Did your ACT clutch fail on you? If so, post here

[blackGSX2g]

I'll see what I can dig up.

I know for a fact the the wiseman, project_tsi, tried to use a old style 2900 PP with a new style 4-spring 6-puck disk, and he was never even able to make it out of the garage due to harsh disengagement issues. Upon disassembly, he learned that the PP fingers were heavily riding on the larger diameter spings in the 4-sping disk. He ended up running a clutchnet disk that has smaller springs that clear the PP fingers. I'll see if I can get him to chime in.

Hmm, hadn't heard of that. My first ACT split a spring (old style) and I replaced it with one with the 4 larger springs several years ago. Been running that with the old PP ever since with no issues. I replaced the clutch disc last winter when everything was apart (just so I didn't have to again soon) and there was no paint wear on the springs. Maybe it depends on how you have it adjusted.

 

[99gst_racer]

Here's where Dan breifly mentioned the issue with his: www.wmdsm.com - Onad's 93 GSXXX

The disks with the smaller springs clear the old pressure plates just fine. If the PP fingers are making contact with the disk springs, it can (and probably will) cause engagement issues and can eventually cause the PP fingers to break off.

 

[Artago]

Here's where Dan breifly mentioned the issue with his: www.wmdsm.com - Onad's 93 GSXXX

The disks with the smaller springs clear the old pressure plates just fine. If the PP fingers are making contact with the disk springs, it can (and probably will) cause engagement issues and can eventually cause the PP fingers to break off.

That's EXACTLY what happened to me.

I sent it off to ACT and they replaced the PP with a new 2100 unit. They sent back the old disk re-surfaced but with the old springs.

How can I check that PP fingers are not hitting the disk springs again?

Is there a new style and old style PP? If so how can I tell the difference?

Tom

 

[99gst_racer]

How can I check that PP fingers are not hitting the disk springs again?

The only way to know for sure is to take it all apart and check for interference wear marks on the springs and the backside of the PP fingers.

Is there a new style and old style PP? If so how can I tell the difference?

Yeah, there's definitely more than one style pressure plate. I have no idea how to tell the difference between them though. There's bound to be a thread about it somewhere around here, though.

 

[spyder420]

i bought an act 2100 w tob full facedisc from bushur racing $290 it lasted from 5-5-04-4-5-06 two fingers on the pp went

 

[Artago]

There's bound to be a thread about it somewhere around here, though.

I've tried looking but my search skills suck. If you happen to come across one would you mind posting a link please?

Thanks,

Tom

 

[jer_07]

Hey guys, so I must have TERRIBLE LUCK.

I bought an ACT 2600 about a year ago and installed it. Its worked fine up until this last Sunday. I was merging onto the highway, shifting normal when i heard a loud screech. I pulled over at the next available spot i had gear fluid leaking like CRAZY out of my trans. I was so furious at this point...

When i replaced the clutch i also replace the trans with a TRE Stage 3 with Quaife LSD.

Well, I took the trans off last night only to find that my clutch had failed. one of the prongs on the pressure plate busted off and SMACKED A HOLE in my $3.5K transmission. It also ruined my flywheel. I could not believe it. I was astonished. This is rediculous?! How can they make such poor products and expect people to keep buying them?

I'm going to post pictures later tonight. I'm going to get a workup of the cost to fix all of this and call up ACT and get some answers... They should stand behind their product and atleast help me pay for the repairs. I mean seriously... This just should not happen. Poor quality and performance.

Trust me, I'm NEVER buying an ACT clutch again, and if i have anything to do with it, i'll make sure a lot of other people wont as well..

 

[eazy2g]

Hey guys, so I must have TERRIBLE LUCK.

I bought an ACT 2600 about a year ago and installed it. Its worked fine up until this last Sunday. I was merging onto the highway, shifting normal when i heard a loud screech. I pulled over at the next available spot i had gear fluid leaking like CRAZY out of my trans. I was so furious at this point...

When i replaced the clutch i also replace the trans with a TRE Stage 3 with Quaife LSD.

Well, I took the trans off last night only to find that my clutch had failed. one of the prongs on the pressure plate busted off and SMACKED A HOLE in my $3.5K transmission. It also ruined my flywheel. I could not believe it. I was astonished. This is rediculous?! How can they make such poor products and expect people to keep buying them?

I'm going to post pictures later tonight. I'm going to get a workup of the cost to fix all of this and call up ACT and get some answers... They should stand behind their product and atleast help me pay for the repairs. I mean seriously... This just should not happen. Poor quality and performance.

Trust me, I'm NEVER buying an ACT clutch again, and if i have anything to do with it, i'll make sure a lot of other people wont as well..

Have you got anything back from them yet? I'm interested to see what the outcome of this whole thing will be, whether they are going to help you repair your trans...

 

[stjoetalon]

I just had my street disc's center come out of the disc. Disk had MAYBE 100 easy miles on it. It was used in a 2900 pressure plate.

 

[v8s_are_slow]

I went with a 4 puck unsprung clutch disc and will never go back to a sprung hub again. Basically, if you search around, just about every clutch out there for dsm's have thrown a spring. It's nice to finally have piece of mind, knowing my clutch won't throw one anymore.

 

[gsxMike]

Any recent reviews on the Act clutches lately? What clutches are working for people?

 

[Chaosweaver]

I personally haven't had any issues with ACT clutches yet *knocks on wood* and that's the only clutch I use. The one I have in the GSX currently has about 700 miles and the one in the Talon has 4-5 thousand give or take.

