MiraiZ

Okay before I vent, just wanna make it clear that this is not an attack against ACT clutch...It was a good clutch while it lasted, and we have yet to determine what actually broke and why...but I am pissed none-the-less.

MY STORY

It all started yesterday. I went run some errands around town...not driving too particularly fast or hard. Clutch felt good and grabbed well, no gear grinding, or any other problems for that matter.

Then it happened...

I decided to pour on the juice a bit and started driving it hard., I go to shift from 2nd to 3rd and just when I got it into gear, the car jerked furiously as if I had just popped the clutch in the wrong gear ...but I was still clutched in.

I release the clutch and there was no change...I then clutch in again and the pedal sunk to the floor as if all fluid had drained out somewhere. I pumped the clutch a bit and managed to get some feeling back and was able to get it into 1st gear....I immediatly pulled it into a nearby parking lot. I figured that either I lost fluid or blew either my MC or SC or both.

(the above took place in a matter of 15 seconds)

I popped the hood and checked the resevoir...fluid is fine
I crawled underneath the dash and checked the MC...no leaks
I checked the SC...no leaks...hmm

I pumped the clutch about 20-30 times and managed to get a lot of the pedal pressure back. But the car will no loger go into any of the gears!! Hmm...air bubbles??

I ran out of time so I left the car their overnight and returned today to have the police standing by my car with a very angry land lord. I apparently left the car in his spot and he had called the police to have the car towed. I apologized purufusely and promised that the car will be moved in an hour.

I had my 1L bottle of BP DOT 4 brake fluid and proceded to bleed the clutch line with my girl who worked the pedal....did this for an hour and the pedal pressure returned to its standard calf string straining pressure. But I still couldn't get the car into first gear with the engine running DAMMIT

So with the land lord breathing down my neck and the police promising to return within the hour, I had no choice but to have the car towed. Its a damn freakin Sunday so my garage is closed. So where did I have it towed...where else..Honda dealership

I could hear the Honda mechanic's voice in my head Sorry Mr. Hayashi, since you didn't use genuine Honda parts, we cannot help you... But this isn't the States so things were a bit different than expected.

My car was towed to the dealership, with 5 Honda mechanics and 3 salesmen to greet me. OMG...how embarrassing. I'm sure that they weren't too pleased with having a Honda car being towed onto the lot...not a good image for sales.

I explained the problem to one the mechanics...he said he would try rebleed the line... All 8 staff members pushed the car into the garage.

10 minutes later he came back...Fluid pressure is good and it activating the clutch...I suspect its the pressure plate or one of the bearings.... we will drop the mission and check it...

So that's my story...I've had this clutch in for less than 2000 miles, babied the ****** for the first 1000 miles and it died. So I am hoping that I don't have to replace the whole damn thing. But If I do, I can't order another ACT and have it here within a week so I gotta go with something local...maybe Ogura Clutch...

Sorry for the long vent...anyone had experienced the problem with any clutch??

viprcr1

i know this is off topic but i have a friend that is stationed in japan and i was wondering how much the stock honda parts go for and a cwest body kit. This is for a EG.

B2FiNiTY

iTrader: (2)

wow, that is a crazy story. I'm glad the dealership helped you out though

MiraiZ

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by viprcr1 &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">i know this is off topic but i have a friend that is stationed in japan and i was wondering how much the stock honda parts go for and a cwest body kit. This is for a EG.</TD></TR></TABLE>

Dude...way off topic...not in the moood to answer this

yup..crazy assed story....I have been through a lot in the last 15 hours or so...no I gotta spend another $500 at least to get my clutch fixed It'd be nice to have ACTman chime in here to offer an explanation or a deal to get some parts to me ASAP.

Dee

Time for an OS twin! There's a guy on Yahoo selling Honda TS2AS setups for 96000yen (about a 30000yen savings).

MiraiZ

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by Dee &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">Time for an OS twin! There's a guy on Yahoo selling Honda TS2AS setups for 96000yen (about a 30000yen savings). </TD></TR></TABLE>Dee...your concept of inexpesive is wacked... did you win the summer jumbo or somthing? ...I'm trying to stay below 70K coz I know Honda is gonna sodemize me on labor

Bspec18

Which clutch were you using ? HDSS, XTSS or ???

Rain_man

My act craped out on me too... my engine is stock and I don't race so who knows.

MiraiZ

I was using XTSS...wasn't even running high boost....

It ran great for a while but the way it crapped up was too much of a suprise for me...I don't know whether to replace the failed part (if I can get one right way) or to just replace it with something they sell here which will cost 2x the price...

Sprockets

iTrader: (6)

MiraiZ,

I'm really sorry about your clutch! Although I'm too lazy right now to do a search, it seems to me that you responded to a thread I posted about my ACT XTSS making a squealing noise when starting off in 1st gear and you had the same problem. Considering that you've had this clutch in for less than 2000 miles, maybe there's a manufacturing defect with a particular batch of these clutches. I purchased my clutch a while ago, but didn't have it installed it until recently, so it's possible that we both have a clutch from the same batch. I removed a perfectly good Exedy to have this thing installed, so I hope it's not defective!

