Major Clutch Problems my night from hell!
Blue loctite is fine for the flywheel bolts. Honestly, we dont use anything at all. The chances of the flywheel bolts backing out a pretty slim to none, unless they were not tightened correctly to begin with. I dont have the trq specs in front of me, but those bolts are trqed down to about 80-100ft/lbs...just dont have the number right in from of me.
well, Tony at Performance Nissan called me, the clutch and flywheel are completely ruined and one of the flywheel bolts broke in half and is still inside the crankshaft.
They have a specialist come out tomorrow to remove it and re-thread the bolt pattern. He said the pressure plate looked completely abused.
I can not imagine what could have caused the bolt to break nor why the clutch is so worn down after just 4 months. I baby the car on the road it's just at the track that I hit it hard but that's why I got a clutch that's supposed to hold more power than I'm putting down. Tony mentioned that because of the nature of drag racing this could break even stronger clutches...
So this whole thing is going to put me back at least $1600 including parts and labor. F U C K!!!
What was mentioned earlier would make sense that the bolt got loose and so got the pressure plate locked to the flywheel weariing it down completely and eventually breaking off all together.
This is very frustrating especially because there is no way to prove that they did a bad install and since they are known for very good service I kinda doubt that they would but mistakes happen and since they know I am actively racing I guess there's nothing I can do here to get a break on the cost.
They have a specialist come out tomorrow to remove it and re-thread the bolt pattern. He said the pressure plate looked completely abused.
I can not imagine what could have caused the bolt to break nor why the clutch is so worn down after just 4 months. I baby the car on the road it's just at the track that I hit it hard but that's why I got a clutch that's supposed to hold more power than I'm putting down. Tony mentioned that because of the nature of drag racing this could break even stronger clutches...
So this whole thing is going to put me back at least $1600 including parts and labor. F U C K!!!
What was mentioned earlier would make sense that the bolt got loose and so got the pressure plate locked to the flywheel weariing it down completely and eventually breaking off all together.
This is very frustrating especially because there is no way to prove that they did a bad install and since they are known for very good service I kinda doubt that they would but mistakes happen and since they know I am actively racing I guess there's nothing I can do here to get a break on the cost.
Originally Posted by BriGuyMax
So was the flywheel still attached to the crankshaft by the rest of the bolts...or were any bolts loose??
Originally Posted by mrtomcat
I don't know, I haven't been done there because I couldn't get out of work. I'll go there on saturday and he'll give me the old parts bacl so I'll see more then
The bolts are Nissan bolts right? and a Nissan tech installed it correct? Then I am sure it should be warranty at least on the labor. Sorry about the dilemma hope it works out.
Originally Posted by neffster
Well if anyone from JWT reads this post before 8pm EST tonight, please let me know if I should/should not use blue or brown or another low strength loctite. TIA...
Do you know for sure what the problem was here? I am still confused.
Based on your description, it doesnt sound like a bolt backed out. Rather, a bolt may have been damaged upon removal or install or something of that nature. No worries in that regard.
Best of luck.
Personal belief is the bolts are of a soft metal and stretch when torque down. and Then the bolt should be retorque, in his case the bolt probably back out into the clutch disc and snaped off in the crank when it hit allowing the head of the bolt to lodge between the flywheel and clutch disc. Maybe should be replaced like Ford cylinder head bolts everytime.
Just speculating,
Mike
Just speculating,
Mike
Originally Posted by mpowers
Personal belief is the bolts are of a soft metal and stretch when torque down. and Then the bolt should be retorque, in his case the bolt probably back out into the clutch disc and snaped off in the crank when it hit allowing the head of the bolt to lodge between the flywheel and clutch disc. Maybe should be replaced like Ford cylinder head bolts everytime.
Just speculating,
Mike
Just speculating,
Mike
BriGuyMax, you have me leaning your way after reading that.
