Clutch: Clutchnet 6 puck Sprung Hub
Flywheel: NEW Fidanza Flywheel

I have been having a grinding sound at engagment ever since this was put in last year. I havent really been driving the car all that much in the past couple months but I would say there is a total of 5-6000 miles on the clutch/ flywheel driving pretty normally.

To explain the griding a bit more. Its when the car is cold, leaving my driveway right when the clutch engages, it grabs very fast and grinds at the same time at engadgment. Its a metal on metal screaatcchhh that could be heard outside the car as well. Reverse, same sound, 1st and 2nd mostly heard in. You can really hear it on hills starting up when the car is cold. Really annoying. Once the car heats up and the clutch and flywheel get hot, the sound pretty much 100% dissapears unless you really listen for it. Then when you stop and let the car sit, 10-15 minutes, it doensnt have to sit all that long, the sound comes back. Its almost like the surfaces are clashing and dont like each other. I do get the sound on downshifts as well, like 3rd to 2nd. Its just really weird.

I have made several threads about this when I originally put this clutch in, and people mainly said put miles on it and it will go away and it really hasnt gotten all that better. I have called Clutchnet but they want me to take the clutch out and send it in to have inspected. Cant really do that.

I also do get chatter but that I think is normal. The two combined is really bad. I kinda just want everyones opinion on this.

any input ?

 

Hmm...I had the same issue. After a while my throwout bearing fell off the clutch fork. I swapped it and fixed the problem....and the groaning is still there. Only in first and reverse though.

 

take a video of the noise...

 

Here is a pic of what happened to me. I have NO idea how this happened, but it did, and I was stuck in gear. Somehow the TO bearing came off the clutch fork, and was EMBEDDED into the pressure plate splines. Like I said I re-installed everything to spec., and I still get the moaning/groan when 1st or Reverse grabs, just not AS bad. I just accept it as one of the things that goes with owning a stage 3 clutch and pressure plate.

 

That looks like a spec clutch. What Flywheel are you using ??
Does that moaning go away when everything heats up ?? I only get it the first few times the clutch engadges, then its gone.

-matt

 

It's a Spec Stage 3, and Unorthodox flywheel. It goes away sometimes...if not it does get considerably less noticable.

 

i have an oem flywheel and a spec 2+ cluctch and it makes a groaning sound sometimes when its during the first couple of miles

 

Mine has done it since day one of this clutch and its violent when its cold. Warm and hot is a different story, its nice and quiet. I will get a video clip tomorrow (I did with my camera but it doesnt have sound)

-matt

 

I could of sworn I posted in here already. I guess someone erased it.


I think it may be the pilot bushing, either its worn or not there.
The pilot bushing supports the input shaft/ prevents clutch chatter & premature wear on the bearings.
Just a thought

Instead of posting this again.... Good luck with the "weird noise"
Weelman1 OOOut

 

are you just having a noise complaint and no driveability issues?

 

happens very RARELY, but my spec stg2 groans too. Usually when it does it its when its hot as hell from bumper to bumper traffic in the hot sun, and i try to smooooothly engage 1st gear, so Im slipping it, sometimes if the RPMs fall I'll get a groan sound. So I just "fast slip" the clutch and it never does it.

Your problem however is just plain weird. Its def not a break-in issue as you are long passed it. Perhaps its as simple as the disc's surface being too abrasive? What are the experiences of other people with this clutch relative to what you're having?

 

The 4th gen does not use the pilot bushing for anything other than the clutch alignment tool during installation of the clutch. The input shaft does not touch it or ride inside the end of the crank like on many other cars.

I am not sure about your noise, but my clutchnet clutch was terrible. It was noisy, chattered, and slipped badly at the dragstrip. I replaced it and have never looked back.

 

Yea I agree with the pilot bushing. It does nothing on the maxima setup. Some guys dont even put it in.

What clutch do you have now ?? With what Flywheel ?? Id like to keep the Fidanza if I switch to another clutch

-matt

 

I have the fidanza flywheel with an ACT Xtreme PP and organic street full-faced disk. The clutch pedal is heavy for a maxima, but the lack of noise or chatter and great drivability make it a no-brainer for me.

 

I had an ACT when I first bought my car and got alot of chatter from it. I think its cause I installed it halfway through the flywheel life and didnt resurface or replace the friction plate. (Fidanza)

How is Spec ??

 

do not get a spec unless you like your clutches to be at risk of exploding.

matty, how's that video coming along?

 

absolutely incorrect. the pilot bushing is for initial alignment only.

 

Absolutely fine with me....
It makes sens though.... otherwise it probably would of been a roller bearing instaed of bushing...
Like I said
"Just a thought"

 

mine groans as well and its better then the chatter my friends spec does on his jetta

 

spec stg 2 and stock flywheel is quite and engagement smooth and quite. my tranny is dying and whinning so it drowns out the clutch some but I would still hear if anything. I'll be snapping some pics of the tranny and clutch after it comes out (2.6 years on stock fly and spec).

my other car, clutchnet red and fidanza is chattery but fairly quite othersie