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

[laserspeeddemon]

Well I blew my 2600 up today. Had 9k miles on it. Never made any kind of vibration or noise, just stuck the floor. Clutch fluid level is fine, still no pressure. Will have pics up when i pull the tranny and clutch.

When the clutch disc fails, you still have pedal pressure. Check your lines, you probably have a break in the line somewhere. Seeing that you got a 90, I bet your Clutch master and slave cyclinders went out as well.

 

[Bostedquest]

I would like to refer a couple of your posts.
A reason to not street race :: pics inside::
Just sold my pc, need advice on a laptop
My point here is that you sometime talk from the anus, and I have a hard time believing you at some times. So I'm going to pick apart your post.


I work mostly on imports; mitsubishis, acuras, hondas, toyotas. The DSMs are the only car of the bunch that had such an unstable design.

ACT's clutchs are RACE proven, if they are so problematic, why do you think Sheperd and Rau still use them. I've had two ACT's clutchs in my Talon. The first one failed, when I installed the second one (after talking to ACT) I noticed BOTH dowel pins were missing. After replacing them I've had no problems with mine OR the other ones that I installed in 2 other DSMs.


I beleive you meant "TREND" here, but I'll let that go. I see that you are flexing your infinte knowledge of civil justice again, but again you are wrong. They don't have to admit anything. Especially since they have test results verifying there response to the problem. Did you call ACT and ask them anything about this issue. No you didn't. Cause you wouldn't be talking out your ass now if you did. ACT told me that they have been doing alot of R&D on this problem. They only resolution they found was to INSTALL IT CORRECTLY (meaning having the dowel pins in place)



Good!! Save them the trouble, because as soon as you get it, you'll probably install it wrong, and then call them to get a free replacement. I can hardly believe that you had ANY clutch for 20+ years, that would make you AT least 36. You sound like you are 14.

you just sound like a parrot... ACT is not the problem... ACT is not the problem...
Bwack...
People like you just anoy the #### outta me...

You claim they are all install errors...
what about the many that DO have the Dowels, installed correctly, and THEY STILL FAILED? What is your excuse for ACT now?

Do they have to admit that they might have made some bad batches? no they don't SHOULD they? if they were an honest and upstanding company yes they SHOULD.

If it is proven that the installer was not at fault, they should not be getting a "Discount" like many people in this thread got, it should be getting replaced, along with money to have the clutch R/R done.

My sole and lone point was that there is the GOOD possibility that ACT made some bad clutches, or have a poor design with only three rivets holding the hub to the friction pates.
ACT is the only clutch I have heard of failing this badly, this regularly and this CONSISTANTLY.
Yes I have seen clutches explode, but that is another story. Those were in engines putting out power equall to Bushers drag car, and the driver did not feather the clutch at all, just dumped it in. The clutch went 9 months before it had had enough. BOOM.

Should people check to see if the dowels are in before mating engine/trans?... most certainly. But if they forget, it should not cost them $400 bucks. I think not.

I never said that ACT was not used in high HP applications without failing. Deeer I know it is. But it seems really strange that they have a really bad record in DSM's... and they are the only ones I have seen thrashed (talked badly about) time and time again.

CAN they be good clutches?... Yes. CAN they be bad?... most certainly, many people on this thread will certainly say so.
CAN you install them CORRRECTLY and they STILL FAIL? MOST CERTAINLY, it has happened, many people on here SAYS IT HAS.

Now this ####ing arguement is over, sales parrot. CORRECTLY INSTALLED ACT CLUTCHES HAVE STILL FAILED.

 

[crashed97tsi]

you just sound like a parrot... ACT is not the problem... ACT is not the problem...
Bwack...
People like you just anoy the #### outta me...

You claim they are all install errors...
what about the many that DO have the Dowels, installed correctly, and THEY STILL FAILED? What is your excuse for ACT now?

Do they have to admit that they might have made some bad batches? no they don't SHOULD they? if they were an honest and upstanding company yes they SHOULD.

If it is proven that the installer was not at fault, they should not be getting a "Discount" like many people in this thread got, it should be getting replaced, along with money to have the clutch R/R done.

