Exedy Racing Clutch - my problem.
On my 89 hatchback dx civic.
Part number 08-803 I believe.
Anyways, got this clutch KIT for a great deal (about $150.00 CAD) in the box. - From my uncle who runs an engine rebuilding shop here in Edmonton.
Paid to get it installed at another place for $220 (my Uncle knows the guy that did the install).
Got a new right axel put in at the same time,
And I also found out that there's a leak coming from my Timing Cover.
I'm not gunna worrry about that right now because the leak isn't THAT bad.
Anyways, picked it up, found it backed into a parking stall and left in first gear, 'ready to go' (this may come into play later on in the story)
So I pulled out and noticed the clutch felt MUCH lighter, almost left like a hydrolic clutch.
Gripped well and didn't seem to have a problem
EXCEPT shifting gears was alot stiffer.
So me, being not the expert just thought i'd have to break it in a little bit.
Yeah I feel pretty dumb now, I shouldn't have even left the parking lot.
When stopped at lights, I felt like I had to 'pop' it into first, using an irregular amount of force, but no grinding.
BUT it did grind when I tried to put it into reverse.
I went for a drive...10 min maybe, the rebuilt axel made the car feel great on corners, because the CV joints wernt torn open.
Then I went back to the place to ask about the stiff shifting and the grinding. They said that something blew.
One of a few things could have happened they said.
Basically the clutch wasn't releasing enough for the synchros to engage,
Made sense to me.
So then they said that either defective clutch kit (perheps a pressure plate, or spring), or drivers fault for not wearing in the clutch properly.
A:SKJD:ASKJLD?!?!?!!?!?!?
THEY ACUSE ME OF BREAKING THE CLUTCH AFTER I ONLY DROVE IT FOR 10 MIN!!!?
Yeah the guy at the shop seemed pretty confidant in saying that there was no possibility that he might have done something wrong while installing/testing the clutch, so overly so that I became suspicious.
He was acting innocent, and I had this feeling that he messed something up during the install, or the test drive.
Basically he said whatever happened, happened from after I left the parking lot until I came back, he seemed to make the point clear repeatedly.
I did not pop the clutch, I drove it like normal, not perfect...because I was not used to it right away, but nothing that should have broken anything.
I noticed the stiff shifting as soon as I pulled away.
Is that why it was backed in and left in first so that the guy who installed the clutch
could dodge any possibility of taking responsibility as soon as I left the lot? So that I would drive away before noticing anything a miss?
Or was is really just a defective clutch?
I have no idea, my car is still in the shop and I won't know anything until monday, until it gets pulled apart.
Advice on how to confront this guy?
I mean what if he takes it apart and the evidence shows that it was the drivers fault? Both he and I drove it, but he will deny all.
And if it's a defective clutch...I guess i'll be kinda surprised and dissapointed at exedy.
Any comments/ advice?
Someone is going to have to pay for the labour AGAIN...
Hopefully it's not me.
I'll update this thread when I know what actually happed to the clutch, when I see it with my own eyes on monday.

 

grinding into reverse isnt abnormal, usually shifting from first to reverse makes it smoother.


sounds like they may have installed the release bearing wrong or the cable isnt adjusted properly

 

alright...well i'm pretty sure it's not the cable since they already tried adjusting that after I came back to the shop complaining. And yeah I know reverse grinds sometimes but usually not every time I try to put it in gear...
Has anyone had problems with defective exedy products?
Or do you think it is more likely that my problem(s) were the installers fault?

 

You know I just installed my exedy stage 1 clutch and lightweight flywheel into my civic. Was running good, and actually still is, but I hear some sort of noise, possibly the flywheel, when I let go of the clutch, but when I clutch in, the noise goes away. Think I might've not broken the clutch in soon enough? or is that noise normal?

 

Hmmm, all I can suggest is maybe get is checked out and see if the warranty will cover anything...

 

Ok...update, they took the thing apart on friday (I didn't know this untill I just talked to my uncle 5 min ago) and found NOTHING wrong/broken. So I'm thinking maybe the release bearing wasn't installed properly (as RACINTWEEK said) but I don't know, supposedly the representative of the place that supplied the clutch is going the the place that installed the clutch to see what the deal is...and I think **** is gunna go down tomorrow and people will argue as to what went wrong and whos payin for it. I'll let you guys know as soon as I find out what the whole deal is. SOO FRUSTRATING!

Can anyone comment on how the install of an exedy (stage one 1 beleive) racing clutch would differ from a stock clutch install??

 

virtuoso sound like to me that you got a release problem. the trans should NOT grind into reverse assuming you are stopped and the clutch is depressed. reason being is that when you are STOPPED and you have your foot on the clutch the transmission should be STOPPED. there shouldn't be anything spinning. if you are stopped and the car won't/grinds gears then the clutch is not fully releasing and assuming what you say is true whoever installed that clutch fucked up, either they shafted you with used parts or did not properly adjust everything accordingly when they finished the job


and danny civic 97 its not coming to me exactly right now but you either have a bad realease (throw out) bearing or pilot bearing

 

Yeah, I think maybe the guy who installed the kit thinks they know more about installing a clutch (in a civic) then they actually do. Hopefully whatever happened was just an accident though.

Thanks rider.

-I'm gettin my ZX2 out for summer right away anyways ^_^

 

installing any single disk performance clutch is exactly the same as installing a stock one. break in time is a bit longer but other than that its exactly the same

 

to add to the above, if your hearing chatter, you may need your pedal adjusted. adjustments vary from clutch to clutch basis. the noise could be that the clutch isn't fully releasing when depressed. could be your bearing. i also hear that the exedy race clutch are like this no matter what. i recently installed one and had a shop adjust my pedal for the engagement was off and was making a slight noise.

 

btw racing parts will always be noisy and hard to drive and etc. installation is the same. i hope you marked the position where the flywheel and pressure plate where mounted together, also make sure you torque the pressure plate cris cros, failure to do any of the above things can and most likely will result in chatter.
the only thing that adjust the clutch can cause is slippings (cable too tight/slave cyl rod to far out) or hard shifts/grinds(opposite) i doesn't cause chatter