MiraiZ

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by The Dude &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">MiraiZ,

I'm really sorry about your clutch! Although I'm too lazy right now to do a search, it seems to me that you responded to a thread I posted about my ACT XTSS making a squealing noise when starting off in 1st gear and you had the same problem. Considering that you've had this clutch in for less than 2000 miles, maybe there's a manufacturing defect with a particular batch of these clutches. I purchased my clutch a while ago, but didn't have it installed it until recently, so it's possible that we both have a clutch from the same batch. I removed a perfectly good Exedy to have this thing installed, so I hope it's not defective! </TD></TR></TABLE>

It made a slight shuttering noise but there was no performance degradation...plus I did a search and found that a lot people had aftermarket clutches that made some degree of noise so I thought it was normal. I got my clutch in late 2001 and it was installed in April 2003.

Yeah, but even if it were a manufacturing defect...there is no way to prove it.. All I can hope is that maybe ACTMAN will see this post and is willing to help out with replacing the defective part...Or be willing to ship it overnight to me....not asking for a handout...just a deal to get my clutch fixed. I really liked the ACT (while it lasted) but if I can't get the replacement part for it...the whole thing has got to go...

Drew Peacock

If you luck out try an exedy clutch, they are made local so you will at least get customer support they do make good clutch's. Goodluck

MiraiZ

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by turbozxi &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">If you luck out try an exedy clutch, they are made local so you will at least get customer support they do make good clutch's. Goodluck </TD></TR></TABLE>

Yeah...I'm looking at them now

tegasaurus

My brother's clutch is kind of doing the same thing - there are quite a few similarities in your stories also.

Although im not 100% of his problem - i do know that he replaced both the MC and SC - rebled the line to find out it didn't help. his car will not go into any gear started however the clutch pedal feels stiffer.

He bought his clutch in 2001 also. I'm preIudesi will be in here in a lil bit.

-ryan

Dee

Ok.. Super singles are 75000yen from the same guy but make sure you get the 215mm disc. Exedy also just released the hyper carbon setups for Hondas. Do not get the ORC because it is for NA applications.

Pay now or pay later!!

MiraiZ

I gotta figure out what the problem is first...if its just a matter of getting a new release bearing or PP, and if ACT can get it me in a day or 2 then I will have my ACT fixed....Otherwise EXEDY is looking good...I'm just wondering why the ACT died so early...I have gon through a lot of clutches (in other cars) but NEVER this early..

SiR Kid

I've had two clutches do exactly what you just said... I think I've got pics of what one did in my pages... Lemme see...

BTW, It was always one or more broken PP springs.

Check out those AWESOME spring fingers. Damn, that's cool. NOT.

MiraiZ

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by SiR Kid &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">I've had two clutches do exactly what you just said... I think I've got pics of what one did in my pages... Lemme see...

BTW, It was always one or more broken PP springs.

Check out those AWESOME spring fingers. Damn, that's cool. NOT.

</TD></TR></TABLE>

So you reckon it might be the PP? Kinda of makes sense I guess, but..damn...I thought these PP were supose to be pretty hard core. I wonder if I can just get a PP without getting the whole clutch kit...

PreIudeSI

jeeze, i have that EXACT same problem with mine. It happened precisely as you described it. I wasn't even on it very hard. I have an ACT XTSS on my relatively stock prelude. I went to shift from first into second, driving quickly, nothing insane. When i tried to get it into second, the clutch acted like i didn't have it in all the way and the pedal sank to the floor. I pulled the clutch pedal out with my foot and the pressure was there, only it was much harder. I jammed the clutch in and managed to get into second and then into the rest of my gears smoothly without the clutch (i was less than a mile away from home). I took it home and assumed exactly what you did, MC or SC. I replaced them both and the problem still exists. I'm pretty sure it's a pressure plate problem. My clutch has been in about a year and i barely have 10k miles on it.
https://honda-tech.com/zerothread?id=577470

This clutch should not crap out like this. I'm pissed; hopefully i can get some sort of compensation probably not though.

MiraiZ

When did you get the clutch...because if it was about the same time as me and some other folks got there...we7ve got a reacll issue to raise with them..

liam821

<TABLE WIDTH="90%" CELLSPACING=0 CELLPADDING=0 ALIGN=CENTER><TR><TD>Quote, originally posted by MiraiZ &raquo;</TD></TR><TR><TD CLASS="quote">My car was towed to the dealership, with 5 Honda mechanics and 3 salesmen to greet me. OMG...how embarrassing. I'm sure that they weren't too pleased with having a Honda car being towed onto the lot...not a good image for sales.

I explained the problem to one the mechanics...he said he would try rebleed the line... All 8 staff members pushed the car into the garage. </TD></TR></TABLE>

man it must be nice to own a typeR. See if i did that with my 93 SI they would look at me and laugh.

Props to typeR owners out there....lucky bastards!

liam

Dee

That wasn't a Type R situation. That just the way Japan works! Whenever I go to Honda Primo in my GSR the techs always come out to talk to me.

MiraiZ

yeah..its just plain customer curteousy...they'd do the same thing whether youre driving an NSX or an early 80's Honda City...

Anyone know where I can get an ACT pressure plate separatly??

Phoenix GSR

my act xxss did the same thing and it turned out that the friction matierial had come off the disk and it was jamming up the pressure plate (that is why it wouldnt go into gear) when I got it apart, the pp was good, it just needed a new disk.. act inspected the pp and gave me a new disk... I was satisfied.. this happened around summer 2001

HXMan

My friends ACT disc just broke in his car.....he was really easy on his clutch too this time around.