Clutch Nearly Ruined My Engine

[Back In Black]

I was at the track last monday. During the second to last session of the day I dumped the majority of the engine oil on the track, my car, and the paddock. Something from the clutch I presume, not sure exactly what yet, came loose and got trapped between the back of the flywheel and the rear main seal retainer. It got hammered back and forth and finally punched a quarter sized hole in the retainer. I was able to drop the oil pan enough to see the hole.


http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o59/krefly/20140806_191038_zpsa18d1464.jpg (http://s117.photobucket.com/user/krefly/media/20140806_191038_zpsa18d1464.jpg.html)

After watching the in-car video, it looks like the oil pressure dropped to dangerously low levels three times under load before I realized something was wrong. I had pressure as I left the track and made my way back to the paddock and didn't know I was dumping oil until I noticed the film of oil on the back end of the car. I added ~three quarts which got the level back to the end of the dipstick. After I got home I drained the oil and got ~7 quarts out. No debris came out. However, I cut open the oil filter and found bits of aluminum from the retainer trapped in it. No small shiny bits of debris thankfully.

So what's my next move? I could only drop the pan about 2 inches. Is it possible to completely remove the oil pan in the car? If I can get the pan off, can I remove a couple main and rod bearings and see if there's any damage? If everything looks okay, what about the oil cooler? Clean it out or replace it? Obviously the trans has to come out to replace the main seal retainer. The clutch and slave cylinder will also be replaced.

[Bill Pemberton]

You have a PM

[bluesrt]

wow, very interested to know what did that, holy smokes

[swexlin]

I was at the track last monday. During the second to last session of the day I dumped the majority of the engine oil on the track, my car, and the paddock. Something from the clutch I presume, not sure exactly what yet, came loose and got trapped between the back of the flywheel and the rear main seal retainer. It got hammered back and forth and finally punched a quarter sized hole in the retainer. I was able to drop the oil pan enough to see the hole.


http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o59/krefly/20140806_191038_zpsa18d1464.jpg (http://s117.photobucket.com/user/krefly/media/20140806_191038_zpsa18d1464.jpg.html)

After watching the in-car video, it looks like the oil pressure dropped to dangerously low levels three times under load before I realized something was wrong. I had pressure as I left the track and made my way back to the paddock and didn't know I was dumping oil until I noticed the film of oil on the back end of the car. I added ~three quarts which got the level back to the end of the dipstick. After I got home I drained the oil and got ~7 quarts out. No debris came out. However, I cut open the oil filter and found bits of aluminum from the retainer trapped in it. No small shiny bits of debris thankfully.

So what's my next move? I could only drop the pan about 2 inches. Is it possible to completely remove the oil pan in the car? If I can get the pan off, can I remove a couple main and rod bearings and see if there's any damage? If everything looks okay, what about the oil cooler? Clean it out or replace it? Obviously the trans has to come out to replace the main seal retainer. The clutch and slave cylinder will also be replaced.

As to the pan, yes, it unbolts right off. My buddy and I replaced the pan gasket on my 03 last winter. Someone else will have to answer the rest of your question. And keep us posted on the outcome please. Thanks.

[TrackAire]

I was at the track last monday. During the second to last session of the day I dumped the majority of the engine oil on the track, my car, and the paddock. Something from the clutch I presume, not sure exactly what yet, came loose and got trapped between the back of the flywheel and the rear main seal retainer. It got hammered back and forth and finally punched a quarter sized hole in the retainer. I was able to drop the oil pan enough to see the hole.


http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o59/krefly/20140806_191038_zpsa18d1464.jpg (http://s117.photobucket.com/user/krefly/media/20140806_191038_zpsa18d1464.jpg.html)

After watching the in-car video, it looks like the oil pressure dropped to dangerously low levels three times under load before I realized something was wrong. I had pressure as I left the track and made my way back to the paddock and didn't know I was dumping oil until I noticed the film of oil on the back end of the car. I added ~three quarts which got the level back to the end of the dipstick. After I got home I drained the oil and got ~7 quarts out. No debris came out. However, I cut open the oil filter and found bits of aluminum from the retainer trapped in it. No small shiny bits of debris thankfully.

So what's my next move? I could only drop the pan about 2 inches. Is it possible to completely remove the oil pan in the car? If I can get the pan off, can I remove a couple main and rod bearings and see if there's any damage? If everything looks okay, what about the oil cooler? Clean it out or replace it? Obviously the trans has to come out to replace the main seal retainer. The clutch and slave cylinder will also be replaced.

Oh man, that could have been so bad if you totally lost oil pressure and toasted the engine or the oil caused you to spin out and wreck the car.

The rear plate with the hole in it is easy replace, thankfully not part of the block. IIRC, in 2010 or 2011 at one of the Salt Lake City ACR-X races with celebrity drivers, 2 cars suffered a similar situation as yours. I'll try to follow up to find out more info on the situation...your post just reminded me of it.

After that situation, all the ACR-X cars were upgraded to the BBG clutch by SRT.

[Back In Black]

Oh man, that could have been so bad if you totally lost oil pressure and toasted the engine or the oil caused you to spin out and wreck the car.

The rear plate with the hole in it is easy replace, thankfully not part of the block. IIRC, in 2010 or 2011 at one of the Salt Lake City ACR-X races with celebrity drivers, 2 cars suffered a similar situation as yours. I'll try to follow up to find out more info on the situation...your post just reminded me of it.

After that situation, all the ACR-X cars were upgraded to the BBG clutch by SRT.

