Nutshell = I will have my car in the shop to replace some clutch parts. Should I replace / upgrade anything else while its there.

Details =
I've been having a sqeaking noise which sounds like a bad belt, but coming from the other side of the engine. I took it in the the stealership this morning for diagnosis and just got a call back from them. The Squeak is coming from the clutch disc, preasure plate, and throwout bearing. Estimate off the top of his head was $900 plus tax.

Okay, I may ask some dumb questions here because I know very little about that area of the car, but I do know it's expensive enough just to open it up that far. I basically want to know if the foremetioned parts are the only things I should worry about with the clutch. I don't want to have to worry about it for a long time, so was thinking maybe other parts should be replaced at the same time.

A second issue I have is bad synchros. Are they accesible while the clutch assembly is open? If so I'd like to replace them. I've heard a lot of people with issues with them. Are there any more robust synchros out there or are we stuck with factory replacements.

Any advice and all comments are much appreciated.

 

Synchros can be romoved once the transmission is out, but its another job entirely... While you are already in the clutch, id replace it with a upgraded unit... Most likely the shop is charging a markup on parts, so you may upgrade for only a few more bucks... If the tranny is under warranty still, id take it to the dealership... If not, then id only have a qualified transmission shop open that thing up, not a do all kinda shop...

 

Third gear synchro will only grind above 45 or 50 mph. And even then not all the time. Stealership says I don't need to be shifting into 3rd at that speed. Under "normal" driving conditions, it doesn't expirience any problems, so no warranty fix.

 

Shifting into 3rd at 45 or 50 isn't normal driving?

 

"no, because that means 2nd gear is topped out, which you shouldn't do under normal conditions" blah blah blah

 

Well its only going to get worse, id find another dealership to take it to... Or start getting your oil changed at one particular dealership a few times, get your tires balanced, rotated, brakes, 15K or 30K service, etc: then complain about the noise... It will show that you have already been a repeat customer... Remember, 90% of warranty claims are up to the Service Manager, and if he/she does not believe you are a regular customer, they are less likely to warranty something in a "grey" area...

 

Would the flywheel be in the same area? Are there any other clutch parts besides the clutch disc, preassure plate, and throwout bearing that I could easily upgrade in the same job?

 

Erm, 2nd gear tops out at 59mph, so 45-50 is "normal conditions" and an transmission should be able to shift at ANY RPM.

 

yup. just ask my transmission. If it gives me problems I just tie it up with leather straps and whip it.......no wait......that's my wife.

Seriously though.....rev limiter pops at about about 60ish in second. Not that.....I've.....ever.....done.....that......myse lf.

 

Sorry, wrong choice of words on my part. Yeah, it's not actually topped out, but its pretty high up there in rpms, which the loser said I shouldn't be shifting that high.

 

Redline is 6500 rpm in the RA if you want to shift at 6499.999 rpm's is within manufactures parameters and if you like driving it that way is your problem. The car should shift without any problems within factory parameters. If the car was not meant to rev that high because of tranny or sincros problems, then mitsu would have set the redline at 5000 or 4500.

 

Yeah! My throwout bearing broke today. It broke in a long stretch of no parking signs so I had to push it quite a ways. I didn't yet have the money saved up for new parts so its going to be charged now . I'm thinking Works stage 2 clutch and a RRM flywheel.

As for third gear grind mentioned above, Its only a minor grind and I've noticed that if I shift in and out of third a bunch before I shift where it usually grinds, then it doesn't grind. So I've got Redline on order hoping that will solve everything.