Fidanza Clutch Fail

[runxz]

So my clutch is dying so after some research i decide to go with the Fidanza light flywheel and clutch kit...great. I purchased the parts from Matt at monkeywrench racing online and the parts were sent quickly. So Saturday rolls around and we start work early in the morning to get through everything in one day. Laptop in hand we follow the instructions in the corolla repair manual to a T, every bolt goes back up with lok tite and a torque wrench. Finally after many hours we check and recheck everything and start the car. We take the car for a drive and its running great. Fidanza tells me there is no break in period but i dont buy that so i drive it easy for the first 2 days. I find i get a burning smell for the 2 days and the car makes quite a bit of noise when you are in neutral and u dont depress the clutch. Im told this is normal so i continue to go about my business feeling happy about my purchase especially as i have run ACT before for years in my last corolla and i have saved 140 us on the clutch kit going with a Fidanza kit. 4 days of the clutch being in and i start to run the car hard, i still have the noise and the smell. The 5th day on my way to work im punching it in second gear right up to 8300 rpm and "bam" i hear a loud noise sounding like if u have a plastic bag out the window, so i slow down and pull the bonnet. The first thing i notice is alot more vibration in the engine. The next thing i notice is that there is a little oil on the cross member. Im like WTF. So naturally i drive off and see if i can get the sound again and it comes again. Now moving off i get a metal on metal type of sound when the clutch engaging. Naturally i take the car right to the garage to see what my boy Danny has to say. As soon as he looks under the bonnet he says "**** look at this, something let go in here boy" Upon inspection we realise there is 2 holes in the bell housing. He says " u eh driving this car untill we get inside here" 2 Days later we get into it. We realise the pressure has totally failed, one of the flex joints in the PPlate let go and had a great time running about in my housing. Lets just say im devastated. We take pics of the damage and i send it to Matt who is horrified and he send it off to Fidanza who to date have not got back to either of us. As the car is my daily driver i need it on the road ASAP so i decided to go bact to ACT who have not failed me before. Along with the 400 us dollar ACT kit i ordered new flywheel bolts by ARP and new pressure plate bolts just in case. Even though its not Matts fault he gives me a discount on the new parts which i find is very nice of him. So here i am today about to put in the new ACT and i will let you know how it works. Bad luck on my part maybe, but it has made me doubt Fidanza clutches and so i decided my fellow Toyota brothers and sisters should know about it so you can make your own decisions.

[Keisari]

Good heavens! Some of those pictures were making me cringe!

Let's just hope it was an isolated case. Thanks for the heads-up, runxz. I hope that your bellhousing hasn't suffered any catastrophic damage and really hope there's no further trauma with the new kit...

[SILVABULLIT]

Never really have been a fan of fidanza clutches especially at the price they are over here.

Exceedy FTW (Northy's the only one who can break them!! But he can break anything!!! )

[KaZe-]

WOAH GEESUS!!!

i was gonna get a fidanza flywheel from there also lol but i didint really know about it but man thats F**KED UP S**T!!! >_<

but even though 2 days u drive with a burning smell and stuff arent u suppose to wear the clutch and flywheel for 500-1000 km?? mayb u didint let it wear in thats my guess or u missed a bolt by mistake =P u never know well thats my 2 cents

Steve,

[CORZZA]

Holy mother of BEEEEEP!!!!!

Thats scary!

Looks like it came loose or something

[runxz]

Actually guys, nothing came loose all the bolts on the PPlate are still there, it actually was a manufactures failing.

[CORZZA]

Actually guys, nothing came loose all the bolts on the PPlate are still there, it actually was a manufactures failing.

Right so its official. Lets keep away from fidanza hey.

[Northy]

Actually guys, nothing came loose all the bolts on the PPlate are still there, it actually was a manufactures failing.

Right so its official. Lets keep away from fidanza hey.

There is nothing wrong with Fidanza stuff, this is the first time i have seen anything Fidanza fail so to say somting like that is pretty stupid.....

[runxz]

Yeh i agree, i wouldnt say to keep away from their stuff either. I would say to be a bit careful with their clutches. I did a side by side with the act and the fidanza and the part that failed is thicker by about an inch on the act, as well as the act pressure plate it self is thicker. My main problem is that Fidanza not responding to my problem.