Unbeliveable Clutch story

[egroce11]

I do understand the refinishing of the flywheel before install and the idea of the heat and warping. I was just wonderingif it might be something on the way they build the fidenza flywheel.
I also realize dantheman68 has a differant problem than most, that is way I'm interested in the thread also. I'm like everyone else and wondering what is hitting his case.

Ernie

 

[dantheman68]

i should have pictures by next week... my uncle was very sick the last two weeks, so i felt kinda bad asking him to email me pics, along with his otherwise busy schedule... he did manage to find a NOS ford flywheel for $310 for me... soo thats pretty good news i guess... he was talking like 500+ and didnt want to put in a used, resurfaced one...

 

[SASHO91]

why didnt you just pick one up from an auto parts store?

I got mine from Auto zone for 43 bucks, with a 90 core charge... that still WAY under 310.... thats just crazy.... even if it NOS.

And BTW, that flywheel held up just fine...

 

[TYSHO]

he did manage to find a NOS ford flywheel for $310 for me...

You got screwed BIG time. A new one from Ford is $270.



BTW, I have been having problems with clutches ever since I went with Fidanza's. Kinda weird, I guess I need to resurface them.

 

[Hank F.]

I understand the problems you guys are having. I have been there at 3a.m., finishing up, only to find that I've either missed something, or have parts left over, or alignment issues, etc etc. If not for the pleasure of the finished product, many times I've been tempted to drop a lit Camel into the gas tank. You guys definitely have a beef, as statistically you couldn't have all F/Ued the installation. Good luck, as Red Green says, "we're all in this together- I'm pullin' for ya".

 

[dantheman68]

You got screwed BIG time. A new one from Ford is $270.


BTW, I have been having problems with clutches ever since I went with Fidanza's. Kinda weird, I guess I need to resurface them.

except he couldnt get one from ford, theyre obsolete and he wouldnt buy something from ebay, and put it in a car, it has to have the supplier's name behind it. if he bought that and put it in a car to only have it fail, he'd be SOL, and I would have to pay for it, or he would... thats why he only puts in parts he trusts... i think he's a little **** about some things, but ill send him the link anyway, atleast for a good laugh...

 

[TYSHO]

except he couldnt get one from ford, theyre obsolete and he wouldnt buy something from ebay, and put it in a car, it has to have the supplier's name behind it. if he bought that and put it in a car to only have it fail, he'd be SOL, and I would have to pay for it, or he would... thats why he only puts in parts he trusts... i think he's a little **** about some things, but ill send him the link anyway, atleast for a good laugh...

How does a solid flywheel fail? And if one did and bought from Ford, they would not pay for the damage to your car if you do not have warranty on the car, they would only replace the flywheel. There's too many people that drive their cars with symptoms of failure showing, but they keep driving along until it brakes down all of the way...something no one is responsible for except the driver.

 

[dantheman68]

i dont know.. all i know is what he tells me... he wouldnt put in a clutchmaster's clutch for fear of it failing (since they do not supply him) so i suppose that clutches could fail, whereas a flywheel cant... im just gonna let him fix it how he wants to, then go from there... i know its my right... yadda yadda yadda, but you have to understand where im coming from too...

i bought my first SHO, and two weeks later a diff pin gets blown (on the freeway) (new ($800) tranny and a new clutch (~$400)) get it all together in about 5 months later.... start driving it and i can hardly drive it because the whole car is shaking... my uncle takes it apart and the transmission is almost cracked (im lucky there wasnt a hole in it) because the rivets on the pressure plate are scraping the inside of it (not only that but its the clutch that took about 4 months to get through the group buy and cost nearly $400) and the clutch is engaging on 1/2 of the flywheel... am i upset? yes... but it is what it is and basically i just want to drive my car, and have it somewhat road worthy... now once i DO get it back, i have to put another 10+ hours in it, because now it will be december, and my blend door actuator failed...

 

[CerberuS]

I too have the CM1 + fidenza kit , but will be running only in spring (3.2 swap + mods this winter)

I wanna know the outcome of all this , i dont want to re-open the damn thing anytime soon.

 

[TYSHO]

I too have the CM1 + fidenza kit , but will be running only in spring (3.2 swap + mods this winter)

I wanna know the outcome of all this , i dont want to re-open the damn thing anytime soon.

