zeeboost Posted January 8, 2006 Share Posted January 8, 2006 Install a SPEC clutch! And the aftermath with the flywheel Well this would explain the problem I was having with clutch disengagement. The springs popped after approx. 3 months of driving. I never dumped the clutch, and anytime I would hit WOT in it, I would shift slowly / easily, trying to avoid damage. Looks like it wouldn't of mattered, though. Unfortunately, I found out that they are notorious for this AFTER I had installed it. This was a stage 3, and supposedly, the stage 2 isn't any better. Needless to say, I'm calling them tomorrow to see what they're going to do about this, because that is BS. I've heard some people say that they offer a huge discount to upgrade to the stage 4, which is a springless clutch, but I really don't know if I can trust another one of their clutches. I'm also going to call Centerforce tomorrow to see how much I can shave off without weakening the flywheel. It seems like I read somewhere that every aftermarket manufacturer uses the same PP, but a different clutch on the LT-based T56 transmissions, so if that's true, I think I'll look at a McLeod clutch instead. On a plus side, I found a couple of angles that I thought gave the 280zx a more "muscle" look (try and overlook the exhaust hanging down ): This angle looks better in person, but regardless, I still think it looks good. I'll keep you updated Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony240ZT Posted January 8, 2006 Share Posted January 8, 2006 Not sure if this was possible, but could you have had the disc backwards? Looks like those springs were hitting your flywheel bolts. I initially installed my disc in backwards in my 7m-gte, luckly nothing touched, but I couldn't get it to disengage at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oinojo Posted January 8, 2006 Share Posted January 8, 2006 it sure does look like the disc was installed in reverse... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
240zwannabe Posted January 8, 2006 Share Posted January 8, 2006 off subject but, how do you like those tires? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeeboost Posted January 8, 2006 Author Share Posted January 8, 2006 It worked fine, until the springs went. I installed it exactly as it came in the package. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jap tin Posted January 9, 2006 Share Posted January 9, 2006 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaleMX Posted January 9, 2006 Share Posted January 9, 2006 Well I hope mine keep's living, its a SPEC Stage 3. I've only got like 2600 miles on it, but it has worked perfect since day 1. For what it's worth, the LS1 flywheel can be hit .015 max. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RB26powered74zcar Posted January 9, 2006 Share Posted January 9, 2006 it sure does look like the disc was installed in reverse... I didn't want to offend when I first seen the post so I didn't answer it with this same thought.... I've used the SPEC stage 3 in the past on my turbo motor with no probs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kcelectronics Posted January 9, 2006 Share Posted January 9, 2006 It looks like the clutch plate was in the correct way (there is not enough depth on the flywheel to allow it to be in reverse) and the 2 springs that came out did all the damage? but what caused the outer ring (that retains the 6 springs) on the clutch plate to fail allowing the springs to fall out!!! Was this damage caused by something else in the bellhousing (loose bolt)? which may have broken this area retaining the springs first, which then caused the 2 springs to fall out which did more damage? Was the bellhousing sealed, or was there room to have some thing enter while driving? Chucky:twisted: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
80LS1T Posted January 9, 2006 Share Posted January 9, 2006 Is it even possible to install it backwards? I now have a SPEC Stage 3 clutch also but I dont think its possible to put it in backwards because the pressure plate wont sit flat on the flywheel because the disc is pushing up on the PP? Either way it doesnt look good. Best find out what happend before reinstalling a new clutch. Guy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kcelectronics Posted January 9, 2006 Share Posted January 9, 2006 Which side was facing the flywheel? was is making any weird noises before it failed or did it just go bang? Chucky:twisted: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RB26powered74zcar Posted January 9, 2006 Share Posted January 9, 2006 It just looked that way to me when I first seen the pics, but like 80LT1 said, can it even be put together facing the wrong way?? I know I've ran that across my mind before as I was putting my clutch together, and if I remember right, it won't even allow you to goof it up... so, I really think it was something else. I had a brand new Clutch Masters stage 3 or 4 (can't recall) blow up on the dyno while James Thagard and myself were tunning my Z, and it blew a hole in my bellhousing. One of the little rivited straps that hold the preasure plates friction surface let go and it just blew itself all apart. It had maybe 3,000 mi on it. Anyways... I feel for you, and hope you get it back going with out to much down time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeeboost Posted January 9, 2006 Author Share Posted January 9, 2006 240zwannabe - No complaints about the tires, yet anyways. I've read a lot of reviews of people saying that they're noisy, but I suppose the engine must be a lot louder, because