KazzEvo8

iTrader: (2)

2003 Evo8 w/43K. New Clutchmasters Stage 3 at 19K after alot of abuse at the strip. Point of fact: I do NOT grind gears, slip the clutch yes, grind gears no. Even before the clutch job I felt that low rpm in 5th (below 2800) had a vibration and was noisy.

She since made another trip to the strip and has autocrossed quite a number of times.

As soon as I got it back after the clutch install (local shop, don't think I'll do that again), I noted the clutch point was very low. I was told to live with it, it will adjust. She's had alot of miles since then with some hard launches now and again. She's had mitsu lubes and synchromesh lubes, now has a short shifter.

I'd swear shifting wasn't this damned difficult before the new clutch. But it's SLOW to shift. I can try to force it a bit harder but she won't go - force it with a hard 1-2 shift from a light and you CAN get a grind (NOT a regular occurence, I WON'T do that to my tranny). The shift is balky, slow, I have to wait a split second with pressure on it and she'll go. Shifting at about 3500 rpm is rather quick but never when I WANT to shift quicker.

The 5th gear < 3K RPM noise/vib is irritating enough I won't drive in 5th 'til I hit 65. The manual says best gas mileage is in 5th at 50mph - *LOL*

The clutch point when cold is close to the floor. When warm it SEEMS to be much higher in the pedal travel. Sometimes I feel a start-to-engage kinda thing near the floor but she won't start moving/engaging until higher in the pedal travel.

I'm not beyond having someone who knows WTF they're doing adjust the clutch. But it's so damned time-consuming and expensive to crack the damn thing open I'd rather have a full plan. If the best move is a new tranny from TRE or Shep so be it. I'll do it. I'm sick of not being able to take her back out to the track nor engage in more wide-open autocross courses - we'll have a road course in the area in less than 2 years and I'm GOING to be there. I'll damn sure need a good transmission/clutch combo.

I'm in Central Illinois so there's noone right here to do it. I'd have to drive it somewhere and either take the time off of work or rent a car 'til I can drive back up to pick it up - sucks.

All that aside - what does this sound like? Is it possible it's just a lousy clutch install? I think the 5th gear issue is drivetrain-based outside of the clutch, of course. But I'm tolerating that (mostly). Should I bite the bullet and do a new tranny and clutch (ouch).

Any informed, technical answers would be fabulous. Advice for further troubleshooting also happily received. I did PM GEARS with a full description months ago after we started another conversation but I never got a response.

Thanks all...

KazzEvo8

iTrader: (2)

*bump*

KazzEvo8

iTrader: (2)

*Monday bump*

DaWorstPlaya

iTrader: (31)

Sounds like clutch pedal needs to be adjusted properly. A properly adjusted clutch will engage high almost at the top of your release point. The thing is, as you are releasing it the clutch is making contact with the flywheel gradually. Although you can't feel it, its making contact with the flywheel up to the release point you can feel. If the engine is slightly connected to the transmission, the sychros will have to work harder and will be slower to shift between gears, because they have to accelerate/decelerate slower to match gear speeds.

3deep

iTrader: (4)

It sounds like the same problem alot of the act clutch yousers were having.Try a search on act clutches.

KazzEvo8

iTrader: (2)

Will do ... thanks ...

oak2207

Sorry to bring up an oldie... But I too have that 5th gear vibration. I'm at 63k miles on stock clutch still (grabs and holds just fine still). Just all the sudden I've noticed this vibration in 5th gear about anywhere under 2800 RPM like Kazz said. I too now won't hit 5th until I'm doing about 60 which really sucks. Anyone know what's going on?

hondafan

iTrader: (25)

you should defintely adjust the pedal up and it should've been done when they installed your clutch. a good reference point is to raise your car(all 4 wheels)off the ground and adjust the pedal until the wheels start to spin with the pedal about 3" off the floor. having it lower than that is hard on the synchros. make sure the car is at normal operating temp when you do it. if you don't know how, there is a write-up on evomoto.com.

*nevermind*i was answering the OP from 2 years ago! don't know what your problem is.

oak2207

The clutch hasn't been touched... Still on the stocker, and it's still in there just like the day I bought it.... Just that 5th gear has developed this vibration, kinda like bbbuuurrrrr....bbbuuurrrrrrr....buuurrrrr, so it kinda comes and goes like every second, and only when the revs are between 2k and about 2800k. Once you get up to like 65mph it goes away.

thatguy

iTrader: (5)

Over time the clutch can/will wear itself out, so it should be adjusted especially since your on the stocker.

KazzEvo8

iTrader: (2)

Hmmm... mine had no rhythm to it, really. It was a constant vibration. A TRE rebuilt made it go away. I did get a new clutch at the same time, but I was told all along that the tranny rebuild would do the trick.

You might try to talk with TRE or other tranny rebuild shops.

Good luck!