Blew up my clutch last week
http://photos.lycos.com/s.asp?r=165j7oogvkpkpdkjof8ic9dsi4_266501

See the collar that the throwout bearing rides on (surrounding the input shaft)? It got boogered up when the clutch detonated, and we cleaned it up with a file and some emery cloth.

So I bought a Nissan Key Value clutch, and everything else I needed. Here's the outcome as of Sunday afternoon.

Damn, this has not been fun. I got the flywheel cut, replaced both axle seals, and the rear main (crank) seal, and cleaned up the collar that the throwout bearing (TOB) rides on. Remember the pictures of that collar? So after more hours than I thought it would take, we got it buttoned back up Sunday afternoon. I noticed that there was an awful lot of play in the clutch release arm, and knew there was going to be trouble, but my buddy Bill gave it a good hard tug, and something seemed to pop into place. I sat in the car, pushed in the clutch (car's not running yet) and rowed through the gears... no problem so far. The car is still up on jackstands, and I start it up, put it in first, so far so good, push in the clutch, and MARTHA FOCKER the pedal stays on the floor. There must still be a bit of a lip on that collar that's catching the TOB, and stopping the return spring from pulling it back. I'm at the point now, that if I keep the pedal adjusted so that the clutch engages about 1/4" off the floor, everything's OK, because I'm not moving the TOB far enough for it to catch on the lip, but it's not right, and we're going to tear it apart again Tuesday after work. Hopefully I'll be able to get away with simply smoothing up that collar enough so that the TOB doesn't catch on it.

DAMN this is a bitch. Since everything's fresh in our minds, and we don't need to drop the exhaust, crossmember, flywheel, or driver side axle, I'm hoping we can do it in about 5 hours. What kind if times are you guys able to do a clutch R&R in?

Chris

5 hours taking your time. Could do it in 3 I think with a buddy.

Hold on bloke... try one more thing 1st. This is a common problem with a lot of clutch setups that are not 100% factory or have had the flywheel resurfaced. I had to do this with almost all of my after market clutches. I'm not sure if it was because of different dimensions on the lightened fly wheel or what, but here goes. Go to Ace hardware (or similar) and get some washers (about 10 thin ones) with a 1" center opening. Start with about 5 or 6 of them. Slide the clutch cable from it's retainer and slide them onto the cable. You will see that when you put the cable back on the retainer it will have tightened the cable. Use more or fewer washers as needed. This is a cheap way of finding out what is wrong. If it works you can keep it like this. Also, "very important", is to replace the 2 factory bolts that hold the cable retainer to the trany housing. The factory ones are weak and will stretch, then can break. Use a high grade case hardened bolt or a high grade Stainless bolt. Good luck and I hope this or helps to solve your problem.

Cossie

Note: Try to get a "brake pad" synthetic grease for the throwout bearing to ride on the slide shaft. I micro polished the aliminium shaft 1st and then used some "Sta-Lube brake caliper synthetic grease" on it. This grease does mix well with the recommended grease if you wish to use that also. It has worked well on several cars so far.

Originally posted by cossieturbo
Hold on bloke... try one more thing 1st. This is a common problem with a lot of clutch setups that are not 100% factory or have had the flywheel resurfaced.

It's a Nissan Key Value clutch so it should be OK. I did have the flywheel resurfaced, but I think he only took off the bare minimum of material.

Go to Ace hardware (or similar) and get some washers (about 10 thin ones) with a 1" center opening. Start with about 5 or 6 of them. Slide the clutch cable from it's retainer and slide them onto the cable. You will see that when you put the cable back on the retainer it will have tightened the cable. Use more or fewer washers as needed. This is a cheap way of finding out what is wrong.

I know that trick, but I don't think it'll work. Unless I'm wrong, what your describing is needed if you run out of threads on the adjuster, so you can either add washers, or slot the bracket to move the assembly back. I have room left on the adjuster, but if I adjust the pedal height to where it's supposed to be, the throwout bearing hangs up. By keeping the pedal adjusted so that it engages about 1/4" off the floor, I'm just moving the throwout bearing enough to do it's job, but I have no ability to modulate it. :mad:

Also, "very important", is to replace the 2 factory bolts that hold the cable retainer to the trany housing. The factory ones are weak and will stretch, then can break. Use a high grade case hardened bolt or a high grade Stainless bolt.

Bingo! I wish I knew this before. :eek: I snapped one of them, and it wasn't even *that* tight. I'm wondering if it's necessary to remove that bracket when dropping the transmission?

I micro polished the aliminium shaft 1st and then used some "Sta-Lube brake caliper synthetic grease" on it.

What did you use to polish it?

Good luck and I hope this or helps to solve your problem.

