I THOUGHT GETTING A NEW CLUTCH AND FLYWHEEL FOR MY RX-8 WOULD BE A GREAT UPLIFTING EXPERIENCE AND AS OF RIGHT NOW I'M VERY DISAPPOINTED. HERE'S WHY!

RECENTLY, I ORDERED AN ACT 1 FLYWHEEL STREETLITE ALONG WITH THE CENTERFORCE CLUTCH DFX 6 PUCK DISC . (WHAT MAKES THIS INTERESTING I DID NOT ORDER THE COUNTERWEIGHT PIECE FOR THE FLYWHEEL NOR THE RELEASING BEARING OR THE PILOT BEARING)
THIS GUY AT THE PERFORMANCE SHOP FORGOT TO MENTION THAT I WOULD NEED THOSE PARTS FOR MY FLYWHEEL! FREAKIN' JACKA$$

*NOW MIGHT I ADD I'VE NEVER DRIVIN' STICK AND ITS BEEN 4MONTHS SINCE I PURCHASED THE CAR. DRIVING STICK BEATS DRIVING A V8 TRUCK ANY DAY OF THE WEEK!

SO GETTING BACK TO MY POINT. I FOUND A MECHANIC WHO USED TO WORK FOR MAZDA AND HE GAVE ME A GREAT DEAL TO INSTALL THE CLUTCH AND FLYWHEEL FOR ME AT $400 AT HIS BOYS SHOP. WHAT A GREAT DEAL RIGHT! WAIT....THAT'S NOT ALL! I BRING MY CAR TO THE SHOP AND OF COURSE I'M THERE HELPING HIM DRAIN THE TRANNY FLUID AND THEN TAKING THE TRANNY OUT. WHICH WAS A GREAT EXPERIENCE TO SEE. NOW WHEN IT CAME DOWN TO INSTALLING THE FLYWHEEL THE MECHANIC TOLD ME IT CAN'T BE DON'T SINCE I'M MISSING THE PILOT BEARING ETC.... SO OF COURSE I TOLD HIM INSTALL THE CENTERFORCE CLUTCH AND I'LL GET THOSE EXTRA PARTS LATER FOR NEXT TIME. SO AFTER 5 HOURS THE TRANSMISSION AND BOLTS ARE BACK IN. NOW WHEN IT CAME DOWN TO POURING THE TRANNY FLUID BACK IN MY MECHANIC WASN'T TOO SURE ABOUT WHICH ONE TO USE. NOW I DIDN'T KNOW THIS IS TRICKY PART BECAUSE MAZDA USES STANDARD 80' 90' 08 NOT THE STANDARD OEM IF I'M CORRECT. THE MECHANIC PUTS THE STANDARD OEM TYPE FLUID. SO ON IN THE FOLLOWING MORNING I START THE CAR AND I GET REAL ANNOYING SLUGGISH SOUND COMING OUT OF MY CAR! NOW BEFORE I GOT THE CLUTCH CHANGED MY CAR HAD A SWEET AGGRESSIVE SOUND. AFTER THE INSTALLATION MY CAR HAS LESS POWER AND EVERY TIME I TRIED TO ACCELERATE THE RATTLING/SPITTING NOISE GETS LOUDER IT GETS TO A POINT I CAN'T EVEN LISTEN TO MY MUSIC IN MY CAR AND MY HEAD FEELS LIKE EXPLODING. I CALLED MY MECHANIC ABOUT IT AND HE TELLS ME ITS SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE PART THAT CONNECTS TO THE EXHAUST PIPE WHICH NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. OF COURSE HIS GONNA WORK ON IT SOMETIME THIS WEEK BUT REALLY WHAT SHOULD I DO AT THIS POINT? I WANT MY BABY BACK!

 

HAHAHAHA! n00b!!!!

For some odd reason, I felt like you deserved that after trying to read your post.

 

Why change your clutch? What was wrong with the stock one? Flywheel I can see but why a Clutch?

 

I was thinking the same too. The OEM clutch is actually a stage 1, I believe it's manufactured by Exedy (it might be ACT, I can't remember).

 

hmm, yeah that sounds like a 6 puck.

Sounds like he didn't adjust the clutch piston correctly and it is not engaging fully when your foot is off the pedal. That would explain the chatter and loss of power.

But that disc is pretty hardcore, a 6 puck in a stock rx8? Man, the only thing your asking for with that is a tough time to drive, a toasted flywheel, and noise.

CAPS LOCK OFF.

 

First mistake : 6 puck disc for stock NA rx-8? u asked for the trouble

Second mistake : The Mech that u found to do the install obviously is not very skilled, you dont have to replace your pilot bearing everytime u change ur clutch. but you should replace your Rear Tranny Seal and throwout bearing everytime u drop ur tranny. I even replaced the front tranny seal couple days ago when they dropped my tranny, oh also, 400 bux is NOT a steal, the place did mine for 380, and has all the tools u need to complete the install.