My sole and lone point was that there is the GOOD possibility that ACT made some bad clutches, or have a poor design with only three rivets holding the hub to the friction pates.
ACT is the only clutch I have heard of failing this badly, this regularly and this CONSISTANTLY.
Yes I have seen clutches explode, but that is another story. Those were in engines putting out power equall to Bushers drag car, and the driver did not feather the clutch at all, just dumped it in. The clutch went 9 months before it had had enough. BOOM.

Should people check to see if the dowels are in before mating engine/trans?... most certainly. But if they forget, it should not cost them $400 bucks. I think not.

I never said that ACT was not used in high HP applications without failing. Deeer I know it is. But it seems really strange that they have a really bad record in DSM's... and they are the only ones I have seen thrashed (talked badly about) time and time again.

CAN they be good clutches?... Yes. CAN they be bad?... most certainly, many people on this thread will certainly say so.
CAN you install them CORRRECTLY and they STILL FAIL? MOST CERTAINLY, it has happened, many people on here SAYS IT HAS.

Now this ####ing arguement is over, sales parrot. CORRECTLY INSTALLED ACT CLUTCHES HAVE STILL FAILED.

Ok, well I have had absolutely no problems with my ACT 2100 and flywheel. It was my first clutch installation, and yes I checked to make sure all the dowels were there and everything was aligned. Will I recommend ACT if somebody asks me? Yes absolutely, I have no reason not to. Does that make me a sales parrot also? You don't even own the product you are bashing, as you said so yourself a few posts above.

My opinion, and I stress opinion, is that there are alot of people who try and save money working on their cars themselves. That is all good, but you have to be prepared to make mistakes. For most people, their ACT clutch install was probably their first clutch install. They may have overlooked the dowels, misaligned it, etc.

Also, if somebody does a faulty installation, how is it the company's fault. It is not the company's obligation to make sure their product is idiot proof. If you don't think you have the skill or know-how to do it than get it done by a professional. If you want to try it anyway, be prepared if something goes wrong. If anything goes wrong with mine, I'm sure it will be because of some miniscule but vital detail that I overlooked, not because of a product that has been tryed and tested many times before I even got into DSM's.

Also, if you want people to see your point of view, you might try not insulting and belittling them. It works better in my opinion.

 

[Drewcool2]

Anyone have a diagram of a 7-bolt showing exactly how the bell housing is supposed to attach to the block? I would like to compare how I had my bolts and dowels in, and see if I was missing somthing that may have caused a failure.

 

[Bostedquest]

Ok, well I have had absolutely no problems with my ACT 2100 and flywheel. It was my first clutch installation, and yes I checked to make sure all the dowels were there and everything was aligned. Will I recommend ACT if somebody asks me? Yes absolutely, I have no reason not to. Does that make me a sales parrot also? You don't even own the product you are bashing, as you said so yourself a few posts above.

My opinion, and I stress opinion, is that there are alot of people who try and save money working on their cars themselves. That is all good, but you have to be prepared to make mistakes. For most people, their ACT clutch install was probably their first clutch install. They may have overlooked the dowels, misaligned it, etc.

Also, if somebody does a faulty installation, how is it the company's fault. It is not the company's obligation to make sure their product is idiot proof. If you don't think you have the skill or know-how to do it than get it done by a professional. If you want to try it anyway, be prepared if something goes wrong. If anything goes wrong with mine, I'm sure it will be because of some miniscule but vital detail that I overlooked, not because of a product that has been tryed and tested many times before I even got into DSM's.

Also, if you want people to see your point of view, you might try not insulting and belittling them. It works better in my opinion.

I did not belittle anyone until that guy took offense that I said that maybe, just maybe ACT made a batch of bad clutches.

I did not say that the company should replace an installation fault.
But when there are people stating very clearly that they made sure that everything was there, installed and fine and thier clutch still failed, something is up.
And if one clutch out of 100,000 fails it's one thing, but when people that own DSM's seem to have constant problems with them that is another thing all togeather.

I called the other guy a sales parrot because all he seemed to say was that every clutch failure was install error, which simply is not the case.

I was never bashing it. I said that they may have made a bad batch. Simple as that. I also criticized the design of only three rivets holding the hub to friction plates. That is an consumer observation, as no other manufactures' seem to have that few. Which by default leads to the conclusion that, that could very well be a contributing factor to the failures.

