Bob, Thanks, the way it works with us is, if I work on your car and I sell you parts and install them, I own that job and i work on it untill you are satisfied. If you brought me the parts, I tear it all back down if there is a problem and then if it is something I did wrong, I replace your parts at my expense, and provide all the labor. If it is a parts problem I work with you to let the vendor know of the problem and get it taken care of reasonably. If they refuse to work with you I will usually replace the parts at my cost anyway. I know everyone doesn't work that way.

I try to give the customer every option, sure you should grind every flywheel if it makes you feel better. I do every one that has a problem. When you work on cars for people that have been customers with your family for almost 50 years and through four generations at my uncles shop now, you must be doing something right. I also don't get parts machined at NAPA or anywhere like that I take them to a machine sho p and have them ground, $65 my cost.

Bodo man you really need to assess yourself friend, I guess you can say anything you want through the internet but I have customers who behave that way once or twice a year, everyone in business does, BUT no one ever leaves my shop dissatisfied. You would be surprised the people who tell me NOT to replace the leaking rear main seal in their GM trucks even when they know they are leaking, I already have the trans out! All they have to do is pay for the seal! I don't charge anything to put it on. But still one or two out of ten won't let me put one in. If I think they really just can't afford the $15 seal I put it in anyway and don't charge them.

 

I can't believe that someone that does that much volume (average three a month for 15 years) wouldn't just have the flywheel resurfaced. It cost me $25 and didn't take that long, and I don't own a shop so you probably get a better deal. When I had to pull mine back out I used a friends shop instead of laying on my back on a creeper. All in all I think it's a better investment and the right thing to do for your customer. It doesn't cost you anything, does it?

 

That's why I edited out the post, to harsh. The next one is from the gut though. Man where are you, $65 per flywheel? That's enough hijacking, get your flywheel resurfaced, you're gonna check the bearing anyway right?

 

Because if there is not a pre existing problem, and the install goes smoothly there should not be a problem. The fiber of the clutch is not going to wear noticeably or unevenly on the flywheel if there is not a problem with alignment or clutch manufacture etc. If it was fine for 150,000 miles and has never been overheated and distorted or worn from failed clutches, why should there be a problem when you install a new clutch? In my opinion if you take that flywheel to the parts store to get turned you have a better chance of having a problem. If it aint broke why try to fix it and cause a problem, I call the customer and talk it over with them and tell them it will be an extra day and $65 to have the machine work done, (the customer get's outside work at my cost), If I tell them I think it's ok they usually tell me to re use it as is, if I tell them it needs it it needs it, but, it is their choice with the understanding that I will correct any problem that comes up and they are ok with that. This also saves me time without having my lift tied up for a day waiting on the flywheel, I can usually turn around most any clutch job in 2 hours without resurfacing this way I can absorb the cost if I have to replace a clutch and turn a flywheel.

 

No offense I get it. I hear all the horror stories and I also work behind a lot of unscrupulous mechanics I know they are out there. I can feel your pain too I recently got ripped off bad by an AC mechanic.

And if it were my vehicle and I were doing it without a lift in the driveway I would cover every possible base for peace of mind.

 

the flywheel showed none of the above symptoms... so back to the flywheel was/is fine

 

Looked smooth...was the new pressure plate smooth?...No it wasn't it has a machined surface in it.
So now you are clamping a a disc between two different textured surfaces...one a little more grippy then the other and ifs slipping at different rates.

Sorry but to get the best job you always turn the fly wheel so it has the same surface as the plate.

I wish I had a picture of the clutch I just pulled out of my 70 Pontiac. Some hack had Surfaced it with a flap wheel. Well that left the surface concave and it wore the outside of the disc before the inside. When the shop turned it he had to make two passes. The first one the outside came clean but there were skips where it was dished out in the center. .....it looked fine by the eye though.

Pilot bearing issues manifest as a problem shifting while the engine is running.

 

it seems as if everyone is saying that a flywheel that caused no problems before would cause this noise in all gears while driving and in neutral, and while clutch is in, this doesn't quite make sense to me. i understand the problems flywheels can have, but this feels more like bearing to me...

 

could someone give me a rundown on the clutch install procedure ? I have heard you do not have to completely remove the tranny just slide it back, is this true ? wow 2 hours for an install thats quick


highway

 

hiway,

start by searching "clutch install" and post a new thread with follow up questions. dont hijack this thread as it is talking about diagnosing/fixing a problem, not the install itself.

bob

 

Bob, sorry about that , just that rezrunner92 stated a couple post up he could do it in 2 hours and made me start thing there must be some shortcuts.

highway

 

highway,

no problem. as much as i hate to plug another site that i visited (haha), 4x4 probably has the best writeup on clutch installs. check out their tech section http://4x4wire.com/toyota/tech/

bob

 

Always get your flywheel resurfaced when installing a new clutch, period. Just like you always want to have rotors turned when installing new pads. The pads/clutch wear a pattern into the rotor/flywheel over time, so you should get everything "evened up" when installing a new part.

 

wouldnt a flywheel problem increase with RPM?

 

That two hours is with a car lift and high rise transmission jack. I also do this for a living so I have all the tools and power tools etc. Got a rolling cart to put all the tools and bolts in. Not having to roll around on the ground makes the biggest difference. Plus I have probably put clutches in at least a hundred Toyota trucks through the years.

 

rezrunner92, usually i end up rolling on the ground for 2 hours then get started lol

I have always been told that you would fell the flywheel problem when pulling out from a dead stop (clutch chatter) I did have a machine shop do my flywheel on my mustang but the last time i used a DA sander and roughed it up before installing the clutch.

highway

 

faulty pilot bearing, flywheel was fine....

 

Congratulations.