SPOautos

How is it going? They getting anything done? Does it vibrate all the time, only at a certain rpm, or just at idle? Does it vibrate when the clutch is pressed or does it stop when you press the clutch? When you change gears or when you first take off does it grab real hard or is it driving nice and normal like you other clutch was?



Does it make any sound at all or just vibrate?



When they mounted the clutch to the flywheel did they tq it down to spec or impact it down real hard?



STEPHEN

who

Here is the scoop. After chasing the original garage and threatening to sue. They agree to take the car back. Cannot believe they try to tell me it is something other than the work they did. The clutch assembly and flywheel was send back to the clutch supplier. I called the clutch supplier and he said they believe a balancing weight on the pressure plate was knocked off and supplied a new one. He said that these balancing weight are riveted on and if they get knocked off (either from the factory, delivery, or installation), it is hard to tell. I asked them to balance test it before it is send out to be re-installed. Once the new clutch assembly is installed, the problem went away.



New question to the pros on the forum: I am getting a noise now and it seems to be from the release bearing. When I push the clutch in, the noise disappears. I went back to the garage (cannot believe I am doing this), and got the clutch suppler on line. He told me that it was common to have release bearing noise after new install. They need a couple of weeks to set in place. They agree to service it if it does not go away in 3 weeks. I just do not trust these guys anymore. Comments please. I do not cherrish the idea of going back to them.



This clutch job has taken almost two month. It started in end of May, after this garage installed the clutch, he claim that the pipe on the cat converter is bent and it is causing a torque on the motor and causing the chasis vibration. Since I do know that the cat was emptied last year, and I need a new one to pass the new pollution law coming into effect here, I agreed to get a new aftermarket one. Waited 3 wks to get delivered. Once it was installed, he told me the car was ready to be picked up. His word was, the vibration is much better now, give it a try. As soon as I started the card, I told him that it was not acceptable. Then he try to blame it on my motor being rough. Make the story short, got 2 mechanics + mazda service mgr to comment, wrote him a formal letter stating that if he does not take resposibility, I am taking legal action. Then, he agree to take a look. Did tell him that he is bearing all cost to fix this. Once he have the new clutch back, his mechanic has to get his appendix out. Then, I have to chase him to get his other mechanics to work on it. I think he is still taking in cars and keep me in queue until he has free time. Finally, pin him down on a date that he will work on the car. The only reason that I am not putting his name and location all over the net is that I may still want to take him to court and sue his *** off. I am still so steamed.

13BAce

I get that noise in a few cars, but it doesn't seem to hurt anything.

turbovr6

umm

I have installed hundereds of clutches in many cars over the years, what they told you is BS. The throwout/release bearing should not make any noise if it is new. it's a bearing, it does'nt need to seat, it only goes one way. Think about it, when does a bearing make noise? either dirty or worn.

I dunno sounds fishy to me. On a side note, if the noise stops when you push the clutch pedal in it's not neccisarily that bearing it could be a bearing in the trans. Did those mechanical marvels think to check the oil level in the trans after they did the job?

13BAce

I had a similar humming sound in my convertible, but when I put the transmission in the 91 coupe it seemed to stop. I put some extra grease on the TO bearing, but that's all. The TO bearing doesn't do anything unless the clutch is pushed in. So I don't know what the exact cause was. Maybe it had something to do with the pilot bearing?

SPOautos

Ok, we know when they pulled the trans to do the clutch they had to drain the fluid, at least in the back portion of the trans. Did they refill it? If so what did they use??? Maybe they used some pos fluid that you would put in a honda. I could hear a slight sound similar to what you described in my clutch till I put in some good syn fluid.



Try changing the fluid out and see how it goes.



STEPHEN

horn4858

i didnt have any noise last time i put one in, have pulled engine twice since then too and put same clutch back.

who

I agree that checking the oil level sounds like a good think to do. Will do that to see if that stops the noise.

SPOautos

I would drain it or have them drain it and replace with a good synthetic



STEPHEN