Mazda RX-7 EFINI TYPE

Hey guys, so an FD came into the shop about 2 weeks ago. He had taken his car to another shop to get a new clutch installed. They put in a Stage 4 6-Puck Competition Clutch. Not too long after driving away from their shop, his clutch pedal went to the floor, he heard some funny noises, and so he shut off and took the car back to them. After paying a diagnosis fee, they told him the input shaft bearing was gone. For me, this explanation didn't sit well, since they claimed they had fixed the problem "temporarily", which I told the customer was impossible & I suspected the release bearing popped out due to a bad wedge collar ring. Anyway, he got a new transmission & I installed it as he requested (everything appeared fine as they said they had "fixed" the problem temporarily, which I assume meant they just popped back in the release bearing) and sure enough, a little while later, it happened again. So I pulled off the tranny again, and put in a new wedge collar ring, the wedge collar & release bearing appeared fine. Install, and what do you know, it happens again. So this time(yesterday) I install a brand new wedge collar & ring, inspect the release bearing, which appears unharmed, and put her back again. Sure enough, yet again, the release bearing pops out. At this point I figure the release bearing is not locking properly (although it seems to lock, it takes a bit of use for it to happen, and you have to be driving, doesnt happen by just pumping the clutch) or is it possible the pressure plate is somehow too heavy for the wedge collar? Which still doesn't really make sense to me, since ACT only recently made the Monoloc, so high hp cars must have been fine for the most part before. Any ideas? I know some ppl have issues with spec clutches, but haven't read anything regarding Competition Clutch issues. Any and all help is appreciated. Thanks.

- Rashaad

CloudPump

iTrader: (2)

Wall of text.

Paragraphs, spacing... formatting.

My eyes... they're bleeding.

-Geoff

pd_day

iTrader: (6)

Since this is a new clutch, contact Spec Clutch for help?

Black13B

iTrader: (1)

When you're revved up between shifts, and you increase the load by 200% on the release bearing, which is only clipped on to the forks... You are probably literally twisting the release bearing off everytime...

The force applied to the release bearing so quickly might cause the bearing to jam or at least not allow the bearing to catch up to the speed of the pressure plate as fast as it should, at which point it becomes easier to twist the body off the forks..

I wonder if you can secure it on the forks a bit better, or get a bearing that can handle twice as much weight on it to install..

Is it a sprung center 6 puck or no?

Mazda RX-7 EFINI TYPE

Sorry Geoff, lol. Yes, it is a sprung 6-puck clutch. Does anyone on here run this clutch?

As for the fork, it stays on the fork just fine, it just keeps popping out of the wedge collar. And both the wedge collar & ring are brand new OEM parts. Unless you mean it's binding on the fork and then popping out due to that?

Either way, I just feel really bad for the customer, I hate when stuff like this happens. It's like the car is taunting me too, because I'll go for a spin and then as soon as I get back to the shop, then it happens. Then again I could also call that good luck because it doesn't leave me stranded on the road, lol.

See that Geoff?!?! I DID IT!!

thewird

iTrader: (8)

Check for a bent/damaged fork, make sure the slave pin is seating correctly, make sure everything is lubbed properly. But ionno, it sounds like a weird one. Check the clutch is on properly? Check for wobble?

Lots of people have run this clutch without issue. (other then its a shitty clutch)

thewird

MIBagentQ

iTrader: (3)

clutch pivot ball? (nvm I don't think FD's have those)

btw a new clutch fork is $137.53 from Mazda

Mazda RX-7 EFINI TYPE

Definitely weird & bugging the hell outta me. The fork seemed okay & seemed to function properly, though it actually didn't cross my mind to actually check it thoroughly, I did run it through its motion.

I'm thinking maybe the release bearing seat got messed up a bit & the ring isn't sitting properly or something to that effect, whether it would be a manufacturing defect or because of the previous shop, I don't know. I'm sort of even pondering if it's defective because the previous shop is a DSM specialist shop, and they must work with pull-type clutches very often. It's just mind boggling.

Either way, I told him to just get that ACT Monoloc 1-pc collar and a new release bearing. He may just get a new clutch on the whole.

sctRota

iTrader: (2)

That's very interesting... However I converted to a push type with the OS Giken Twin clutch but I will check on my spare motor to see if I can recreate this problem :P

This may sound like a pretty stupid comment but perhaps the release bearing is either on too much pressure or is just too weak to handle it?

Very curious to know the solution as I have an ACT 6 Puck laying around the shop...

Mazda RX-7 EFINI TYPE

I KNEW IT!! IT WAS A FRIGGIN DEFECTIVE RELEASE BEARING! It was another shop that did it cuz I guess the guy was getting all stressed out, but I told them that was all that was left to be replaced. His car is good, so I'm good, plus I still co-operated with the shop to help them solve it. I guess I'll be double checking how the ring sits in those from now on. On the bright side, I can drop that tranny in under an hour without a hoist .

HiWire

Congrats! One more piece of hard-won knowledge in the RX-7 encyclopedia...

CloudPump

iTrader: (2)

You sir, are a gentleman and a scholar.

-Geoff