Originally Posted by BriGuyMax
Aluminum flywheels compress when you torque them down, the flywheel bolts are hardened...not soft at all. Thats why they sometimes end up loose after an aluminum flywheel install. Thus, waiting and torquing them down again is the right way to do it.
Originally Posted by mpowers
Personal belief is the bolts are of a soft metal and stretch when torque down. and Then the bolt should be retorque, in his case the bolt probably back out into the clutch disc and snaped off in the crank when it hit allowing the head of the bolt to lodge between the flywheel and clutch disc. Maybe should be replaced like Ford cylinder head bolts everytime.
Just speculating,
Mike
Just speculating,
Mike
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Originally Posted by mrtomcat
I'm posting here because the FI crowd just knows more than others....
I went to the track tonight and first off they would not let me run my Pro Star Wheels because they said my Wheel Studs are too short...first time I've ever heard that, but they showed me in the rule guide and proved their point.
Question 1) are there any aftermarket wheel studs that are long enough and fit on the Z (ARP maybe) and if so what are the dimensions?
Next is my main problem, I decided to run on street tires and see how she does. I was about to go stage when my car erratically jumped forward and I suddenly was no longer able to shift at all. I turned the car off and it shifted just fine, turned it back on and nada....so I rolled out of staging and back to the pit. Buddy of mine cheked it and said my Clutch is broken. Fluid levels look fine btw.
He was able to get the car rolling by shifting into first with the car off, then turning it on and then revv matching the gears. Since I have no experience with that and we were 60 miles from my home I left the car at his place to be towed to Performance Nissan in the morning.
This is a brand new JWT Clutch and Flywheel that Perf Nissan installed just about 4 months ago and so far it held up great.
Anyone have had a similar problem?
Anyone have an idea of what the problem is?
Anyone know if JWT has warranty on their parts?
I am sooooo frustrated right now.
Help is appreciated
I went to the track tonight and first off they would not let me run my Pro Star Wheels because they said my Wheel Studs are too short...first time I've ever heard that, but they showed me in the rule guide and proved their point.
Question 1) are there any aftermarket wheel studs that are long enough and fit on the Z (ARP maybe) and if so what are the dimensions?
Next is my main problem, I decided to run on street tires and see how she does. I was about to go stage when my car erratically jumped forward and I suddenly was no longer able to shift at all. I turned the car off and it shifted just fine, turned it back on and nada....so I rolled out of staging and back to the pit. Buddy of mine cheked it and said my Clutch is broken. Fluid levels look fine btw.
He was able to get the car rolling by shifting into first with the car off, then turning it on and then revv matching the gears. Since I have no experience with that and we were 60 miles from my home I left the car at his place to be towed to Performance Nissan in the morning.
This is a brand new JWT Clutch and Flywheel that Perf Nissan installed just about 4 months ago and so far it held up great.
Anyone have had a similar problem?
Anyone have an idea of what the problem is?
Anyone know if JWT has warranty on their parts?
I am sooooo frustrated right now.
Help is appreciated
http://www.performancenissanparts.co...ISMO+HUB+BOLTS
We had ARP make special flywheel bolts for our Tilton clutch set ups... They will only work with the TILTON set up...
Last edited by Jason@Performance; Oct 28, 2005 at 10:43 AM.
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I just went out back and looked at your car...
The flywheel is glazed over... as well as the pressure plate...
This is from slipping the clutch disc alot, which is done alot in drag racing for launches and getting burn outs going... the more power, the harder it is on these parts...
For future people who race / drift / drag your Z... clean off your inner wheel wells so all the caked up rubber is gone... When warranty people come out... thats the first thing they look for...
None of the bolts were loose, 2 of them broke in half... Usually this happens on cars that do alot of burn outs or do alot of chatter (wheel hopping)... And with a higher clamping force onto the flywheel, it is harder on the flywheel, crank etc..
On your next clutch and flywheel... dont slip it for so long and you wont have this problem...
The flywheel is glazed over... as well as the pressure plate...