 

[DSM4me44]

DO NOT BUY AN ACT CLUTCH!

I am furious beyond words. I had a finger break off my pressure plate today messing up my flywheel and clutch. This is THE 2ND TIME this has happened in 4 YEARS. I drive my call to school and back. I don't go to the drag strip, I do not do launches, I do not beat the crap out of my car.

So what ACT is telling me that with normal driving, it should be ok for this to happen TWICE in 4 YEARS?? I will be calling them tomorrow...

If you buy an ACT clutch, you better have the money to replace your clutch, flywheel, and whatever else you'll need every year and a half.

 

[red1993gsallmt]

no matter what clutch you look at you will find negitive feedback. i didnt have a spring pop or a pressure plate finger break but i had a bad drag issue that led me to belive my trans had problems, i have taken it out and sent it back to shep, he told me it was fine so i sent it to dogbox racing they said it looked great, so i re machined the flywheel, got a new clutch fork but still i couldnt get the car to slide into second above 6k rpm, it wouldnt grind it would just lockout( come to find out thats part of a syncros job), so i changed the pedal assemby but still no good. Then i adjusted the clucth to the point to where i would hear the pressure plate fingers hitting the springs when i pushed the clutch in. So i call act and they tell me that the lock out issue with a street disk is a common thing you need a 4 puck. So i try that STILL NO GOOD, then i start playing with fluids and cables but nothing solved it until i changed my clutch to a spec stage 2+. Now it shifts great, what happens with the 2600 i think is the fingers hit the springs on the disk before it can disengage far enough to let the input shaft free. Act's stuff is just old news, the spec clutch just seems to be so well engineered compared to act. Act is stuck on "more pressure holds more power" which is true put my spec is rated for 400 ft lb and the pedal pressure is lighter then stock.

 

[JayRolla]

Ive ran ACT for over 6 years and never had one fail. I did have a sprung OEM disc fail but thats going to happen to any sprung hub. 2600 PP with a solid 4 puck ceramic is the best way to go. The 4 puck is light so it shifts at higher rpms and is smoother. Also since its solid you dont have to worry about breaking the springs and its ceramic so it can take abuse without falling apart. Its also all about clutch adjustment.

 

[red_devil]

Is anyone having dragging issues with a 2600 and southbend disc?

 

[pj91gsx]

RECENT FAILURE: bought the clutch brand new from MA performance 400 dollars on sale. Installed it, shimed the pivot ball. Clutch worked okay, would grind a little putting it in 1st. around 1000 miles the clutch would no longer disengage. Took the trans off and added a washer in front of the pivot ball and between the fork, and it still would not disengage the clutch. The clutch disk looked fine and so did the pressure plate. We put in an Xedy clutch and 6 puck and no grinds. i dont understand, the clutch was super stiff though, supposed to be a 2600 with street disk. And it was daily driven. usually if there is a default in a product it happens in the early stages off use like this one.

 

[GORBS88]

I've ran 2 ACT clutches and there flywheel with NO "failures". I over powered the 2100 and it began to slip at no fault of the clutch.
I then upgraded to a CF dual friction clutch that held ALOT more power then the 2100 but began to overpower that too. I'm now running the ACT 2900 PP and the street disk aswell as the streetlite flywheel and still running strong. NO shimmed pivot ball and no disengagment issues. I also checked for the alignment dowl pins in the block and they both are there. Mabe just good luck? I'm not sure but i just wanted to add my experiences.

 

[Jafro]

I have an ACT clutch problem that's not in the poll. The clutch disc spun the splines on the input shaft. Now the two are fused together. I would much rather have had the springs fail and hose my flywheel. The transmission isn't even as old as an oil change. This is transmission #4. FML.

 

[livedsm4g63]

So I was driving 30 mph, foot only on the gas. I hear a tink, tink. First I thought that a nut came off something, so me owning this car for a good 5 years thought, oh well. I turn right at a light and hear it again..... tink tink. So I coasted to my buddies, where I was going. Mind you it was a 2 min drive.

Didn't think much of it so i went in and talked for a few and I told him how I was hearing a weird noise. We decided to go take a look under the hood and this is what we found. Mind you, the first thing checked was to make sure I could push in the slave cylinder, and i could. I just got my pedal assembly back from Shep Monday as well. Fork was good, trow out bearing was also in excellent shape, with the clip on it.

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Found one finger on the top of the transmission and the other was wedge in-between the pressure plate and clutch disk. What are some expert opinions from the moderators? The pressure plate was less then a year old. I forget when exactly I ordered it. All I know was, it wasn't long ago.

 

[cyclonekid77]

How many miles were on it? What alot of people don't realize is these performance clutches are only designed to be used for 10,000 miles in a street/strip car.

 

[livedsm4g63]

Less then that, I never even launched the car.

 

[silicosys4]

Damn, more ACT follies... Was that an older PP that sat in your closet before you put it in? I thought ACT had at least attempted to take care of this issue. It makes me worry about the 2100 I have sitting in my closet waiting to go in.

 

[livedsm4g63]

Nope it was brand new less then a year ago. Maybe 5k on it.

 

[cyclonekid77]

Damn, more ACT follies... Was that an older PP that sat in your closet before you put it in? I thought ACT had at least attempted to take care of this issue. It makes me worry about the 2100 I have sitting in my closet waiting to go in.

If it makes you feel any better, Im running a ACT 2600 kit in my car that was manufactured in 04 So far so good. The clutch has been in 3 different cars now and has a total of maybe 4000 miles on it. If it survives until the winter it will be getting replaced by a south bend setup.