Slipping Clutch/ Contamination Issue
 

Hey guys, so I've been battling a slipping clutch because of what I suspect to be caused by contamination. I've dropped my transmission 4 times now and have replaced my rear main seal and its housing, oil pan gasket, and axle seals. Had the flywheel resurfaced to .610 and got a new 2600 pressure plate, because I thought mine was a 2100, and a new sbc-tz disc. Somehow I believe motor oil is getting through my bell housing and onto my clutch. From the pics below it looks almost as though it is coming from the headgasket, oil galley plug or its gear oil and coming from my input shaft (fwd).
Any thoughts?
Thanks, Mark

Re: Slipping Clutch/ Contamination Issue
 

lol just realized how bad these pics are..Going to hopefully pull the tranny tonight if I can get one of my buddies to help. Will update pics once that happens.

Re: Slipping Clutch/ Contamination Issue
 

Small crack in the case maybe? What does the contaminating fluid smell like? Once that disk gets oil or trans fluid on it, its trashed imo. Time for a new disk once you find the source

Re: Slipping Clutch/ Contamination Issue
 

I put some uv dye in the oil, trans was still full of gear fluid. Gotta find a blacklight flashlight tomorrow then i'll start searching. hopefully something simple.

Re: Slipping Clutch/ Contamination Issue
 

Pulled the trans, found what seems to be gear oil. Judging by the splat pattern in the pics of the disc and PP it looks like it was leaking towards the block. let me know what you think I should do/ look for now.

Re: Slipping Clutch/ Contamination Issue
 

Hard to tell what's going on in those pics.

Re: Slipping Clutch/ Contamination Issue
 

Mostly showing the splash pattern starting in the center working its way outward

Re: Slipping Clutch/ Contamination Issue
 

Wiped the input shaft off to see if anything will show up in the morning. Block seemed to be surprisingly dry.

Re: Slipping Clutch/ Contamination Issue
 

Check slave cylinder?

Re: Slipping Clutch/ Contamination Issue
 

Might not be the slave but just throwing out potential suspects.

Re: Slipping Clutch/ Contamination Issue
 

Checked and have replaced that as well. Definitely not brake fluid. Almost positive its gear fluid. It has a very faint smell to it so its hard to distinguish between gear fluid or oil.

Re: Slipping Clutch/ Contamination Issue
 

Anyone know how to replace the input shaft seal and willing to show a fellow dsmer? Would Gosh be able to tell if the bell housing is cracked? Need to make 100% sure its not cracked first.

Re: Slipping Clutch/ Contamination Issue
 

Got the input shaft seal replaced by Mark. Put the flywheel and clutch back on last night now I just have to lift the tranny in tonight when I get off work. Also wasn't going to take a chance of oil leaking out the galley plug so I jb welded it closed. Here are some more pics. As Mark was taking the gears out a crush washer fell out and reveled a nice size gash in the case. Glad it didn't cause more damage.
First pic is the leak shown by the UV dye on the input shaft
Second and third are the seal and location of seal
Fourth is the gash left by the random crush washer

:drive:

Re: Slipping Clutch/ Contamination Issue
 

ur linkage adjusted properly?

Re: Slipping Clutch/ Contamination Issue
 

Clutch master was adjusted properly, yes, if thats what you meant (2g). It was a leaking input shaft seal that was putting gear oil onto my disc and making it slip once boost started to hit. Should be fixed now. Only time will tell tho

Re: Slipping Clutch/ Contamination Issue
 

Got the transmission in last night, will have to finish putting her back together tonight when I get off work and hopefully start it up. I'm getting anxious to be able to boost and hopefully this solves the slipping clutch issue that has stopped me from doing that for almost a year.
Here's a pic of the trans installed. That's as far as I could get before my body shut down for the night.

Delayed once again. Quick fix.
 

Got it all back together beside the fact that the coolant sensors got ripped out of the connectors right at the base. Depinned them this morning but was unable to finish due to the power going out. Decided to lengthen the wires a little bit to make sure they don't get ripped out again and to hide them a bit more than previously. Hopefully tonight it will stop raining so I can take her for a much needed cruise.

Re: Slipping Clutch/ Contamination Issue
 

So did you put the oil soaked disk back in there?

