So, my car was acting a bit funny, shifting weird for about a day or two, and then all of a sudden, the clutch stayed on the floor and I couldn't get it into any gear. Got it towed to the auto shop and they got it apart, and basically, my flywheel and clutch disc disintegrated.. There was just a bunch of black dust and random metal shavings. Not good.

So considering the way I drive, I was wondering if anyone has any ideas about a performance clutch, or if they even exist? I don't want to put more OEM parts into it, just to have it happen again.. I've seen people on here talking about it, but it never goes anywhere. I don't care the cost, and I would try to help someone out, however, my clutch is useless as an example.

If anyone can get back to me ASAP, that would be great. Having it sitting in the shop instead of being out there driving it is killing me!

 

Do you recall a recent super drop clutch start? There has to be more to this story??? Have you ever done the 4200 RPM launch?

 

No.. I drive her hard, but not stupidly.. Gotten her up to 153, but that was months and months ago.. Didn't have any problems till about 2 weeks ago.

 

I have seen TVT talk about clutch upgrades in a few posts, I'm sure they could tell you what is available.

 

I was actually going to call them tomorrow. A smidge late right now, though. Thanks for the idea, though.

 

How many miles on the car? I ruined the clutch and flywheel in my A6 shortly after an (alleged) 150 mph run -- the speedo was bouncing 145-155 and I later realized it was probably surging or slipping, and that started the clutch on the path to ruin.

Someone on the forum was looking for a used OEM clutch in order to fabricate a performance version. Do a search. And let us know what you end up doing and cost, so we all have an idea about that checkbook killer.

 

40K On her right now. And after the 153 run (that's whay my speedo said), I decelerated slowly, and didn't have any problem from it. Might've started then, though.. My clutch disc actually burned into 2 pieces. No idea how that happened..

As for the performance clutch, DarkhelmetRT and myself have been PM'ing one another, getting details sorted out. Once the service dept gets the flywheel off my vehicle (they were supposed to do that earlier this week.. I hate that place), I'm going to mail him my parts and they'll start working on some parts. My vehicle looks like it'll be the test vehicle, too, so I'll make sure to keep everyone updated on what's going on with it.

 

I have mine up to 140+ atleast once a week on the way to work (got to love Germany) so I don't think that would have been the cause for your clutch to fail.

 

Wow! Another member from little old Sierra Vista- welcome to the forum. Does that place you hate rhyme with Donovan Dodge? Good luck finding anybody competent at anything in this town, you might be better off attemting a fix yourself, really. Don't know if it's Arizona in general or just SV, but there are some really f**kin' stupid people in this town- be careful out there.

 

You are correct.. They are completely incompetent. If I had a lift of some form, I -would- work on it myself. But considering that I don't have one, it makes it difficult to get under the car. <sigh> I do have the service manual (thanks to this site), so when they try to give me BS answers about how much time it should take to work on things, I can tell them that they are f'ed up.

 

TVT is a SPEC clutch retailer.

 

Thanks, but I've been working with DarkhelmetRT to develop a performance clutch specifically for the XFire. Once I (finally) get the flywheel out of my car, then I'll send the parts to him so that he can get to work on them.

I can't believe Donovan Dodge. Had my car for 3 days before finding time to work on it, then worked on finding the problem for 5 days (which, according to the service manual, probably should've taken at most, 2, if they were complete idiots). Then, when I ask for the clutch disc, pressure plate, and flywheel, they tell me sure, come and get it, and only give me the first 2. So when I call back the next day and tell them they forgot to give me the flywheel, they tell me it's still on the vehicle, and the latest I can expect them to take to get it out is by Wednesday, which is 4 days later... <sigh> I sincerely despise that place..

 

I'm not apologizing for them or trying to make excuses for them but this situation could be possible for them:

I know my shop, I'm a Volvo tech, has been very slow. Just recently we got a LOT of cars in. So I'll look them over and see what's the customer complaints are. I'll then cherry pick the ones I can make money on, because flat-rate techs only make money on what we do, not just being there at 50 hours a week. Most Chrysler dealers have people that have gone to "Crossfire school" but doesn't mean anything if it's not something that comes in everyday. I wouldn't go as far to say Crossfires are rare, but certainly uncommon. What could be happening there is that's there's just other work to be done. I come across so many people who need their car yesterday, but it doesn't work like that. And if it's a warranty repair (which I know this is not) but then things become even more dicey.

Probably not what you want to here, but be open to it all the same

Justin

 

My personal opinion is that Spec is garbage. I had a stageb 2 once that ejected 2 springs at 5000 miles, I've had 2 customers with spec clutches that had the pressure plate fingers collapse, I had one customer who's disk came apart, and another who's pressure plate warped at a in a few thousand miles at a near stock hp level.

and these are just my experiences. I have colleagues from other shops that have there horror stories as well.

This is the reason I'm working with South Bend Clutch to make a series of affordable and reliable crossfirespecific clutches.

We now return to your regulaly scheduled promgraming

 

Waiting for them to do the work really isn't the problem. The biggest problem I have is them lying to me, and then catching them on it. Like telling me taking out the flywheel is a labor intensive process. It's not. I even told the guy that, and then he tried to back peddle and tell me 'well, it's not that labor intensive, but we still need the space to get it on a lift'. I don't mind that fact, I understand (and they are always busy, part of the problem) that they might need space. But don't lie to me about it.

And the fact that when I call with a question, they never call me back. Ever. I called at 9 AM yesterday, and the other service rep said that mine was with a customer, he'd call me right back. Ended up called back at 4 PM because I never got a call. That's just disrespectful, plain and simple.

So once I get the clutch parts to DarkhelmetRT, I'll be sure to keep everyone updated on what's going on with the car and the clutch, so we can have somewhere that deals with a clutch just for our car.

 

Alright everyone who is paying attention to this thread - Finally got the three pieces for the clutch that DarkHelmetRT requested, and they are enroute as I type. He should be getting them by around the end of the week, and it'll be his ballgame from there. Just thought I'd post an update for people!

 

I see where you're coming from then. I dunno how front office stuff works (or doesn't). I have little customer interaction with the exception of when I'm requested. Just one of the guys in the back waiting on a lift...

Justin

 

Lol.. Yeah. I don't hold it against the actual tech's, my beef isn't with them. It's with the people up front trying to make excuses. Pisses me off to no end.. I don't see how it's hard to just tell the truth, instead of thinking up lies..

 

Alright everyone! Not sure who all might be keeping track of this thread, but DarkHelmetRT and his people finished a performance clutch! Not completely sure of all the details, I'll leave the technical stuff for him to describe, as well as pricing and all that jazz, but just wanted to let everyone know that things are definitely happening. Supposed to be getting it shipped to me either tomorrow or Wednesday, and as I test it out and everything, I'll make sure and keep everyone posted.

 

That's great news! I recently got myself a XFire but you can tell that the previous owners were oblivious as to how to drive it. My first upgrade on it is going to be a clutch and this is exactly what I'm looking for. DarkHelmetRT, I'm looking forward to your post on the specifics as to what was all done and the cost.