 

[crashed97tsi]

I did not belittle anyone until that guy took offense that I said that maybe, just maybe ACT made a batch of bad clutches.

I did not say that the company should replace an installation fault.
But when there are people stating very clearly that they made sure that everything was there, installed and fine and thier clutch still failed, something is up.
And if one clutch out of 100,000 fails it's one thing, but when people that own DSM's seem to have constant problems with them that is another thing all togeather.

I called the other guy a sales parrot because all he seemed to say was that every clutch failure was install error, which simply is not the case.

I was never bashing it. I said that they may have made a bad batch. Simple as that. I also criticized the design of only three rivets holding the hub to friction plates. That is an consumer observation, as no other manufactures' seem to have that few. Which by default leads to the conclusion that, that could very well be a contributing factor to the failures.

alright man, no worries. I'm just saying how I see you coming off here. I'm glad you explained it because obviously I was wrong. They very well could have made a bad batch, and if that is the case then yeah they should replace the faulty units. However, I am sure that some of these are also due to bad installs because lets face it, if you never did this or any type of install before there is a good chance you will make a mistake. Sometimes your lucky enough to catch it before it turns into a costly one, other times your not.

 

[Bostedquest]

alright man, no worries. I'm just saying how I see you coming off here. I'm glad you explained it because obviously I was wrong. They very well could have made a bad batch, and if that is the case then yeah they should replace the faulty units. However, I am sure that some of these are also due to bad installs because lets face it, if you never did this or any type of install before there is a good chance you will make a mistake. Sometimes your lucky enough to catch it before it turns into a costly one, other times your not.

I am sure that SOME are due to bad installs. And yes I agree that no one that has never picked up a wrench in thier life should pull the engine/trans much less replace a clutch, they will most certainly screw something up.

Just some of those pics (to me) just scream bad construction. I have never seen a clutch hub be torn from the friction plates like that. Most of the revet failures that I have seen leaves the hub on the trans spline, and the friction plates under the pressure plate. And no where near that amount of damage. It looked funny because we pulled it and it looked fine. But the hub and friction plates spun individually of each other.
Called the manufacturer and they asked for the manufacturing date and batch number, and said "We appologize we have been getting complaints about that batch number what is your address so we can overnight a new set up to you". And yes at 9:30 the next day there was a knock at the door.

 

[my95tsi]

I honeslty don't think that the three rivets holding the hub to the friction plate is a contributing factor. I do agree that they probably made a bad batch for some dsm's. But the percentage of dsm's that received that bad batch is so small. It seems larger than it really is because there are a large percentage of idiots who can't install a clutch right. ACT has always used a three rivet design and it worked out so well that the majority of people modifying dsm's use ACT. I have been using an ACT 2100 street disk and flywheel for about 9k now and the dowel pins were installed and i've had no problem whatsoever. I don't think it's fair to ACT to replace a cltuch based on faulty installation. Good for them that thye can pinpoint the bad batch and replace them as needed.

 

[laserspeeddemon]

you just sound like a parrot... ACT is not the problem... ACT is not the problem...
Bwack...
People like you just anoy the #### outta me...

You claim they are all install errors...
what about the many that DO have the Dowels, installed correctly, and THEY STILL FAILED? What is your excuse for ACT now?

Do they have to admit that they might have made some bad batches? no they don't SHOULD they? if they were an honest and upstanding company yes they SHOULD.

If it is proven that the installer was not at fault, they should not be getting a "Discount" like many people in this thread got, it should be getting replaced, along with money to have the clutch R/R done.

My sole and lone point was that there is the GOOD possibility that ACT made some bad clutches, or have a poor design with only three rivets holding the hub to the friction pates.
ACT is the only clutch I have heard of failing this badly, this regularly and this CONSISTANTLY.
Yes I have seen clutches explode, but that is another story. Those were in engines putting out power equall to Bushers drag car, and the driver did not feather the clutch at all, just dumped it in. The clutch went 9 months before it had had enough. BOOM.

Should people check to see if the dowels are in before mating engine/trans?... most certainly. But if they forget, it should not cost them $400 bucks. I think not.