I haven't heard anything from the tires. Here's the story. The car had been sitting for about a week, and when I went out to go drive it, I pushed in the clutch, and suddenly the trans didn't want to go into gear. Having hydraulic issues before, I was expecting to see a puddle of dot 3 underneath me. When I didn't see anything, I figured I would replace the slave cylinder just incase. This still didn't help much, so I purchased an OEM slave cylinder (came with m/c and hardware) and followed Tim240z's method of drilling/tapping a 1/4" pipe fitting into it. After installing this, it still didn't help, so I shimmed the spacer in between the s/c and the bellhousing to get more throw from the push rod, this helped a little, but still had problems with the clutch disengaging. Afterwards, I noticed I had about 1" of play before my clutch pedal actually began to pump the m/c, so I drilled another hole in the pedal. This actually made things worse...then after a week it got much better. I rarely had problems with clutch engagement. Last wednesday when I was going to put the car in 1st after starting it in neutral, I heard a metal-sounding clink when I pushed the clutch down, and I could feel a large amount of vibration in the clutch pedal. My pedal feel dropped about 50% and the trans wouldn't go into gear at all. This is when I think the second spring went. I limped over to work, dropped the trans, and here I am. The damage came from the springs, they were the only things to fall out when I dropped the tranny. This is a common problem with the Stage 2/3 (they share the same spring hub) over on the camaroz28.com forum. Some people have good luck with them, and unfortunately, others have this happen. Apparently the tab that holds the spring in will just simply break. The new clutch went in when I rebuilt the engine. I spent about 8 hours on a Saturday and drove about 300-400 miles in city driving in order to break in the engine / clutch. Everything was working properly until I started the car that one day after it sat for a week. I'll look more into this tomorrow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DaleMX Posted January 9, 2006 Share Posted January 9, 2006 Humm, maybe time for a lighter flwyheel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeeboost Posted January 9, 2006 Author Share Posted January 9, 2006 Yeah, well, that's kind of a problem, because the only flywheel that I can use that adapts the pre-'86 engine to the T-56 (while using the stock bellhousing) is the 36 lb. flywheel is the one that Centerforce offers. I'm going to call them today and find out how much I can shave off of it. I checked this morning, and the clutch disc can only fit one way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikelly Posted January 9, 2006 Share Posted January 9, 2006 Based on what you described and how much difficulty you had with your hydraulics, and seeing the damage to the disc, it looks as though you had to much engagement in the rod. Looks to me like you over-extended the lever on the piston and fork throw, putting excess pressure on the face of the clutch, thus fatiguing the springs and forcing the tabs loose and the springs out. If they weren't directly opposite of each other, I'd say it was something else wrong, but based on the fact that they are horizontal to each other, that's my best guess. I'd nail down your hydraulic issues before driving it with a new clutch/ pressureplate setup, or you're likely to duplicate this failure. Oh, and I just installed an Exedy Stage 3 Hyper and noticed a large amount of increase in pedal pressure in the corvette's pedal... Just an FYI if you upgrade to something else... I didn't expect the Exedy to be that much stiffer. Mike Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMortensen Posted January 9, 2006 Share Posted January 9, 2006 I have seen enough organic disks shuck springs that I always questioned the idea of putting springs on a puck clutch. The puck grabs so violently that putting springs on the disk at all just seems like you're asking for trouble. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
260DET Posted January 9, 2006 Share Posted January 9, 2006 US$700 seems to be a ridiculous amount of money to pay for a nothing special single plate clutch. With my 500whp project I'm going with a twin plate setup that will not cost much more than that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeeboost Posted January 10, 2006 Author Share Posted January 10, 2006 Mike, those are some good points that you brought up. The only thing is that when I said previous hydraulic issues before the clutch failed, I was referring to my cheap O'Reily's remanned units that kept busting on me (3, I believe). I only started messing with the throw of the rod after the clutch began to have problems. But, again, you are right that I will need to address it before I install the new clutch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeeboost Posted January 10, 2006 Author Share Posted January 10, 2006 SPEC doesn't seem to want to help since I'm out of warranty, which I figured anyways. So...I found this McLeod Clutch Disc on Summit for about $175, and I'm assuming this should mate up with my current PP. Anyone have any comments / experience with it? I notice it, too, has springs, but I trust McLeod's quality much more than SPEC. http://store.summitracing.com/default.asp?Ntt=mcleod+clutch+chevy+&searchinresults=false&Ntk=KeywordSearch&DDS=1&N=115&target=egnsearch.asp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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