... Do you think it will it stop slipping? And how best to make it now that I have now apparently abused it? Should I get the refund- after all the guy said it probably was the pressure plate. Im at a frustrating loss here.

EDIT: Im not using 6-puck, Im using a sprung-hub kevlar compund disk. The 6puck is what the guy suggested to go with instead of the kevlar - if I wanted to get it replaced (exchange)

Blaxxxima

iTrader: (1)

free bump -

I just got a call that I need to get my ACT clutch replaced. I'm going back to OEM . The ACT lasted about 50,000 KM (30K Miles). NOT what I had expected from it.

I had problems with shuddering, and with burning the clutch. It won't be as fun to drive anymore, but it'll hopefully last longer.

Good luck with finding a new one.

SkoorbMax

I know little, but it sounds to me like there may be a problem with your tranny's ability to use that clutch, rather than the clutch itself.

Anyway, how the hell are you all getting clutch replacements for so damn cheap? I thought it was like $800 or so for a clutch replacement...isn't it a lot of labor? Is it something a guy can do himself without having opened up a tranny before, using just a haynes?

sryth

Well, you don't open the tranny; you just remove it.

It is something that can be done at home (I've done it numerous times), given the proper tools.

MrGone

iTrader: (30)

I have an Exedy Stage I paired with a Fidanza and could not be happier. Personally I hate the stock clutch, but thats just me. My Exedy has never slipped, not during the break-in or anything.

You might want to check out Spec, BigDogJonX and mtcookson both have them mated to a Fidanza and haven't had a problem with them (they are both turbo guys).

BadFish

Any decent mechanics shop will do it for about $300 plus resurfacing of the flywheel. I didnt have enough for a lightened flywheel at the time so if i ever want to get one id have to pay for it all over again. i dont have the tools necessary nor the time or space.