I remember hearing something about the clutch on the ACR-X but had no idea it was anything other than simply a reliability issue. Never heard about engine damage. :(

[Nine Ball]

The only items that can work loose behind the flywheel are the bolts that hold that rear plate in place. I had one work loose, and it rubbed on the backside of my flywheel. Glad I caught it, on a routine inspection. Sucked having to pull the trans to tighten it back down. Lesson learned, now I Loc-Tite those bolts.

[BAD BOYZZ GARAGE]

I remember hearing something about the clutch on the ACR-X but had no idea it was anything other than simply a reliability issue. Never heard about engine damage. :(

Clutches actually would grenade under high rpm downshifts and or missed shifts (wrong gear), definetely a reliabilty issue. The clutch baskets would come apart and send shrapnel everywhere, making quite a mess and destroy parts. This actually happened quite regularly (little secret) and it was the last straw at Miller Raceway's celebrity race when several ACR-X's broke again and Dodge had to cover repair costs. Bell housing, transmission damage were the usual suspects and sometimes block damage. It got a bit expensive for Chrysler so an upgrade was introduced into the rule books, the ACR-X Clutch Kit was born..

Not saying this your problem, could be exactly what nine ball had happen to his G3. Anytime you service your clutch its good measure to check and re-torque all fastners.



Bad Boyzz Garage

[FLATOUT]

And why I'll be adding one to my TA sooner than later.

[Back In Black]

Finally got around to pulling the trans and this is what I found. Off the scale bad luck for that piece to get flung behind the flywheel and trapped there. I'm extremely disappointed. In all my years of pounding on manual shift cars, I have never had a failure. I've worn plenty of them out but never a failure. The clutch looks barely used. Hardly any wear on the discs and no sign of overheating. This defect or failure aside, it's a great factory clutch.

If you hear or feel anything out of the ordinary in or around the clutch, get it inspected!

http://i1295.photobucket.com/albums/b622/BackInBlack63/DSCN4491_zps7c72cd84.jpg (http://s1295.photobucket.com/user/BackInBlack63/media/DSCN4491_zps7c72cd84.jpg.html)

http://i1295.photobucket.com/albums/b622/BackInBlack63/DSCN4490_zpse543d1cf.jpg (http://s1295.photobucket.com/user/BackInBlack63/media/DSCN4490_zpse543d1cf.jpg.html)

http://i1295.photobucket.com/albums/b622/BackInBlack63/DSCN4493_zps2935e64e.jpg (http://s1295.photobucket.com/user/BackInBlack63/media/DSCN4493_zps2935e64e.jpg.html)

http://i1295.photobucket.com/albums/b622/BackInBlack63/DSCN4492_zpsde7afc27.jpg (http://s1295.photobucket.com/user/BackInBlack63/media/DSCN4492_zpsde7afc27.jpg.html)

http://i1295.photobucket.com/albums/b622/BackInBlack63/DSCN4494_zps8ae46379.jpg (http://s1295.photobucket.com/user/BackInBlack63/media/DSCN4494_zps8ae46379.jpg.html)

[Nine Ball]

What a crazy piece to fall off. Glad it just looks like the rear cover that got damaged, not the block. Be sure to loc-tite those bolts that hold the cover on, when you replace it. I had 2 of those work loose before.

Tony

[bluesrt]

bad deal that could have been a lot worse/ bad luck bro. time to bbg it

[BAD BOYZZ GARAGE]

Finally got around to pulling the trans and this is what I found. Off the scale bad luck for that piece to get flung behind the flywheel and trapped there. I'm extremely disappointed. In all my years of pounding on manual shift cars, I have never had a failure. I've worn plenty of them out but never a failure. The clutch looks barely used. Hardly any wear on the discs and no sign of overheating. This defect or failure aside, it's a great factory clutch.

If you hear or feel anything out of the ordinary in or around the clutch, get it inspected!

http://i1295.photobucket.com/albums/b622/BackInBlack63/DSCN4491_zps7c72cd84.jpg (http://s1295.photobucket.com/user/BackInBlack63/media/DSCN4491_zps7c72cd84.jpg.html)

http://i1295.photobucket.com/albums/b622/BackInBlack63/DSCN4490_zpse543d1cf.jpg (http://s1295.photobucket.com/user/BackInBlack63/media/DSCN4490_zpse543d1cf.jpg.html)

http://i1295.photobucket.com/albums/b622/BackInBlack63/DSCN4493_zps2935e64e.jpg (http://s1295.photobucket.com/user/BackInBlack63/media/DSCN4493_zps2935e64e.jpg.html)

http://i1295.photobucket.com/albums/b622/BackInBlack63/DSCN4492_zpsde7afc27.jpg (http://s1295.photobucket.com/user/BackInBlack63/media/DSCN4492_zpsde7afc27.jpg.html)

http://i1295.photobucket.com/albums/b622/BackInBlack63/DSCN4494_zps8ae46379.jpg (http://s1295.photobucket.com/user/BackInBlack63/media/DSCN4494_zps8ae46379.jpg.html)

Yep a clutch basket failure. We've seen similar and worse failures occure throughout the years, good thing it was only one piece of shrapnel that damaged the rear main seal, could of been worse $$. If your looking to upgrade to a much more reliable system give me a call Toddy @ (916) 505-9026. Good luck on your repair!



Bad Boyzz

[TooBlue]

Glad it didn't cause a lot of damage!

FWIW... I think Toddy's clutch is the only thing I HAVEN'T broken on my car.....