Thanks,
Chris

[rant mode]

IMHO.....the Key Value clutch kit BLOWS GIANT MONKEY NUTS .
[/rant mode]

I had this put on my car about 3 weeks short of one year ago, and it blew to bits yesterday :mad:

Just some insight for you. Someone else told me they had their "key value" clutch kit blow within a year too, in my other post in the General section. I hope you have better luck. I'll be ordering my new clutch from Courtesy tomorrow.

Stensland also put in a Key Value several months ago in his B13 and it is starting to slip. I put the regular OEM set-up in at about the same time and it's working great. We both autcross and use our cars as daily drivers and generally abuse them about the same amount.

Originally posted by Racerlinn
Stensland also put in a Key Value several months ago in his B13 and it is starting to slip. I put the regular OEM set-up in at about the same time and it's working great. We both autcross and use our cars as daily drivers and generally abuse them about the same amount.

Shit, that's discouraging. Everything I read in the archives was that it was a god clutch. Nothing I can do about it now, and I'm not going to drive my car any differently than before :cool: so time will tell.

Oh, and while I'm on the subject of transmissions, thanks to the forum, the mailing list archives, and SE-R net, I researched transmission oil and wound up ordering Redline MT-90 from www.myoilshop.com for $7 / quart, and used the dealer code of 675421 for 10% off. The local speed shop wanted over $11 per quart!

Chris

[QUOTE]Originally posted by chriscar
[B]

Redline MT-90 from www.myoilshop.com for $7 / quart, and used the dealer code of 675421 for 10% off. The local speed shop wanted over $11 per quart!

Might as well stock up on redline, sounds like that clutch you got is coming out in a week or so! ;)

BTW, come to pocono with me and stef, you already missed the Auto-X!

I ordered 8 quarts! But that's 4 for me and 4 for Bill. Since I couldn't find any GL4 locally, I drained my transission into a clean pan, and then filtered it through a metal Mr. Coffee filter, and dumped it back in. That's what I'll be doing again tomorrow after work, and when I get the Redline, it'll go in.

I may actually be free on Saturday, I'll come to Pocono to spectate if I am.

Chris

[QUOTE]Originally posted by chriscar
[B]I may actually be free on Saturday, I'll come to Pocono to spectate if I am.


thats cool. I am going to try to put the brakes on tonight, as if we go (weather permitting) i want to have those big ones up there! You should try to make it, Shrek is going to be there as well! :)

Rob

"Cossie"
I micro polished the aliminium shaft 1st and then used some "Sta-Lube brake caliper synthetic grease" on it.

"chriscar"
What did you use to polish it?

Well I started with a 400 grit sand paper (the dark grey, almost black stuff).Then I think I finished it off with 1,000 or 1,400... something like that. A good clutch combo to think about is the factory disc and a 30% JWT or 42% ACT Presure Plate. I made a long post not to long ago about my clutch history. Lets just say I have learned the hard way. Maybe the new factory throwout bearing you installed fell off it's clips. Had that happen to a friend of mine. You will need new Trowout bearing clips if this is so. And that's my 2 cents.

Cossie

Originally posted by cossieturbo
Well I started with a 400 grit sand paper (the dark grey, almost black stuff).Then I think I finished it off with 1,000 or 1,400... something like that.

OK

A good clutch combo to think about is the factory disc and a 30% JWT or 42% ACT Presure Plate. I made a long post not to long ago about my clutch history. Lets just say I have learned the hard way.

I got the Nissan Key Value clutch, andread mostly positive things about it from the SE-R archives. Now, unfortunately I'm hearing mostly negative things about it from the forum members :(

Maybe the new factory throwout bearing you installed fell off it's clips. Had that happen to a friend of mine.

I don't think so. When the throwout bearing gets hung up, the pedal doesn't return from the floor. What I have to do is loosen the adjuster, remove the cable from clutch release arm, and give the release arm a good tug to retract the throwout bearing. We'll find out tonight. I'm shooting for 4 hours in & out, we shall see.

You will need new Trowout bearing clips if this is so.

I bought them with the kit.

And that's my 2 cents.

Don't sell yourself so cheaply. :) Thanks for the detailed reply!

Chris

Now, I know very little about the Nissan Key Value clutch, but I can tell you that I have heard good stories and bad ones about every clutch company. I hate Broward Clutch (out of business), don't think much of Dual Fiction, but love my ACT. Some of mine blokes don't like the ACT and others love it. I think clutch advice is really one of the hardest things to listen to, yet I have quite a bit of faith in Jim Wolfs words on the matter (don't you hate a kiss arse?). :D
Nice to hear that you didn't cut corners by "not purchasing" new clips. When the time comes around again, just think about the ACT full disc with 42% over. It really has very little pedal effort. And that's my 2 million bucks! ;)

Cossie