Looking for aftermarket Clutch options (maybe flywheel) for MS3

[ZooZoom]

Report back from Mazda dealer on my "mysterious grinding noise" that seems to be coming from either the clutch or the tranny, is that they don't know for sure what it is. They have been unable to replicate the noise with the car on the lift in order to allow a more precise listening/search using a stethoscope

So the option they gave me was this: Have the dealer open up the clutch and examine the condition of the clutch/flywheel. If it shows just general wear & tear with no obvious defect, then they would proceed to opening up the tranny. If it did prove to be the clutch or fly, they would replace it with stock parts.....NOT UNDER WARRANTY!

The estimate for doing a clutch job is $675 in Labor and $450 in Parts. OUCH! Even if they found the noise was due to normal wear & tear on the clutch but I wanted to not replace it (live with it until the clutch truly fails to function) I would still have to pay all the Labor cost.

So I had a frank conversation with the Service Manager at Norco Mazda. I said "what if I take back my car, and then go purchase an aftermarket clutch and/or flywheel, get it installed by a non-Mazda shop?" If the intermittent grinding sound persists, will I be able to return the car to the dealership and they would proceed with a tranny diagnosis with the clear intention that it be repaired/replaced under WARRANTY. Surprisingly, he said absolutely YES it would.

That means I'm now in search of recommendations and source for aftermarket clutch or flywheel options. I'm willing to fork out the dough to upgrade my clutch even if it proves to not be the source of the problem.

Your suggestions are welcome. Links are always prefered. (2thumbs)

 

[subparpunk03]

As far as I've seen, the only aftermarket clutch out there is the spec one.
http://mazda3online.web.aplus.net/product_info.php?cPath=281_160_363&products_id=1204

As far as flywheels go, I THINK fidanza makes one, but I could be wrong.

I wish ACT made a nice organic replacement clutch

 

[staples187]

Report back from Mazda dealer on my "mysterious grinding noise" that seems to be coming from either the clutch or the tranny, is that they don't know for sure what it is. They have been unable to replicate the noise with the car on the lift in order to allow a more precise listening/search using a stethoscope

So the option they gave me was this: Have the dealer open up the clutch and examine the condition of the clutch/flywheel. If it shows just general wear & tear with no obvious defect, then they would proceed to opening up the tranny. If it did prove to be the clutch or fly, they would replace it with stock parts.....NOT UNDER WARRANTY!

The estimate for doing a clutch job is $675 in Labor and $450 in Parts. OUCH! Even if they found the noise was due to normal wear & tear on the clutch but I wanted to not replace it (live with it until the clutch truly fails to function) I would still have to pay all the Labor cost.

So I had a frank conversation with the Service Manager at Norco Mazda. I said "what if I take back my car, and then go purchase an aftermarket clutch and/or flywheel, get it installed by a non-Mazda shop?" If the intermittent grinding sound persists, will I be able to return the car to the dealership and they would proceed with a tranny diagnosis with the clear intention that it be repaired/replaced under WARRANTY. Surprisingly, he said absolutely YES it would.

That means I'm now in search of recommendations and source for aftermarket clutch or flywheel options. I'm willing to fork out the dough to upgrade my clutch even if it proves to not be the source of the problem.

Your suggestions are welcome. Links are always prefered. (2thumbs)

Okay what exactly is the problems you're having? My problem is I grind 2nd gear ever so often when it's cold and it'll even do it when the cars warmed up. Are you experiencing something like this or different?

Subparpunk is right about the Spec clutch. There was a flywheel for the MS3 by exedy but was pulled off the shelves very quickly for unknown reasons. I will be doing a clutch upgrade soon myself, stage 2 +.

 

[ZooZoom]

Not really a shifter or gear changing problem per se. It's really just an odd noise that comes & goes. I only hear it when the car is idling in neutral. It seems to come from directly where the airbox would sit (I got a Cobb SF intake there). So that would be the clutch area or the tranny.

The sound is hard to describe. Kind of like a jar of marbles rolling around..but not really. I know that sounds like bits & pieces rolling around the tranny case but I don't think so.

Gear shifts are smooth 99% of the time. Its true that the only gear shift that ever gets finicky is the 1-2 upshift. It gets stuck about 2/3rds the way into 2nd gear like it hits a hard point. only seems to happen on maximum effort acceleration (you know...balls out).

The dealer thinks it's just some wear on the clutch that makes the sound. But what doesn't support that is the clutch engagement is still as good as day-one and there's never been a single hint of clutch slippage.

Oh well, I'm gonna act like everything's fine and just keep driving it like I always do. That's aggressive yet with a "soft touch" that prevents unnecessary wear.

Worth noting that both the Sr. Mechanic and the Service Manager at Norco Mazda both took my ride for extended drives and said it runs better than any other Speed3 they've driven.

 

[staples187]

Yeah a friend of mine was in the same situation as you. His syncros, clutch, flywheel went up because I guess he can't drive properly. Mazda said they won't cover it because of "wear and tear". I would take the one up and just get a new clutch and not worry about it. If it doesn't turn out to be the clutch, who cares because you'll have that extra stability if you decide to mod more.

 

[ZooZoom]

I contacted a guy at ACT to find out if they were going to offer a clutch/fly kit for the Speed3. He said yes it's on their product development plan but nothing is actively in work right now. He said maybe 3-4 months. But we all know what that really means.......9 months to a year from now.

I would get an ACT clutch and "StreetLite" flywheel the moment they make it available. That's because I had that setup on my Subaru LegacyGT with it modded to 400 whp. It felt fantastic and took so much abuse with never a hint of struggle.

 

[redrocketz]

I don't think the flywheel options are going to be readily available the ones I have replaced on these cars if huge roughly 42 pounds and is a dual mass/friction flywheel so they would have to make it VERY thick like on older Focus' I have replaced and driven the spec clutch and it feels amazing and has NO slipping at all. I would recommend that one.




redrocketz... i do not know for sure if you work for Ken as your title isn't in blue by an admin so until i see you are hawking their goods and not your own please refrian from pushing any products on the forum.

thanks
tsunami

 

[staples187]

I don't think the flywheel options are going to be readily available the ones I have replaced on these cars if huge roughly 42 pounds and is a dual mass/friction flywheel so they would have to make it VERY thick like on older Focus' I have replaced and driven the spec clutch and it feels amazing and has NO slipping at all. I would recommend that one. We can usually ship them out sameday no shipping.

I'm going to have to give a +1 on that because spec has great feedback. The only reason ACT is so well known is because they advertise everything. I wouldn't expect anything less from spec though.

I'm not knocking ACT they're great clutches but they have the upper hand because the way they market their products.

 

[AutoXRacer]

Mazdaspeed has an upgraded light-weight flywheel and more aggressive cltuch...

Of course going with Fidanza/ACT would be cheaper probably...but do they have the parts available for our application?

 

[subparpunk03]

Ah yes it was exedy that I saw for the flywheel. But I haven't seen anyone post up anything about it.

I have heard mixed reviews about the spec clutch, some people love it, some people hate it. Oh well. I have never used one so I won't make a comment one way or another.