SV6 EXEDY CLUTCH FAILURE

[VEZ LFX V6]

I'm just throwing it out there about EXEDY clutches and how piss weak they are and how they don't back there own warranty.
My EXEDY Heavy Duty Sports Tuff Clutch SMF conversion for my 2012 Holden ute 3.6L SIDI that I paid $1,200 for has failed in a big way with less then 20,000KM on it (6 months old), while my Girl friend was driving it went to over take a car when it went bang and smash pulled over on the side of the road, got towed to the nearest town($600), put it on a hoist and the clutch plate had failed and destroyed the gearbox($2,200) (fully separated it for the engine block) so after sending it back because we were 1,000km from home, after 5 nights accomodation ($550) and a hire car for 4 days ($240) they found every way to get out of it. Just letting everyone know how rubbish of a product they build, and if use are thinking of modifying your sv6 these clutchs are not worth it I would recommend buying a monsterclutch or Ram 9.5 from the USA.

 

[Immortality]

Epic fail.

Amazing how the pressure plate has thrown off center and started to cut through the bellhousing.

Sucks to be you

 

[VEZ LFX V6]

Yeah it has gave up the ghost in a big way, wouldn't ever buy another exedy that's for shore, haha does abit expensive exercise

 

[Immortality]

Were there any strange vibrations before the failure?

Who fitted the clutch?

What sort of bolts were used for the clutch pressure plate (grade) and what torque setting was used?

Taking a 2nd look at the clutch pressure plate you can see the whole unit has shifted on the flywheel and can clearly see where the holes for the locating pins have elongated. TBH in my opinion that looks like a fastener failure. The clutch drive plate still looks centered where the gearbox input shaft would have been holding it. Thank **** the input shaft didn't fail or it could have been a whole lot worse.

Do you have any pics of the driven plate?

Do you mind me asking what sort of power the engine makes and what sort of RPM you turn it too?

 

[VEZ LFX V6]

It wasn't so much of a vibration but you could feel a little difference through the pedal from new but didn't think much of it as it was getting more KM on it, was 250RWHP but since then have fitted MACE CAMS, the limiter was 7,200, have lifted it to 8,000 since cams but has not seen that yet, wanted to see what it did on the dyno first so I wasn't stressing it for no reason, the bolts were supplied with the clutch as the torque I can not remember but they were all brought in together then torqued in a star pattern as well as double checked, all parts were brakleened and scrapped the pink paint off where the bolts mate upto the pressure plate.

 

[Immortality]

Did you get the clutch and flywheel balanced as a unit?

TBH those bolts used to fasten the clutch plate look like your basic high tensile bolt which are fine for a stock application but I'd spend a little more and use better quality bolts.

This actually reminds me of a story in the NZ Performance car magazine many many years ago, some guy in a RX7 had a clutch failure whilst doing burnouts at some national event been held at Meremere raceway. Anyway, long story short the whole clutch parted company at full song (upward of 8000rpm if I remember correctly) and destroyed fairly much the whole car. Pics of the flywheel showed where the clutch plate fasteners had sheared off. The owner complained because he had used brand new grade 8.8 fasteners....

 

[VEZ LFX V6]

I am pretty shore that they are balanced already from exedy, yes I should have done abit more research on that but these guys are "pros" at what they do thought they would know but there not that good so, I'll out source to USA I believe

 

[crew_man]

When they declined responsibility, what was their reasoning exactly?

Did you or your mechanic organise for an independent analysis to determine the cause of the issue?

If you can prove that it was an issue with the product rather than fitter error you could always take them to small claims court or the ACCC to remedy the situation

 

[VEZ LFX V6]

They pretty much says:
1. that the clutch has been slipping due to excessive grease on spline.
2. Elongated most likely caused buy incorrect torque.
The final conclusion was they reckon the bolts became loss and had moved the pressure plate away from flywheel.
So let's say that explains the elongated holes, and maybe the hot spots (but note that the grease provides and correct amount was used as spec from exedy and correct torque was used in a star pattern and the matting surfaces was paint free)
But doesn't explain why the diaphragm fingers were bent and why the pressure plate straps gave way? Now this is there strongest clutch they build no V6 should have ever been able the make this clutch into mince meet like it did

 

[Immortality]

Clearly things got hot. Once the pressure plate was running off center the whole assembly will be out of balance and centrifugal force will want to keep pushing it further out. Once it started......

Next time loctite the pressure plate bolts and have the who assembly balances as a unit.