Clutch Manufacturing Fault

[macca666]

Have just had the clutch out of my Tam ( after only 5K miles) because it was dragging badly.

Friction plates have a very course copper appearance like its made up of starnds of 3mm copper.

Its a stsndard AP unit puchased 11 months ago.

I am trying to get my money back, but more importantly does anyone have any experience of this. How many other faulty AP units have been found.

[thegreengoblet]

I'm just starting a similar thing with my Clever Trevour Raceproved unit in my Cerb. And that's only done 3k miles

[macca666]

thegreengoblet said:

I'm just starting a similar thing with my Clever Trevour Raceproved unit in my Cerb. And that's only done 3k miles

keep in touch and let me know how you get on. I will do same

[thegreengoblet]

Well the initial response from Fernhurst is that Clever Trevor will not do anything re refund or partial compensation. For a new clutch, labour, and VAT it's going to set me back the best part of £1k. So I need to speak to the chap myself once I've seen the Clutch. Apparently it's completely burnt out. If I get no joy there, then it's onto Raceproved. As far as I'm concerned, it's not fit for it's purpose.

[bade90]

hi, test drove a t350 yesterday and was shown the car history. went through 4 clutches in 22k miles. diagnosis after all those clutches and cost was that the bell housing and flywheel hadnt been manufactured properly. Pretty sure those were the bits mentioned. Car was owned and taken care of religiously by a woman in her forties so wouldnt have been due to track abuse.
hope i helped slightly

[trackcar]

thegreengoblet said:

Well the initial response from Fernhurst is that Clever Trevor will not do anything re refund or partial compensation. For a new clutch, labour, and VAT it's going to set me back the best part of £1k. So I need to speak to the chap myself once I've seen the Clutch. Apparently it's completely burnt out. If I get no joy there, then it's onto Raceproved. As far as I'm concerned, it's not fit for it's purpose.

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&t=488811

Is this the second clutch you've burnt out then or still using the original replacement you burnt out in the thread I've linked to? Either way : if it's still the original clutch as in the thread then you'd already killed it yourself by bad driving technique by continuously slipping it up a long hill in slow moving traffic, if it's a replacement thats burnt out again either your driving is still to blame or your car has a fault contributing to the premature failure of the clutches .. either way why should the clutch maker pay out for that? or have I missed something?

[thegreengoblet]

trackcar said:

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

Is this the second clutch you've burnt out then or still using the original replacement you burnt out in the thread I've linked to? Either way : if it's still the original clutch as in the thread then you'd already killed it yourself by bad driving technique by continuously slipping it up a long hill in slow moving traffic, if it's a replacement thats burnt out again either your driving is still to blame or your car has a fault contributing to the premature failure of the clutches .. either way why should the clutch maker pay out for that? or have I missed something?

This is the sort of response I'd expect from your typical garage... but not from a respected specialist like yourself Jools. Let me explain (just in case you have the wrong end of the stick)...

One day a little over a year ago I failed to get 1st gear. She was towed to Fernhurst with a suspected clutch finger failure as there was no evidence of fluid inside the footwell or outside on the drive. At the same time, AP were not supplying clutches (due to the TVR issue) and so I made the decision that Fernhurst should replace the clutch with Clever Trevor parts which they sourced. Upon removal, it was found that the AP clutch was ok and it was the slave that had given up. That clutch was on 25k miles so I took the decision to replace anyway (note my wife sometimes reads my posts and she doesn't know that I could of kept the old clutch hence my incomplete explanation). I replaced the slave with a Clever Trevor unit at the same time as well as the OEM Master unit. From day 1 it was difficult to get 1st gear. I was told that this was normal and it would improve. After about 2 months it did eventually start to get better, but there have always been the occassional problem getting 1st gear. I know of at least 2 others that have had the same problem selecting gears. And also, there seems to be lots of others that have never had any problems. Could this be related to my clutch burning out? Anyway. One day not so long ago, as stated in the post above - I got stuck in traffic on the motorway. I don't have Arnie size Calfs so the usual driving method of nose to tail crawling cannot be done in a Cerb. Instead you wait for many car lengths before taking up the slack. In my Cerb, you can inch forward without the use of the throttle when she's well hot. After about an hour and no problems or smells etc, off I went for 15 minutes doing 70mph to my exit. Only then did I hit a steep hill in traffic. It's only 400 yrds long. Same technique applied as on the motorway except throttle is required - I never continuously slip the clutch or burn it when pulling away. Instantly she begins to slip and that god awlful smell. We all know that beyond a certain angle the handbrake doesn't work so this doesn't help either. Anyway, I got stuck here for 15 minutes. maybe had to pull forward 20 times?? Beyond the hill and on the straight, slippage without no clutch pedal action. I don't think I've ever been totally happy with it. I can remember of other occassions of smelling the clutch burning. And as I said in my post, my biting point use to travel up the pedal when the car was hot and had been on a long run - not stuck in traffic. I believe that there has always been an issue with it. Either a manufacuring fault or an install problem. I've got the clutch and there is no material on the pates whatsoever. It's right down to the metal. Looks like it's done 103k miles not 3k. And 3k miles is criminal. I use my Cerb everyday and I've never had an issue with the old AP unit slipping in traffic. And I'm now a grand lighter that could of gone on my SP exhaust/whirlwind/remap upgrade. The trouble I'm going to have is proving whether or not it's a manufacturing issue or an install error.

[trackcar]

I'm not aware of anyone else having had premature wear problems with their CT clutches (and I used to build the parts up into complete units for Raceproved before they got their full manufacturing underway so I've seen / heard most scenarios first hand) .. the lack of wear on other units still suggests a problem with your car etc .. seeing as your clutch wont have one-off friction plates they must be the same as all the other clutches made around that same time .. so that still rather points to a problem elsewhere .. but as you say your problem is proof one way or the other.

[thegreengoblet]

I've spoke to Keith of CT and he was very helpful. They have offered a complete swap for the clutch - which is a problem as I now have an AP unit fitted. Annoys me as there has been a break down in communication between CT and Fernies. Could of saved me £600 straight away. CT are going to offer me another package. Really pleased with their response. I couldn't go through them direct initially as Fernies had purchased the clutch, not me. Anyway, we'll see how it pans out.

And you are right Jools, there seems to be another issue. I picked the car up at lunchtime and drove it back down to Southampton. Just as I got to work, it started to misbehave - crunching on the change up from 3rd to 4th. Pedal seemed a little spongey. I made it to work, parked up and returned a little later. However I cannot select any gears now - I can eventually force it (into 3rd and only when the engine is off), but it is very difficult. I also get a horrible whirling noise all the time when she's idleing, except when the pedal has been pushed fully to the floor?? It raises in pitch with engine revs. Guessing it must be the slave?? Anyway, being low-loaded tomorrow at Fernies expense. Oh what fun.....