I never said that ACT was not used in high HP applications without failing. Deeer I know it is. But it seems really strange that they have a really bad record in DSM's... and they are the only ones I have seen thrashed (talked badly about) time and time again.

CAN they be good clutches?... Yes. CAN they be bad?... most certainly, many people on this thread will certainly say so.
CAN you install them CORRRECTLY and they STILL FAIL? MOST CERTAINLY, it has happened, many people on here SAYS IT HAS.

Now this ####ing arguement is over, sales parrot. CORRECTLY INSTALLED ACT CLUTCHES HAVE STILL FAILED.

This argument is not over, because you posted a reply after that. So now, you are kinda arguing without me.

You are so un-informed on this. You say that I am a sales rep for ACT. But you failed to realize that I am responsible for this thread. In fact, I was instrumental in a fight against ACT to get out money back.
ACT clutch falls apart!! **pics**
ACT Clutch Problem... We fight back.
I changed my mind when ACT provided such a convincing case and their resolution worked everytime I performed a clutch install using their products. Also this problem is a DSM isolated issue. No other import vehicle using their products are having this problem.

Lastly I would like to show evidence supporting their case.

These ACT clutches failed

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This one did not.

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DO YOU SEE A COMMON OCCURRENCE!!!!!

 

[Bostedquest]

This argument is not over, because you posted a reply after that. So now, you are kinda arguing without me.

You are so un-informed on this. You say that I am a sales rep for ACT. But you failed to realize that I am responsible for this thread. In fact, I was instrumental in a fight against ACT to get out money back.
ACT clutch falls apart!! **pics**
ACT Clutch Problem... We fight back.
I changed my mind when ACT provided such a convincing case and their resolution worked everytime I performed a clutch install using their products. Also this problem is a DSM isolated issue. No other import vehicle using their products are having this problem.

Lastly I would like to show evidence supporting their case.


DO YOU SEE A COMMON OCCURRENCE!!!!!

Man you just are a brick wall aren't you?
You just cannot accept the fact that CORRECTLY INSTALLED CLUTCHES HAVE STILL FAILED.
I NEVER SAID THAT EVERY FAILURE WAS A BAD PRODUCT, I even said that some are probably caused by a bad install.
Unlike you that wants to blame every single DSM clutch failure on an installation error.

And pointing to the above statement there are many statements of failures where shops have installed them, and they failed.
There have been knowlagable people install them, that made sure everything was correct... you know what? THEY STILL FAILED.

Lastly, they (in my eyes) have a VERY CLEAR design flaw. What is it? they only use 3 rivets to hold the hub to the friction plates.
Now considering the stress that these can see, it is a wonder (to me at least) why more have not failed.

Now can you grow up and admit that even CORRECTLY installed ACT clutches HAVE STILL FAILED?

 

[boostedinaz]

It has already been posted that due to a FEW failures that ACT has redesigned there streetdisk with 4 rivits.


I will say this again for those that think ACT is a horrible company. They had a small amount of failures compared to the number of disk that have work perfectly.

 

[Bostedquest]

It has already been posted that due to a FEW failures that ACT has redesigned there streetdisk with 4 rivits.


I will say this again for those that think ACT is a horrible company. They had a small amount of failures compared to the number of disk that have work perfectly.

I never said they were a horrible company.
I simply posted personal comments on given information, and personal observation of thier products.

 

[boostedinaz]

I never said they were a horrible company.
I simply posted personal comments on given information, and personal observation of thier products.

Man you need to calm down a bit, I never said you specificly.



We get it some failed with proper install and most didnt. They fixed the problem and everone knows how to propely install a clutch.

Now, let it go.

 

[Coup D E'Tat]

Every local here lives on 2600's with street disks, including myself, without one failure.

 

[laserspeeddemon]

Man you just are a brick wall aren't you?
You just cannot accept the fact that CORRECTLY INSTALLED CLUTCHES HAVE STILL FAILED.
I NEVER SAID THAT EVERY FAILURE WAS A BAD PRODUCT, I even said that some are probably caused by a bad install.
Unlike you that wants to blame every single DSM clutch failure on an installation error.

