Newly installed clutch slipping??

[CustomMSP]

Hey,

I've had the Spec Stage 2 clutch now for a little over 1k miles. I did brake it in and all, and I don't even beat on it now. Initially after the install I noticed that the clutch would grab much higher than the stock clutch did. And after about 700mi on it, it would not grab much until the very end of the pedal travel. I then adjusted the clutch pedal to a lower grab position. It worked ok for a little, and now it's starting to grab at the end of the pedal travel again even though I adjusted it to a low position. It's OK, not great, but OK when it's cold, but after driving for a little bit it starts to become weaker. It holds ok while driving, only while taking off from a stop it doesn't want to grab at all. My brother tells me that it was actually slipping while he was driving once, but I'm not able to reproduce that yet. I took it for a hard drive and it held ok. I also have the CS SS clutch line, and I'm pretty sure I have no air in the lines. The clutch pedal is very smooth and much lighter than stock though.

Thanks.

 

[CustomMSP]

ttt

 

[changedman]

you have to have air in the system. thats all i can think of. how good did you bleed it?

 

[CustomMSP]

We took the tranny out twice, so it had to be done twice. I didn't actually do the work so I'm not sure. But my brakes seem to be very sensitive, that's how I figured I have no air. Why would air affect the clamping force of the clutch? Wouldn't air affect disingagement more than anything?

Thanks.

 

[changedman]

air would effect both- if there are air bubbles it effects everything with the pedal, since when the clutch pedal is applied, it pushes the brake fluid, and if there are bubbles in the clutch line, you'll get problems. Its possible you only have air between the brake resivour and the clutch and not the brake lines

 

[CustomMSP]

Interesting. I'll have to check that out. I really hope that the problem is as simple as that hehe.

Thanks.

 

[uclap5]

my friend has the same issue with the high clutch engagement. no slipping though.

subscribes.

 

[CustomMSP]

my friend has the same issue with the high clutch engagement. no slipping though.

subscribes.

Did they have a new clutch installed or the stock clutch is grabbing high?

 

[changedman]

i'm thinking you have enough air bubbles trapped that when u push it to the floor, you arent getting enough hydraulic fluid to move it

 

[uclap5]

Did they have a new clutch installed or the stock clutch is grabbing high?

new spec clutch on their p5. i took it for a test drive. felt like it lifted up 3 inches or so before it grabbed.

 

[CustomMSP]

In that case the transmission wouldn't shift smooth or at all right? The car actually shifts better than it ever did the way I have the clutch pedal adjusted now. It's just that it slips way too much when I try to go from a stop

 

[CustomMSP]

new spec clutch on their p5. i took it for a test drive. felt like it lifted up 3 inches or so before it grabbed.

Same here. Maybe it's best to use a stock throw out bearing?

 

[CustomMSP]

Ttt

 

[CustomMSP]

I think what's happening is that the pressure plate is not engaging completely even if my foot is off the pedal. I can barely tap the clutch pedal and the clutch is already disengaging, and that's with a decent amount of freeplay in the pedal. I probably need to bleed the line as Pdhaudio83 stated earlier.

 

[Installshield 2]

It is my understanding that the hydraulics only affect disengagement...i.e. when you push the clutch pedal in...So usually lines in need of bleeding result in gear grinding, not in slipping (the clutch has trouble disengaging, but the hydraulics have no affect on engagement...other than allowing it to happen smoothly)...

Now I haven't read up on our system recently...So pdaudio could be right, but I don't understand how a system in need of bleeding will prevent a clutch from engaging properly...But one thing for sure is definately check it anyway, its easy and might turn out to fix it...hell I guess the air could cause a vacuum or something that would not allow the slave cylinder to release the clutch fork enough...who knows...I just never heard of that happening from needing to bleed the line..

Also the clutch hyrdaulics are independant of the brakes, other than sharing of the fluid reservoir...so your brakes could be perfectly fine, and still have a s*** load of air in your clutch lines...

It is my opinion that either A) your flywheel is the culprit, and has oil glazed on it or just simply needs resurfaced...or B) the pressure plate and/or diaphragm spring of the clutch disc are weak, or were not installed properly...

the fact that the clutch engagement seems to keep creeping out to the end of the pedal travel loosely points at the clutch disc being either not lined up properly, or overly worn, or something of that nature...

 

[CustomMSP]

All excellent points.

Thanks.

 

[Installshield 2]

NP dude...I have failed quite a few clutches in my day...but not yet on my P5 (knock on wood...stock clutch with 70k about on it)...But I had a CM street clutch on my Probe GT, which has nearly an identical system as ours...and it was doing what you are describing...

It ended up being that I didn't use the alignment tool properly during installation...and I ruined the seating between the disc and flywheel...resurfacing the flywheel again cured it for around 30,000 miles...but it never seemed to "hold" much more than the stock...despite the fact that it was supposed...

But also how many total miles have you put on your Spec?...I read something over 700 I think...which should be enough for a proper seat in procedure...

I have been thinking about what Pdaudio was saying...and I wouldn't rule that out...although that is what I somewhat said in my first post...I have never heard of that causing this type of problem, but yeah...I guess it could have something to do with it...so check it...But I just wanted to let you know that its my bet that it is something a little more serious...yet still pretty easily fixable...

 

[CustomMSP]

I got about 2k miles on the clutch now. I didn't start to beat on it until after about 1k miles. I did have to do a WOT 4th gear run once for a few seconds, but that was at like 600miles on the clutch. So far it doesn't slip at all in gear, which is good I guess. You think it'll be ok if I have the flywheel resurface again? The engagement is smooth so far. I do feel a tiny bit of chatter in reverse though.

To brake the clutch in a little faster I was downshifting without rev matching while coming to redlights and such. Also, would engage/disengage the clutch while waiting for the light to change, not for the whole time waiting for the green light though. Hope that didn't mess things up.

And now I hear a humming noise while the clutch is engaged (dunno) That's why it's best to do things yourself I guess. You got no one to blame but yourself or the part's Co.

 

[Brian MP5T]

Seems like there was air in the lines afterall...

 

[CustomMSP]

You know I just looked at it more, and the release fork is not under any pressure while the clutch is depressed. The hydralics seem to be working fine. Therefore, it has to do something with the clutch itself. Time to go back to the shop.