Am I right or wrong?

[mikevar94]

Okay so lemme give you the full story summed up into a shorter version. So I just paid 700 dollars for a repair shop to install a stage 2 competition clutch. Got it back and it was slipping like crazy plus the pedal was extremely hard to press in and not adjusted properly. Brought it back. They said it was the clutch fork needing a adjusting so I guess they said they "modified" it to fit. I don't know how they did that because from my understanding isn't the fork only accessible with the tranny out? Anyway I got it back and now the pedal feels much better and softer but now it's extremely hard to put in gear. Like I need two hands and all my might to put it in 1st. It's also got insane clutch drag (did the test). So I brought it back for a second time after the install and now they are saying it needs a performance clutch fork. Luckily I found one made from competition and can get it here for tomorrow. I called to tell them it'll be here tomorrow and they told me "you do understand we have to drop the tranny again?" They began to tell me that it'll cost me about 600 dollars to do that. What should I do? I mean I just spent 700 dollars for a WORKING FUNCTIONING clutch and I still do not have that. Now they are saying I need to pay again? My worry is that their reply to that will be you brought us a performance clutch and we are not a performance shop. What do you guys think?

Shouldn't they have noticed that the oem clutch fork wouldn't work with a performance clutch just by looking at it before putting it back together?

 

[Chad1993]

Mine works with act 2100 clutch, stock fork. I NEVER take my stuff too a shop. I do understand some people don't have time for some things though.

 

[spadepro22]

Oem fork is just fine with a competition clutch as long as it isn't bent and it is only accessible with the tranny out. Make sure they have the clutch bled properly and shifter cables adjusted properly before you get the tranny dropped again. If you do have to pay again I'd be pissed to say the least. Do you know if they checked the flywheel step? I also run a 2600 pressure plate and 6 puck sprung disc with the original oem fork.

 

[crimsondragon]

Throw a service manual at their heads and tell them to do it right.

 

[dsmcurse]

The clutch fork will work with any clutch. Only problem with stock is its a 20year old factory cast car part and is prone to snaping in half due to holding down a heavy pressure plate for a long time (why I never stay in gear with clutch down at red lights) the aftermarket "performance" ones only offer the advantage tht. It offers more beef and strength, its not like the fork is magically gonna do anything performance wise to your clutch system.

Anytime you can't do the work your self and you just have to go to a shop, do your self a favor, ask to see the old parts they pulled out. How do you know they even pulled the transaxle and did what they were soppossed to do? Did they sell you a new flywheel? Did they make mention of having to get flywheel resurfaced by a machine shop man?

These are all important questions man. As far as the clutch itself goes, if they really did install a new one it shouldnt be that messed up as you describe. And if so, here are some problems to look for. If the master cylinder was replaced, the cheapy parts store replacement master cylinder comes with a CRAPPY plastic filled clevis (hooks up the actual rod to the pedal ass.) If you master cylinder was ever changed, more than likely the OEM clevis and yoke pin was not transfered over and now your pedal is so firm from the upgraded pressure plate that the cheap-o clevis is bending in the plastic "cushiion". Also, if the OEM slave cylinder had ever been replaced I have seen the shucks replacement come with a slave cylinder throw out rod (part that touches the fork they claim you must buy) not be as long as the true OEM mitsu counter part. And again, if it was ever change they probably weren't smart enough to save the nice original and transfer it over

As fas as cables go, there really isn't much you can do. Its not like they were in your interior having the consul out and messin with the shifter tower. And at the tranny its self you either unbolt the 2 12mm head bolts and pull the entire bracket, or pull the 2 lil clippys out. That's it. There is no adjustment, BUT, the 2 bolts I mentioned to unbolt the bracket, they are special with special washers, if not put back and the a$$holes screwed 'em in somewhere else then it could give ya a funky feel. Investigate this more and get back at us, we'l point ya in the right direction

 

[mikevar94]

I asked them if they were positive its the clutch fork and they said yeah. I recommended that they bleed it as well. Idk if they did it or not. I just feel that I should not have to pay AGAIN since I already paid the first time and yet it's still not working correctly

 

[dsmcurse]

Throw a service manual at their heads and tell them to do it right.