This is from slipping the clutch disc alot, which is done alot in drag racing for launches and getting burn outs going... the more power, the harder it is on these parts...
For future people who race / drift / drag your Z... clean off your inner wheel wells so all the caked up rubber is gone... When warranty people come out... thats the first thing they look for...
None of the bolts were loose, 2 of them broke in half... Usually this happens on cars that do alot of burn outs or do alot of chatter (wheel hopping)... And with a higher clamping force onto the flywheel, it is harder on the flywheel, crank etc..
On your next clutch and flywheel... dont slip it for so long and you wont have this problem...
Originally Posted by Jason@Performance
I just went out back and looked at your car...
The flywheel is glazed over... as well as the pressure plate...
This is from slipping the clutch disc alot, which is done alot in drag racing for launches and getting burn outs going... the more power, the harder it is on these parts...
For future people who race / drift / drag your Z... clean off your inner wheel wells so all the caked up rubber is gone... When warranty people come out... thats the first thing they look for...
None of the bolts were loose, 2 of them broke in half... Usually this happens on cars that do alot of burn outs or do alot of chatter (wheel hopping)... And with a higher clamping force onto the flywheel, it is harder on the flywheel, crank etc..
On your next clutch and flywheel... dont slip it for so long and you wont have this problem...
The flywheel is glazed over... as well as the pressure plate...
This is from slipping the clutch disc alot, which is done alot in drag racing for launches and getting burn outs going... the more power, the harder it is on these parts...
For future people who race / drift / drag your Z... clean off your inner wheel wells so all the caked up rubber is gone... When warranty people come out... thats the first thing they look for...
None of the bolts were loose, 2 of them broke in half... Usually this happens on cars that do alot of burn outs or do alot of chatter (wheel hopping)... And with a higher clamping force onto the flywheel, it is harder on the flywheel, crank etc..
On your next clutch and flywheel... dont slip it for so long and you wont have this problem...
Furthmore. The force on flywheel bolts is a shearing force, therefore if one breaks..then all of them have to break. because the flywheel would actually have to rotate on the crank.
Always find a way to blame it on the customer I guess.
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Originally Posted by BriGuyMax
I fail to see how slipping a clutch excessively breaks flywheel bolts. That makes no sense at all. Slipping a clutch would actually be easier on the rest of the drivetrain than simply dumping the clutch @ high RPM. Dumping the clutch can break things (flywheel bolts being VERY VERY far down on this list). The only bad thing slipping the clutch does is glaze the flywheel and pressure plate and wear the clutch out faster.
Furthmore. The force on flywheel bolts is a shearing force, therefore if one breaks..then all of them have to break. because the flywheel would actually have to rotate on the crank.
Always find a way to blame it on the customer I guess.
Furthmore. The force on flywheel bolts is a shearing force, therefore if one breaks..then all of them have to break. because the flywheel would actually have to rotate on the crank.
Always find a way to blame it on the customer I guess.
its the chatter / clunking between the flywheel and the rest of the drivetrain that is killing it...
This isnt the first car we have seen in here with broken flywheel bolts like this...
one even had stock flywheel and clutch set up...
they were all drag racing at the time or doing burn outs...
Originally Posted by Jason@Performance
When you are slipping the clutch and you are running drag slicks alot of chatter is produced...
its the chatter / clunking between the flywheel and the rest of the drivetrain that is killing it...
This isnt the first car we have seen in here with broken flywheel bolts like this...
one even had stock flywheel and clutch set up...
they were all drag racing at the time or doing burn outs...
one even had stock flywheel and clutch set up...
they were all drag racing at the time or doing burn outs...
Frankly, when drag racing (I've been doing it for a long time) the last thing I'm worried about breaking is flyhweel bolts. Axles, rear ends, driveshafts and gears in the trans are all more likely to break than flywheel bolts.
If lots of guys were breaking flywheel bolts doing burnouts you'd at least see some of them posting here. I've seen nothing of the sort.