ACT advanced clutch technology unsprung clutch life. quality. - Zilvia.net Forums | Nissan 240SX (Silvia) and Z (Fairlady) Car Forum

Kronsgogreen · 03-11-2015, 12:21 AM

So I'm wondering what's the deal with the life of ACT clutches, do they need frequent replacement or something?..
Here is a pic of brand new compared to the used clutch with only 2000 miles.
This is for 1.6 stock Miata. Not a single mod.
Mechanic says it needs replacement.
Car stopped driving.
Now after I compared the brand new one to the old one, I suspect the clutch is not the problem.
Now the mechanic is saying the diff has exploded. So I'm being forced to pay for clutch job.
Can you guys please tell me if the clutch looks like it needs to be replaced.

The markers I used are same size on both the clutches for comparison. Old clutch looks barely worn to me

Dboyizmlg · 03-11-2015, 12:29 AM

Measure the thickness with a micrometer, that way you can show the mechanic that they are about equally same thickness.
Appears to be good to me.

Can you take pictures of the front area, spring loaded side.
Also, take pictures of you're used pressure plate, the shiny part where it makes contact with the disc. This is to determine if you have "Hot spots".

Dboyizmlg · 03-11-2015, 12:31 AM

Also what do you mean about "car stopped driving"?

Would it go into gear when the car was on? Yes, or no?

Kronsgogreen · 03-11-2015, 01:56 AM

Pressure plate is great condition. I don't have any other pics right now, but no burn spots or any damage.
My car needed to be towed. It stopped being drivable on the street.
The mechanic has determent to do the clutch in his shop.
He "assumed" I guess it was the clutch.
I came over and he showed me the old clutch, he said the disc should be a lot more thicker. So I believed him. Bought a new replacement. Then when I compared the old and new I noticed that the new looks barely thicker.

So after the clutch job, he now tells me he is done but the differential is broken.
So now I believe that it was never a clutch, it was just the differential that was broken.

My clutch only had 2000 miles of street driving. This is a heavy duty clutch that should last long time.
If you look at the red and blue markers, I have used the same size marker for comparison on new and old.

cotbu · 03-11-2015, 06:13 AM

Pull your car out of that shop! Or ask for reimbursement. Alternatively do the work yourself or deal with the way a mechanic troubleshoots.

The fact that he says the disc is the problem, could be the smoking gun in court. Your gonna have to play stupid and have him convince you the disc is the problem or admit to it not being. And youll have to document it in some form.

Rant: i hate shady mechanics, they are the reason i have to do extra work for a cheaper price, than they charged to screw you over in the first place.

Your lucky he didn't think it was electrical!

From a Highly Tuned Note 4.5!!!

crunkride · 03-11-2015, 06:24 AM

Clutch is fine from that pic. Mechanic should have removed drive shaft and checked diff feel when decoupled from drive to isolate issue. You can ALWAYS feel a shoddy diff by hand.

TheRealSy90 · 03-11-2015, 08:08 AM

A mechanic is going to charge you for any work performed whether it fixes the problem or not, that's just part of the game.

Croustibat · 03-11-2015, 02:52 PM

Can't say because the disc may be damaged. But it does not look worn from that pic.

That being said, unpsrung clutches are always a bad idea if you want to keep gearbox and diff alive. You also mistook heavy duty , which means "can take loads of torque" with "long life".

There was a time when we did not know how to make clutches that can handle a lot of torque. Now we know. So get a sprung clutch.

Hashiriya415 · 03-11-2015, 04:01 PM

The mechanic is smoking. Did the mechanic even say what caused it to wear after 2000 miles?
Looks like you just barely started taking any material from the clutch.

after 10k miles. over 100 drag passes and plenty of stop and go traffic.

there were ZERO heat spots on the PP or FW and had a pad thickness of 60% left according to ACT. they said would be fine and didn't need to replace anything.

claine650 · 03-11-2015, 06:45 PM

Here's your real problem. If you don't know the basic mechanical systems of your car, you should read up as much as you can. Then maybe next time you won't get duped out of money and time.

03-11-2015, 12:21 AM	#1
Kronsgogreen Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: SF Age: 47 Posts: 3 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	ACT advanced clutch technology unsprung clutch life. quality. So I'm wondering what's the deal with the life of ACT clutches, do they need frequent replacement or something?.. Here is a pic of brand new compared to the used clutch with only 2000 miles. This is for 1.6 stock Miata. Not a single mod. Mechanic says it needs replacement. Car stopped driving. Now after I compared the brand new one to the old one, I suspect the clutch is not the problem. Now the mechanic is saying the diff has exploded. So I'm being forced to pay for clutch job. Can you guys please tell me if the clutch looks like it needs to be replaced. The markers I used are same size on both the clutches for comparison. Old clutch looks barely worn to me Last edited by Kronsgogreen; 03-11-2015 at 01:57 AM..