And pointing to the above statement there are many statements of failures where shops have installed them, and they failed.
There have been knowlagable people install them, that made sure everything was correct... you know what? THEY STILL FAILED.

Lastly, they (in my eyes) have a VERY CLEAR design flaw. What is it? they only use 3 rivets to hold the hub to the friction plates.
Now considering the stress that these can see, it is a wonder (to me at least) why more have not failed.

Now can you grow up and admit that even CORRECTLY installed ACT clutches HAVE STILL FAILED?

Yea, I'm a brick wall and a damn good speaker. But unlike you I have personal experience with this issue and this product. You yourself said that you have not used ACT.
In my last post, the first pic is of my Talon, the last is my Eclipse. So I have had success and failures with this product. And success installing this clutch in other DSMs as well.


About the rivets, Clutch Masters and Exedy uses 3.
Clutch Masters

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Exedy

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So why aren't any threads of these clutches failing? Because the design is NOT flawed. If you took any kind of engineering course, you'd understand why.

Also you speak of a shop that it doesn't make mistakes. I got expirence there as well. And let me tell you SHOPS MAKE MISTAKES.

 

[BenGSX]

Ive only seen one act fail personally. And when we pulled it guess what we found.. Dowels missing and only a few bell bolts installed to boot..

 

[paranoidTSi]

Now my question is, I'm not against the theory of the Dowels..but I would like to know WHY exactly AWD vehicles have MORE problems with this than FWD vehicles if it was TRUELY is the Dowels causing this problem? AWD Vehicles are much less common than FWD vehicles, you'd think you'd hear it from FWD people more than AWD people if this was a dowel problem.

 

[boostedinaz]

Now my question is, I'm not against the theory of the Dowels..but I would like to know WHY exactly AWD vehicles have MORE problems with this than FWD vehicles if it was TRUELY is the Dowels causing this problem? AWD Vehicles are much less common than FWD vehicles, you'd think you'd hear it from FWD people more than AWD people if this was a dowel problem.

AWD puts more stain on the clutch than a FWD vehicle. When a FWD spining the AWD is putting all that power through the clutch.

 

[Drewcool2]

Now that I look at it, I had 2 dowels in the bell housing that would match up to the bottom of the block.
My question still remains how many and where the dowels and bolts are supposed to be. That diagram is of a 6-bolt, and slightly different. A diagram of a 7-bolt would be nice to look at, but I can't find one.

On this diagram, which is only similar to a 7-bolt, I have a dowel that fits in the lower-left hole but there is no threads for a bolt. I have bolts in all the other holes.


Can someone post a picture of what it's supposed to look like on a 7-bolt, and where bolts and dowels are supposed to be?

 

[my95tsi]

Now my question is, I'm not against the theory of the Dowels..but I would like to know WHY exactly AWD vehicles have MORE problems with this than FWD vehicles if it was TRUELY is the Dowels causing this problem? AWD Vehicles are much less common than FWD vehicles, you'd think you'd hear it from FWD people more than AWD people if this was a dowel problem.

I really don't think it has anything to do with being fwd or awd. Sure awd puts more strain on a clutch but if you look around there are more modified awd's than fwd dsm's.

 

[Mike1992]

I just bought a used ACT pressure plate from a local guy off his 90 gsx hes parting out. This thread scares the shit outta me. But it seems people are having problems with the disks not the pressure plates, so what disk should I use with this pressure plate? SBR disk?

 

[Coup D E'Tat]

Don't let a handful of people who've had problems scare you into not installing it. I can't even imagine how many people run a 2600 with no problems.

 

[crashed97tsi]

Don't let a handful of people who've had problems scare you into not installing it. I can't even imagine how many people run a 2600 with no problems.

seriously. It's a proven product, and this internet witch hunt better not kill it.

 

[RiceKiller_TSi]

Can someone post a picture of what it's supposed to look like on a 7-bolt, and where bolts and dowels are supposed to be?

I just pulled my 7bolt last night. I will post pics for you when I leave work.

 

[RiceKiller_TSi]

7bolt. I only see one dowel. Hey what happened to sigs?



<a href="http://www.misterdeedub.com/7bolt.jpg" target="new">Click for full sized pic.</a>