Re: Slipping Clutch/ Contamination Issue
 

I hope for his sake he didn't

Re: Slipping Clutch/ Contamination Issue
 

Lol No way! That thing is garbage. Put a street disc in there I had laying around. Felt pretty good this morning. 15 psi hoping to turn it up tonight to at least 18. We'll see how that goes however. No leaks thus far. Going to check fluid levels and clean the garage floor tonight to triple check for any leaks.

Re: Slipping Clutch/ Contamination Issue
 

Started turning the boost up and it's now slipping pretty bad in 3rd. I want to do this clutch job this winter but want to know some things before I begin so I can do this once and for all and be done with it slipping. This is the 4th? clutch i've been through that wont hold any power. I have a ACT 2600 with street disc and ACT streetlite flywheel. No more contamination going on, it's all dry in there.

Flywheel has been stepped to .610 by Proven Force every time it's been replaced. New disc every time and have tried 2 pressure plates.

I've read you shouldn't resurface a flywheel that many times.
So i'm looking to get a new disc and flywheel.

Any suggestions?
Thanks, Mark

Re: Slipping Clutch/ Contamination Issue
 

Sounds like a solid plan, but that is a lot of disks to be blowing through. How many were because of contamination? What are you doing to break them in? Have you checked the pressure plate for any warpage?

Re: Slipping Clutch/ Contamination Issue
 

The last 2 or 3 I can't really remember were because of contamination, Pressure plate was flat with a straight edge and I sanded it prior to install.

Re: Slipping Clutch/ Contamination Issue
 

I'd say twin disk. It will cost more but the long run its worth it.

Re: Slipping Clutch/ Contamination Issue
 

A 2600 should be plenty for 20g power. I think that's a good plan to just pick-up all new clutch/flywheel components (don't reused the contaminated stuff) and start fresh.

Make sure if you're buying an ACT clutch, you get a new PP and disc. They switched designs several years ago, you don't want to end up with a mismatched PP and disc from different designs.

Re: Slipping Clutch/ Contamination Issue
 

Don't want to go twin disc as it's totally unnecessary for my power goals right now and I do eventually plan to go AWD.
What did they change? I know the disc went from 6 to 4 springs, but did they also do something to the PP or flywheel? Both my pressure plates have been used ones. One was the older part number and the one in it now is the newer part number. They had low miles, but were used none the less.
I'm really starting to think it's the flywheel being resurfaced too many times (i'm sure the previous owner had resurfaced it at least once) now there is not enough material? But I thought that pedal adjustment and shimming would make up for that?

Re: Slipping Clutch/ Contamination Issue
 

I don't know the specifics of what they changed, but I know they changed. I personally had a dragging issue with my mismatched setup. Just make sure if you're running an ACT clutch setup, that you have matching components.

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Will do. Thanks for that tip! I think i'm just going to spend the money and get an all new setup. Do you think I should stick with ACT or go a different route?

Re: Slipping Clutch/ Contamination Issue
 

Break-in for the disc was at least 300 miles of mostly city driving some hwy, lots of disengagement and engagement and every once in a while a couple pounds of boost but not more than 5.

Re: Slipping Clutch/ Contamination Issue
 

For your power levels there are a ton of different options. If I was in your shoes, I'd likely go with ACT2600/street disc. In the past I only ran stock flywheels. Today, for the right price I'd consider an aftermarket one with replacement surfaces, but I'd find the heaviest one out there. I like the idea of just buying replacement surfaces rather than sending the stocker to a machine shop for a couple days hoping they get the step right.

Re: Slipping Clutch/ Contamination Issue
 

As did I. I would also recommend match components.

While mine was the 2900 (with 7lb Fidanza FW) rather than the 2600, the thing would never slip regardless of the abuse. I've done full disc with springs, sprung 6 puck, unsprung 6, and chewed though 3x 4-pucks at about the 450 TQ level and it always held and held.

I even had to launch in 5th gear all the way from South Minneapolis down to Prior Lake because the gearbox grenaded and that was the only gear left to choose. Still held without slipping!

Sucks you're having such shit luck with you setup.

Re: Slipping Clutch/ Contamination Issue
 

I ran a couple different competition clutches with a fidanza light wweight flywheel in my old talon and had good luck with them