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Any good clutch installers in the PDX area?

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Old Mar 25, 2015, 01:57 AM
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Any good clutch installers in the PDX area?

I found another thread on this topic, but it hadnt been updated since 2004. I'm looking for a recommendation for a good clutch shop in the Portland, Oregon area (preferably west side). I have 2 requests: that you have directly used the shop to install a clutch, and that you were completely satisfied with the results. Not word of mouth or anything. I've found that the one thing that bothers me the most about a clutch job is this: when you put the tranny in gear and release the clutch (pressure plate is pressing against the flywheel) and you're going down the road maybe 45mph, and you lightly rest your foot on the clutch pedal until it reaches the end of freeplay, you feel a buzz on the pedal. This seems to be the one defining characteristic that separates a good job and a bad one. A good one will not have any buzzing whatsoever.

Some of the side benefits that seem to come along with the no-buzz characteristic:
  • can set the pedal height low, and still get a clean release. Shifter will not feel notchy
  • pedal spring-back is very good, no stickiness even at high-revs
  • clutch engagement and disengagement point is solid, clean, and well-defined

Again, these are things that come *with* the no-buzz attribute

if you have personally experienced a shop that can do this, please let me know. Doesnt necessarily have to be an evo or mitsubishi shop.

Thanks a lot!
Old Mar 25, 2015, 08:27 AM
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English Racing, Portland Speed Industries, I'm sure there are others. Perrin, Cobb Surgeline
Old Mar 25, 2015, 09:50 AM
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I would not take my car to Portland Speed Industries for a dome light change, let alone a clutch job. Just speaking from personal experience.
Old Mar 25, 2015, 11:00 AM
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I've been in a ride in a buddys evo who had his clutch installed at English Racing and it felt good. If I was going to do a clutch job it would be at English.
Old Mar 25, 2015, 04:33 PM
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English rebuilt my tranny and put in a new clutch they did a good job. I would not take my evo anywhere else
Old Mar 25, 2015, 04:52 PM
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OP........i think you may be buzzing.
Old Mar 25, 2015, 07:14 PM
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What kind of clutch have you decided to use a lot of the things you said have to do with the quality of the clutch. The buzzing is usually a throw out bearing issue.
Old Mar 25, 2015, 09:26 PM
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Thanks for all the feedback guys! Robby's right, I am buzzing. The clutch is exedy, and it was part of a full kit that included a brand new TOB. sssr20det510, what "issues" are possible with the TOB that could cause the buzzing? I concur with APEXR on Portland Speed Industries. Had a very bad experience with them myself. They kinda reinforce my theory that the closer a business is located to the main Intel campuses, the worse they are, or the less hard they need to work to survive. This is mainly because there are so frickin' many people at Intel, even if a crappy underperforming business captured a tiny fraction of their patronage, they can survive. This theory applies mainly to restaurants, but PSI seems to fit the mold too.
Old Mar 25, 2015, 09:43 PM
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Originally Posted by fanbelted
Thanks for all the feedback guys! Robby's right, I am buzzing. The clutch is exedy, and it was part of a full kit that included a brand new TOB. sssr20det510, what "issues" are possible with the TOB that could cause the buzzing? I concur with APEXR on Portland Speed Industries. Had a very bad experience with them myself. They kinda reinforce my theory that the closer a business is located to the main Intel campuses, the worse they are, or the less hard they need to work to survive. This is mainly because there are so frickin' many people at Intel, even if a crappy underperforming business captured a tiny fraction of their patronage, they can survive. This theory applies mainly to restaurants, but PSI seems to fit the mold too.
Sometimes the bearing can make noise or have a feeling in the pedal. I have gotten new clutches that have had a bad or cheap TOB in the kit. I usually check it before install. I have heard of other people that only use oem TOB with the evo.
Old Mar 26, 2015, 07:12 AM
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i used a fresh stock TOB with a resurfaced gruppe s flywheel. and a 40k mile comp pressure plate that i just biscuit wheeled with a new cc stage 2 disc. no buzzing and little to no engagement chatter. i set my pedal release kinda high but feels good.stiff but good.
Old Mar 27, 2015, 12:49 AM
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English Racing is where I would take it. they installed my ACT 2.5 years ago and I have had no issues with it. Car is DD and driven at the circuit.
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