WOW you will never believe it
Who installed it? Did you buy it through them? You are talking about 5-6 grand to bring that car back up to the condition it was prior to the explosion.
This is why when I read about all those new spec clutches being installed - i cringe.
I would suggest you contact who you had install it and whom ever you bought it off of. While race parts may not have a warranty - They should also not self destruct in such a violent manor as to ruin your car entirely - or take your life!
This is why when I read about all those new spec clutches being installed - i cringe.
I would suggest you contact who you had install it and whom ever you bought it off of. While race parts may not have a warranty - They should also not self destruct in such a violent manor as to ruin your car entirely - or take your life!
this wasnt the mechanics fault.
The splines in the clutch disk are good and if you hadnt heard any loud decel noises or vibrations prior to this failure it was tight, if you did hear them thats your bad for not taking it back. I have had other shops do clutch installs with loose flywheels come into our shop and they dont randomly explode. They will hog out the flywheel bolts on the crank and ruin the crank first.
Looking at the flywheel it has a lot of heat in it according to the (the blue flame) mark on the one piece we can see. The thing we really need to see is the center of the flywheel which looking at the pix you do have i surmise is still attached to the crank.
I think this is all on spec or whomever made the flywheel.
The splines in the clutch disk are good and if you hadnt heard any loud decel noises or vibrations prior to this failure it was tight, if you did hear them thats your bad for not taking it back. I have had other shops do clutch installs with loose flywheels come into our shop and they dont randomly explode. They will hog out the flywheel bolts on the crank and ruin the crank first.
Looking at the flywheel it has a lot of heat in it according to the (the blue flame) mark on the one piece we can see. The thing we really need to see is the center of the flywheel which looking at the pix you do have i surmise is still attached to the crank.
I think this is all on spec or whomever made the flywheel.
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This wasnt the mechanics fault.
The splines in the clutch disk are good and if you hadnt heard any loud decel noises or vibrations prior to this failure it was tight, if you did hear them thats your bad for not taking it back. I have had other shops do clutch installs with loose flywheels come into our shop and they dont randomly explode. They will hog out the flywheel bolts on the crank and ruin the crank first.
Looking at the flywheel it has A LOT of heat in it according to the (the blue flame) mark on the one piece we can see. The thing we really need to see is the center of the flywheel which looking at the pix you do have I surmise is still attached to the crank.
I think this is all on SPEC or whomever made the flywheel.
The splines in the clutch disk are good and if you hadnt heard any loud decel noises or vibrations prior to this failure it was tight, if you did hear them thats your bad for not taking it back. I have had other shops do clutch installs with loose flywheels come into our shop and they dont randomly explode. They will hog out the flywheel bolts on the crank and ruin the crank first.
Looking at the flywheel it has A LOT of heat in it according to the (the blue flame) mark on the one piece we can see. The thing we really need to see is the center of the flywheel which looking at the pix you do have I surmise is still attached to the crank.
I think this is all on SPEC or whomever made the flywheel.
It very well may not be the mechanics fault. However, we do have good reason to believe. Just today, I have found out that this has happened 9 previous times to cars he has worked on. How nothing has been done about it idk?
Is that the stock flywheel?!? That's just insane. Glad it didn't exploded towards you though.
Whoa really? I wonder if he's over torquing them or something. Torque spec on pressure plate to flywheel is only 15ft-lbs.
Whoa really? I wonder if he's over torquing them or something. Torque spec on pressure plate to flywheel is only 15ft-lbs.
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No it is not the same flywheel that was in the car. Might be an OEM one though. Not sure. I just told my mechanic to put in whatever he thought was best for the car. And yes I am very lucky.
Did this vibrate on decel? Did it make noise on accel prior to failing?
I am not trying to defend him, I am pointing out there are some pretty big clues to it being the flywheel manufacturer and not the installation. It would seem had there been that many prior failures someone might have said something here about it or in your town? Just a thought.
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Take a picture of the crankshaft. It needs to be up close and personal so we can see the thread area of the flywheel bolts. Since you found the rest of the clutch (and some pieces of the flywheel) where is the center? If its attached to the flywheel its not the mechanic. Looking at your clutch plate its been burned on (and the we see the same sign on the flywheel fragment) but the wear is even which doesnt indicate a loose flywheel.
Did this vibrate on decel? Did it make noise on accel prior to failing?
I am not trying to defend him, I am pointing out there are some pretty big clues to it being the flywheel manufacturer and not the installation. It would seem had there been that many prior failures someone might have said something here about it or in your town? Just a thought.
Did this vibrate on decel? Did it make noise on accel prior to failing?
I am not trying to defend him, I am pointing out there are some pretty big clues to it being the flywheel manufacturer and not the installation. It would seem had there been that many prior failures someone might have said something here about it or in your town? Just a thought.
I hate to give you more bad news, but this one:
Shows a piece of the block missing and a bellhousing bolt broke off in it. It also appears to show part of the flywheel bolted on.
This one shows that the flywheel (apparently, since the glare is kind of on it) not being hogged out where it broke (halfway through the bolts) by the 2 bolts in it:
The ring gear is right there completely unwound as well, which is probably what saved you from injury:
Cliff notes- this probably has totaled your car if it were to go to an insurance adjuster
Shows a piece of the block missing and a bellhousing bolt broke off in it. It also appears to show part of the flywheel bolted on.
This one shows that the flywheel (apparently, since the glare is kind of on it) not being hogged out where it broke (halfway through the bolts) by the 2 bolts in it:
The ring gear is right there completely unwound as well, which is probably what saved you from injury:
Cliff notes- this probably has totaled your car if it were to go to an insurance adjuster
Last edited by JohnBradley; Nov 1, 2009 at 12:21 PM.
This is the worst break up damage I've seen posted on here. I think it's because it was the flywheel that failed this time and not the clutch. There's a lot more force involved when a flywheel explodes since it's so much heavier and harder than a clutch. It makes great shrapnel.
I know you said you had an Aluminum/Steel sandwich flywheel. Just looking at the pics it does look like a 1 piece steel but I couldn't be sure. The break looks very even across the surface from the friction area on through. I would expect it to break differently in the aluminum areas if it were two different materials.
Seeing as you said you told the mechanic to just get whatever flywheel he thought was best I'm wondering if he cheaped out on some knock off brand to save money.
We need more up close and personal pics of the broken flywheel for sure including the center area.
I know you said you had an Aluminum/Steel sandwich flywheel. Just looking at the pics it does look like a 1 piece steel but I couldn't be sure. The break looks very even across the surface from the friction area on through. I would expect it to break differently in the aluminum areas if it were two different materials.
Seeing as you said you told the mechanic to just get whatever flywheel he thought was best I'm wondering if he cheaped out on some knock off brand to save money.
We need more up close and personal pics of the broken flywheel for sure including the center area.
Last edited by JohnDoe1984; Nov 1, 2009 at 12:27 PM.
Looking at it closer I think it might be a stocker that was turned, hard to say but I assume an invoice would have it on it.
Best of luck getting this all sorted out.
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So really I just want to know where I should go from here. I called my mechanic last night and left him a message saying that I have something to discuss with him first thing Monday morning. What are my options so I can get the best out of this situation?
