Helix Uprated Organic Clutch

TheDon · September 21, 2005

Well after less than 2500 miles the helix organic clutch i had fitted is going....

my car is very babied as i dont want to scratch the paint b4 a show etc and has done less than 1000miles in the past 6 months.

i dont force the clutch or dump it but am starting to wonder if the juddering and lack of acceleration i have been experiencing is down to this.

last night i went to pull away from the lights sharpish because i was at a turning that that needed for me to be let out by someone.

so when they did i brought the revs up to about 3500 and let the cluch out, to my dismay the revs went up but i went no where, so i put the clutch in let the revs die down and start the process again, very dangerous i might add.

the smell from the cluch is not one that you can mistake, so i have to ask -

what kind of warenty etc is put to this kind of product, seeing as it was such a highly uprated item and the power im putting out is far less than the maximum that it is capable of transmitting?

i have never taken it up the strip etc, and now am realy unhappy.

the last thing i need with setting up my company is a bill for another £450 clutch change when it shouldnt have gone in the first place.

Bazza · September 21, 2005

i would imagine trying to pull away at 3500 revs is traction control inducing

maybe this is what you experienced !

dont think any uprated parts have much or any warranty

juddering is common on the IS

TheDon · September 21, 2005

traction control is off at all times when i drive, as i find it intrusive and dangerous to the driving experience.

the juddering comes under acceleration at motorway speeds when overtaking etc and feels like a power loss.

Bazza · September 21, 2005

traction control is off at all times when i drive, as i find it intrusive and dangerous to the driving experience.
the juddering comes under acceleration at motorway speeds when overtaking etc and feels like a power loss.

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if the clutch is engaged and you are experiencing judder when accelerating i wouldnt have thought it was the clutch causing it, as judder is experienced when engaging not once engaged, slipping yes

marcus · September 21, 2005

Like bazza said................... you will only get juddering when engaging not once engaged....... (you will not get juddering when acceleration on motorway and if you do i dont think it would be the clutch ).......i think you need to have a look els where as you will not get clutch judder at motorway speeds ;)

your best bet is to pull the clutch from the car and then you will see if it is the clutch or not, ;)

sounds to me the TRC kicked in & thats why your RPM's went up and you went no where..................... are you 100% that the TRC was off ;)

Monster-Mat · September 21, 2005

if trac comes on, the rpm will not rise at the same rate, the rpm is retarded

TheDon · September 21, 2005

i def know the trc was off.

plus it was the same feeling i had when initialy fitting the supercharger and when my standard clutch said "goodbye" and slipped its way back to the garage to be changed. Plus TRC doesnt stink like a clutch

Helix have just called me on the phone as i emailed them only 30 mins ago and they are trying to resolve this already, what a pro company.

initialy the asked if it was possible to send the clutch back to them, i reminded them that it will cost me over £300 to have the clutch taken out then at a later date have the new on put in.

so they are looking at another way and are going to call me back asap with the solution.

PhoneDrome · September 21, 2005

Did they check and machine your OEM flywheel before they fitted the Helix clutch?

I see that your car has done about 60.000miles already.

Learn: LINK

Did they check for the correct stepping of your OEM Flywheel wether it is even or not/worn?

They only have to use a lamp and a fine ruler to get a first impression...

If there is something wrong you will be surprised what your clutch plate looks like now after it is gone...... overheated on the outside, very much dust falling... you should be there while they build it apart ;)

TheDon · September 21, 2005

had the prolex fitter fit it while he took my car away, should hope he checked it???

he didnt say there was any scaring etc to the fly wheel

PhoneDrome · September 21, 2005

So it should be okay. You can even feel that a flywheel is worn (bumps and groovs in the friction area).

marcus · September 21, 2005

if trac comes on, the rpm will not rise at the same rate, the rpm is retarded

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Thats a good point matt did not think on that :duh:

I still dont think its the clutch..................as chris has said that it judders when acceleration on motorway we all know the only time the clutch judders is when you go to pull away 1st to 2nd ;)

Like i said the only way you are going to know .................is when you pull the clutch from the car ;)

Rob · September 22, 2005

for the judder on the Mway it could be the clutch slipping then biting again? what sort of frequency are we talking about here - how any times a sec etc??