Third mistake : obviously u did not do enough homework b4 u go ahead and replace the Clutch & FW, if u want to do a worry-free clutch & FW to aftermarket swap , you will need the following :

ACT or Mazda Counter weight(a must)
The Aftermarket Flywheel itself(a must)
The Bolts to secure the Counter Weight & Flywheel from Mazda for best fitment(a must)
Clutch disc and Pressure Plate(a must)
All Pressure plate Bolts(should came with the Clutch & PP setup, a must)
Medium grade sealant for the Big 54mm nut(blue type, MUST MUST MUST! Unless you want to die)
pilot bearing & pilot bearing seal(not always, but if u have the tool go ahead and replace it)
Mazda tool to take the pilot bearing(trust me on this one, without it, its a nightmare, a must if u want to replace the pilot bearing)
Throwout bearing(a must)
Tranny Rear seal (a must)
Front Tranny seal (might not needed if its not leaking)
Good quality grease(a packet might come with ur PP, I know mine did, but I still got some Mobil1 stuff, but most shops should have some white ones around and it will be fine)
a mech who knows what he/she is doing(MUST MUST MUST)
Good quality Tranny fluid(Must, 75w90 grade, Redline 75w90NS, MT-90 & MTL 50/50 mix, or Royal Purple Maxgear, or Mazda Factory Fluid)
A Good Torque Wrench can support at least 320 ft lbs of TQ (A MUST ! The place where I work on has one thats up to 500 lbs! they dont even believe me when I asked them to TQ the big Nut @ 350 ft lbs !)

 

It was installed with out a counter weight and you told him to do it?

 

Can't install it without a counterweight....nothing to bolt anything to....something is fishy about this.....Seems like a crock

 

WELL JUST TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION ABOUT THE CLUTCH. EVER SINCE I CHANGED THE CLUTCH IT FEELS GREAT! THE ONLY PROBLEM IS IT'S JUST THE NOISE COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE CAR IS DRIVING ME CRAZY...

AS FOR THE TRANNY FLUID I'M GOING OUT TODAY TO BUY THE ROYAL PURPLE MAXGEAR. ALSO I'M CHANGING THE PART BETWEEN MY TRANNY AND THE EXHAUST WITH THE MECHANIC ASAP!

TELL YOU TRUTH I FOUND OUT ABOUT THE CLUTCH FROM ANOTHER MEMBER FROM THIS SITE ON ANOTHER THREAD REGARDING THE SAME CLUTCH I GOT. HE EXPLAINS TO ME THAT IT GRAPS QUICK AND THATS EXACTLY WHAT I WANTED. I JUST DIDN'T KNOW THAT WITH THE FLYWHEEL I WOULD NEED THOSE EXTRA PARTS SUCH AS THE COUNTERWEIGHT.

THANKS FOR THE INFO THOUGH..!

 

Here's a suggestion:
- Turn off CAPS LOCK

 

(the caps lock button is not your friend)

 

TRUTHFULLY I WAS THINKING THE SAME THING. HOWEVER, EVER SINCE I GOT IT INSTALLED IT FEELS SO MUCH LIGHTER THAN THE EXEDY CLUTCH SINGLE PUCK TYPE. AS FOR THE FLYWHEEL I HAVE TO GET THE REST OF THE PARTS BY MAIL TO INSTALL IT SOME TIME NEXT WEEK.

I STILL HAVE THE STOCK FLYWHEEL IN MY TRANNY WITH MY NEW CLUTCH INSTALLED.

 

 

say good buy to your transmission after you install maxgear.

 

btw, I paid $700 with shipping for prolite flywheel, counterweight, with new bearings and misc parts included, and act hd clutch. install for clutch and flywheel should run you between 300-400. You receive no bargain.

 

he speaketh the truth...

 

Holy crap

 

 

so my tranny is goodbye ?

Well, Im switching to MT-90 soon, maybe friday if its not raining.

 

don't worry caps will be off from now on. Mybad

 

Well in nassau county on average quotes run between $500-690. I checked out pep boys, k&r transmissions, and other third parties for quotes. So when i came of across $400 i was satisfied with that.

 

I just came back from the shop finally and the annoooooyingggg sound is dead! My mechanic changed a gauge piece which looked like a large thin ring with a thin piece of rubber wrapped in on to it. Also the washer piece loosened from the exhaust leak and that was replaced.

As a result everything turned out smooth now i just gotta be patient for my flywheel parts.

Can't freakin' wait!

 

I almost faint when I saw the word *pepboys* ...

I did mine @ 380, I could've got it cheaper if I talk more, but its fine.

and the install was very professional. Have u ever seen a 500 lbs Torque Wrench ?

So u gonna keep dropping ur transmission everytime u get new parts?

 

YEA I STILL HAVE THIS ACT 1 FLYWHEEL SITTING IN MY CAR AND I WANT THIS AFTERMARKET PART INSTALLED SOON. THIS FACTORY FLYWHEEL HAS TO GO!

 

dammn caps lock button...thats all folks!