Then the best thing, as recommended, is to grind down the dowels a good bit, then have the insert disc resurfaced. That should make everything good to go. To know if you grinded down the dowels enough so that they're not a problem, is place the pressure plate on the flywheel without the clutch disc...it should sit flush all around the flywheel.

 

[mosho93]

When buying a Fidanza Flywheel New OR used its good to have it resurfaced or blanchard (sp?) ground. Then you have to grind down the flywheels a little bit otherwise they will be way too long. When installing a clutch, it should be commen sense to double and triple check this stuff before re-installing the bell-housing and everything else...

 

[shopartsnw]

Even without blanchard grinding the Fidanza the dowels are way too long.

But yes, I think every flywheel (new or used) should be blanchard ground prior to installation if it does not come that way. I never used to dry fit my clutches without the disk, but I do now 100% of the time - even on a stock clutch and flywheel. THere is no reason to take a chance on a known potential issue.

 

[mosho93]

Even without blanchard grinding the Fidanza the dowels are way too long.

But yes, I think every flywheel (new or used) should be blanchard ground prior to installation if it does not come that way. I never used to dry fit my clutches without the disk, but I do now 100% of the time - even on a stock clutch and flywheel. THere is no reason to take a chance on a known potential issue.

Exactly, When you're that far into a project, it doesnt pay to get lazy or take the quick/short way out of it when it could cause huge problems and result in you having to take it apart again.

 

[SHOck]

When installing a clutch, it should be commen sense to double and triple check this stuff before re-installing the bell-housing and everything else...

I've never come across a problem installing a clutch, but I have this habit of always triple-checking parts that are hard to get back to once done, and without thinking, I've always placed the PP on the FW to make sure it slides on the pins without binding. Had I been in on the GB, I suppose I'd have caught the pin problem. This is a real bad deal you all have received.

 

[shopartsnw]

I've never come across a problem installing a clutch, but I have this habit of always triple-checking parts that are hard to get back to once done, and without thinking, I've always placed the PP on the FW to make sure it slides on the pins without binding. Had I been in on the GB, I suppose I'd have caught the pin problem. This is a real bad deal you all have received.

I caught the problem back in May

http://www.shoforum.com/showthread.php?t=61255&highlight=fidanza

and I am sure I am not the first to catch it. I called Fidanza about the problems, but have yet to see any changes. Maybe it is time to call again.

- Mike

 

[mosho93]

I caught the problem back in May

http://www.shoforum.com/showthread.php?t=61255&highlight=fidanza

and I am sure I am not the first to catch it. I called Fidanza about the problems, but have yet to see any changes. Maybe it is time to call again.

- Mike

I read that post a couple days before i started the installation of all my new clutch parts. After reading that i made sure that after i got mine blanchard ground, i double checked everything.

This really is a ****** deal and i hope something gets solved from it.

Any updates Dan?

 

[dantheman68]

Good news and Bad news

Good news.... i got the car back today, and as luck would have it, he didnt put on a stock clutch kit, its actually a ZOOM kit, which after a bit of research seems like a decent clutch... its a kevlar disk and i think i wont have the pressure plate strap problem with it either... i couldnt get much info off of the ZOOM site, because it doesnt have a P/N search, but it is their HP series, which is the high performance series... so it should be good now... even if i do break a strap it will be replaced, but i dont plan on doing that anytime soon...


bad news... i still havent pryed those pictures from his hands... grr i really want them so you guys can see that im not crazy...

 

[SASHO91]

the ZOOM kit is a nice kit. I wouldnt worry about it...

However, the Perfection kit made by Zoom... well....

you get the picture...

How much was that kit? if you dont mind.

 

[dantheman68]

eh i was afraid of that question....


$532.48 with the invoice right here in front of me

i know i know its ALOT, but thats with a lifetime warranty, including labor and such (if i break it, theyll pay for it to be fixed, but hopefully it doesnt come to that)

and i do know that RCM has one for ALOT cheaper, but at that difference in price, im not sure that its the same clutch

 

[SASHO91]

so that 532 was with labor???

how much was just the clutch?


It isnt alot more.... i mean the CM1 is 330. But thats just the stock disc. Im looking at the kevlar myself.