Monster-Mat · September 22, 2005

im not convinced its the clutch one bit......what i dont know, can you describe the symptons more please chris....

TheDon · September 22, 2005

ok if we put the judder to one side for a min......

when you lift the clutch and the car goes no where, the gears are not screaming and the tyres are not shredding and you have the horrid smell of clutch along with the clutch feeling spongy and soft in the absence of the hard biting clutch that it once was i am confident that it slipped like a goodun.

as for the motorway judder, the frequency is something akin to a 1-2 judders per second under hard acceleration. almost like an imbalence, but if there was such an imbalence at say a certain RPM then wouldnt i feel it at that RPM in all gears?

my only thought that it could be the clutch slipping is that there has been a constant feeling that the power or responsiveness has started to "depreciate". now everything appears to be all in order etc, but there is the possibility that as a clutch starts to slip it will slip at the highest point of strain??? i.e.under high load and acceleration?

Monster-Mat · September 22, 2005

ok if we put the judder to one side for a min......
when you lift the clutch and the car goes no where, the gears are not screaming and the tyres are not shredding and you have the horrid smell of clutch along with the clutch feeling spongy and soft in the absence of the hard biting clutch that it once was i am confident that it slipped like a goodun.

as for the motorway judder, the frequency is something akin to a 1-2 judders per second under hard acceleration. almost like an imbalence, but if there was such an imbalence at say a certain RPM then wouldnt i feel it at that RPM in all gears?

my only thought that it could be the clutch slipping is that there has been a constant feeling that the power or responsiveness has started to "depreciate". now everything appears to be all in order etc, but there is the possibility that as a clutch starts to slip it will slip at the highest point of strain??? i.e.under high load and acceleration?

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easy check to see if its the clutch slipping.....

get in car

start engine

drive to dual carrigeway

put car in 4th, or 5th gear

let the car slow to approx 30mph

put your foot down......gently at first, then increasing the amunt you press,

what happenes, does the RPM raise quicker and abnormally to the speed of the car

if you

" lift the clutch and the car goes no where, the gears are not screaming and the tyres are not shredding and you have the horrid smell of clutch along with the clutch feeling spongy and soft in the absence of the hard biting clutch that it once was i am confident that it slipped like a goodun."...

slipping, its dead....if it does ^ that mate!!!......how do you move the car then?

have you checked the clutch master cylinder level.........have you checked that its not leaking where the adaptor plate for the clutch reservoir is fitted......there known to leak there.

if its leaking, you have lost fluid, in which case the spongey feel is air in the clutch cylinder, which means the worn clutch would not be covered under any kind of warrenty.

p.s...heard owt from the fella yet?

TheDon · September 22, 2005

fella is quieter than a mouses fart at mo!!

will try that out asap mate, had a few too many vino tonight to drive though. limped the car home and parked it up. have to change some hoses tomorrow so will check the fluid levels and connectors then..

marcus · September 26, 2005

fella is quieter than a mouses fart at mo!!
will try that out asap mate, had a few too many vino tonight to drive though. limped the car home and parked it up. have to change some hoses tomorrow so will check the fluid levels and connectors then..

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so whats the out come off this, as we would all like to know ;)

TheDon · September 26, 2005

took it out the other night but didnt push it too hard, clutch still feels very soft and not as grippy as it once was.

Am waiting to hear back from Helix before i do anything else

lexus boy · September 27, 2005

If your clutch pedal is soft surely that would indicate its between the pedal and the clutch, not the clutch itself

marcus · September 27, 2005

Lets put it this way...............if he is still useing the car it can not be that bad. ;)

all so chris did you do what Matt said to do "ie" (have you checked the clutch master cylinder level.........have you checked that its not leaking where the adaptor plate for the clutch reservoir is fitted......there known to leak there)