My clutch just exploded...kind of

[Renegade_]

The whole shebang. Throwout bearing, clutch plate, the works.

Was driving down a local road, pressed the clutch in and all of a sudden it got rediculously soft. When I say soft, I mean stock RS clutch engagement soft. I held it in for a second knowing what was happening (ACT StageI with about 42-43k miles on the plate....). I went to re-engage it (after I turned promptly around to head back home) and it had the most terrible shuddering noise I think I have ever heard. Needless to say I didn't take it out of gear again until I was in the parking lot.

I know the plate now needs replacing but I am still skeptical on the throwout bearing so I need to make sure of a few things. Now the car is making a noise which sounds like the throwout bearing is grinding on the input shaft (off center). Is this typical for throwout bearing failure? It sounds like a very dry metal on metal scratching.

On another note, I don't know who has hookups with ACT, but does anyone know a vendor which can get ACT parts? Pressure plate is still good so might as well re-use it. Just everything else is foobared.

[CHAOS]

get a spec this time...

[Renegade_]

get a spec this time...
I don't have the money to get a whole new setup. it is considerably cheaper to just get a new clutch disk and get the bearings replaced. I am getting prices of about 150 bucks to get my car back on the road (not including labor, I don't think I can do this myself yet...)

[CHAOS]

im hereby starting the "get justin a new clutch" fund.

ill be taking donations.

[TROLL]

i hate to be that guy, but how are you sure its the clutch?

if it is and you can use a wrx clutch/flywheel, i've got one.

[Renegade_]

i hate to be that guy, but how are you sure its the clutch?

if it is and you can use a wrx clutch/flywheel, i've got one.
The clutch pedal went soft, the disk has over 42k miles on it (they only supposedly are supposed to last like 30k~ish), whenever it engages the car shudders like a frigid bitch, the clutch doesn't grab at all anymore and I can break it loose in third gear, there is a metal sheering sound at idle from the throwout bearing rubbing on the input shaft (or what I believe to be this).

I don't think I need any more evidence than this (unless these are symptoms of something else, if they are tell me... really, I am very sure it is the clutch but if this is something else tell me).

And I can't use turbo transmission parts. This is a push style clutch. WRX is pull style.

*edit* CEL is on, but I got that pulled and it is because the rear 02 is bad and I haven't bothered to replace it.

*edit2* I went outside and checked it again. if I slowly bring up the RPMs while idle when I get up to about 1500 RPMs there is a noticeable audible metal sheering noise. The car will move, it just feels like the front half of the car is about to fall off.

I am going to take a guess that the clutch finally took it's last breath and in the process the bearings went and the input shaft is mis-aligned which is causing the hardcore shuddering.

[Raven18940]

The only thing is I've never heard of the clutch pedal going soft when the clutch goes. :?

[Renegade_]

The only thing is I've never heard of the clutch pedal going soft when the clutch goes. :?
I don't know how to explain that, but the second I felt it go soft, it just felt wrong. Like something went out. Initially it had the proper resistance that it always does, but halfway up the pedal just gave way and I bottomed the clutch out on the floor of the car. The engagement point is slightly different and it does NOT feel like a stage I clutch in terms of pedal stiffness. It feels basically identical to OEM.