03-11-2015, 06:13 AM	#5
cotbu Post Whore! Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: SWFL Age: 50 Posts: 3,318 Trader Rating: (3) Feedback Score: 3 reviews	Pull your car out of that shop! Or ask for reimbursement. Alternatively do the work yourself or deal with the way a mechanic troubleshoots. The fact that he says the disc is the problem, could be the smoking gun in court. Your gonna have to play stupid and have him convince you the disc is the problem or admit to it not being. And youll have to document it in some form. Rant: i hate shady mechanics, they are the reason i have to do extra work for a cheaper price, than they charged to screw you over in the first place. Your lucky he didn't think it was electrical! From a Highly Tuned Note 4.5!!! __________________ LoverTechnologies "Half Broken Things!"

03-11-2015, 06:45 PM	#10
claine650 Leaky Injector Join Date: Jul 2014 Posts: 96 Trader Rating: (1) Feedback Score: 1 reviews	Here's your real problem. If you don't know the basic mechanical systems of your car, you should read up as much as you can. Then maybe next time you won't get duped out of money and time. Last edited by claine650; 03-11-2015 at 07:41 PM..

03-11-2015, 12:29 AM	#2
Dboyizmlg Nissanaholic! Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: SoCal (I.E.), San Berdino, Colton, Redlands Posts: 1,677 Trader Rating: (18) Feedback Score: 18 reviews	Measure the thickness with a micrometer, that way you can show the mechanic that they are about equally same thickness. Appears to be good to me. Can you take pictures of the front area, spring loaded side. Also, take pictures of you're used pressure plate, the shiny part where it makes contact with the disc. This is to determine if you have "Hot spots".

03-11-2015, 12:31 AM	#3
Dboyizmlg Nissanaholic! Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: SoCal (I.E.), San Berdino, Colton, Redlands Posts: 1,677 Trader Rating: (18) Feedback Score: 18 reviews	Also what do you mean about "car stopped driving"? Would it go into gear when the car was on? Yes, or no?

03-11-2015, 01:56 AM	#4
Kronsgogreen Join Date: Mar 2015 Location: SF Age: 47 Posts: 3 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	Pressure plate is great condition. I don't have any other pics right now, but no burn spots or any damage. My car needed to be towed. It stopped being drivable on the street. The mechanic has determent to do the clutch in his shop. He "assumed" I guess it was the clutch. I came over and he showed me the old clutch, he said the disc should be a lot more thicker. So I believed him. Bought a new replacement. Then when I compared the old and new I noticed that the new looks barely thicker. So after the clutch job, he now tells me he is done but the differential is broken. So now I believe that it was never a clutch, it was just the differential that was broken. My clutch only had 2000 miles of street driving. This is a heavy duty clutch that should last long time. If you look at the red and blue markers, I have used the same size marker for comparison on new and old.

03-11-2015, 06:24 AM	#6
crunkride Zilvia Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Barrie, Ontario, Canada Posts: 165 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	Clutch is fine from that pic. Mechanic should have removed drive shaft and checked diff feel when decoupled from drive to isolate issue. You can ALWAYS feel a shoddy diff by hand.

03-11-2015, 02:52 PM	#8
Croustibat Nissanaholic! Join Date: Aug 2011 Location: France - Toulouse Age: 44 Posts: 1,851 Trader Rating: (0) Feedback Score: 0 reviews	Can't say because the disc may be damaged. But it does not look worn from that pic. That being said, unpsrung clutches are always a bad idea if you want to keep gearbox and diff alive. You also mistook heavy duty , which means "can take loads of torque" with "long life". There was a time when we did not know how to make clutches that can handle a lot of torque. Now we know. So get a sprung clutch.

03-11-2015, 04:01 PM	#9
Hashiriya415 Zilvia FREAK! Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: San Francisco Age: 37 Posts: 1,007 Trader Rating: (22) Feedback Score: 22 reviews	The mechanic is smoking. Did the mechanic even say what caused it to wear after 2000 miles? Looks like you just barely started taking any material from the clutch. after 10k miles. over 100 drag passes and plenty of stop and go traffic. there were ZERO heat spots on the PP or FW and had a pad thickness of 60% left according to ACT. they said would be fine and didn't need to replace anything.