As a career mechanic, if a guy came into my shop where I work and acted like that, id point blank tell him "not like your any smarter buddy, other wise you woulda done it your self and not came here" but that's just me, I'm a d!ck sometimes

Bleed it? Here's what you can do your self, jack up the car, crawl under it, look for the slave cylinder, have a 10mm wrench with you, crack the bleeder nipple loose and just watch it bleed, no you do not need to pump the pedal, don't even touch the pedal, just open the bleeder and look at it, tell us if it takes awhile for fluid to come out or if fluid comes out right away.that's the test you can do all by your self. Infact just open the bleeder up and let it be open for like 5 minutes, close the bleeder back to tight and then go check the fluid resivor, top it off exactly to the full mark. This you can do all by your self man. Also, move the driver seat all the way back, get a flash light, now crawl up in there all upside down yoga man style and investigate the clevis and yoke pin where the pedal hooks up to the master cylinder, it will be obvious what your lookin for, now your next post I wanna hear you tell us if your clevis is solid metal of if its the plastic filled shitass version, THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT TO KNOW TO HELP YOU ANY FURTHER, IF YOU CAN'T DO THAT THEN YOUR F'd

 

[mikevar94]

Is the clevis the rod? If so then yeah it's metal and its maxed out so you cannot see any threads. The reasons why I haven't not done this myself is one, I paid someone else 700 bucks to do it and two, if I do mess with it and that does not fix it and I bring it back to them they can then say I screwed it up

 

[dsmcurse]

Ok the clevis is the fork shaped peice that goes over the top of the clutch pedal assembaly, the fork shaped clevis then has a round straight through pin (yoke pin) that pokes through the fork shaped clevis and the flat metal portion of the pedal, the end of the yoke pin has a cotter pin (universal lil part that ya bend after inserted) yes, this is the part I want you to look at, and yes its adjustable by how far its screwed onto the rod, you know what I'm talking about, this fork shaped clevis has plasic on the INSIDE of it, its VERY hard to tell unless its removed off the car and out on the work bench, BUT, it is possible to look in there and tell, its a mofo but if you look real hard you can tell if its either solid metal, OR, plastic filled on the inside. Its important to know because if you have a plastic filled clevis you'll NEVER achieve perfect pedal feel with an increased strength pressure plate

 

[Roberti 2G]

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vYJxQyjIhUw]Proper Clutch Adjustment - YouTube[/ame]
try this and see if it helps

 

[turbo98eclipse]

Sounds like they're just trying to get over on you. How far off the floor does the clutch engage? Did you try adj the pedal?

^^ beat me to it!!

 

[mikevar94]

Ohh play got you. It's at the shop now so I can't look at it at the moment. And it catches about 2cm from the floor. Seems pretty normal. It's just a b*tch to get in gear and def has clutch drag. I read somewhere that with some of the stiffer clutches the clutch fork will need to be upgraded

 

[99ECLIPSEGSXDSM]

If you go back to this place you're not too smart. You seem like you know what needs done. I have a 2100 and stock fork and it works fine. The fact that they are trying to charge you again after they installed it wrong (obviously because they had to modify the fork) is complete insanity. You're obviously better off doing it by yourself then letting them touch your car again

 

[dsmcurse]

Makes no mention of the plastic filled clevis you must avoid like VD from a fat girl

ACT 2900pp, over 600awhp and 450awtq, still have 18year old factory mitsu fork NOT MODIFIED IN ANY WAY hmmm.....

 

[Roberti 2G]

This is why i do all my own work and ecourage others to learn how to also. Saves tons of money and headaches.

 

[jayson427]

Just had a similar experience. Had a shop do some work on my car which they called to say my timing was off and I don't have Alot of time to work on my car since I'm out of state Alot for work. So they fix it, 600 mile drive in one day shortly after my adjustable cam gear bolts come loose and I bend my valves. Fought back and forth questioning them big time. Needles to say I paid for the head job and parts. They took no fault but did cut me a huge discount on parts ect. Just be cool and level headed about it and they might cut you some slack. At least my shop did. It's a shotty situation but it happens. Good luck man.

For everyone that keeps saying I do my own work and blah blah blah that's not what he is asking or needs in this thread. Post advice or don't post.

 

[nelliott500]

Mike, it sounds like you don't have much of an understanding of how the clutch and trans work. And that's okay. Everyone starts somewhere. Before I replaced the clutch on my Talon, I was the same way.

I highly recommend that you spend some time tonight to sit down and watch Jafro's videos on how to remove a trans, replace the clutch, and reinstall the trans. Granted, he has a significantly worse issue that's requiring him to replace the clutch. His clutch plate seized to the input shaft on the trans and he had to do some special work to get it off but regardless of that, the video series is incredibly detailed and very helpful. He explains everything along the way including how the clutch fork interacts with the pressure plate.

I think that if you have a better understanding of it, when you go back to the shop, you can talk to them with a little more confidence and get them to explain the problem to you in a way that makes sense to you. Speak to them with a level head. Don't be rude or it will only make things worse. If I were around tomorrow, I would be more than happy to go to the shop with you and talk to them but my wife and I are leaving to visit our family for the holiday. If you're able to wait until next week (I don't know if this is your only car), I can swing by and take a look at the car and visit the shop together.

By the way, here is the first video in Jafro's series about replacing the clutch:

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZGDw73GoIeE]Trans & Clutch 1 - Remove Transmission - YouTube[/ame]

 

[dsmcurse]

Sounds like your buddys got your back on this one dude, not much more advice can be given I sopposse...