Beware: Katech LS9R clutch failed 700 miles Katech wont stand behind their products
05-30-2012, 01:57 AM
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Beware: Katech LS9R clutch failed 700 miles Katech wont stand behind their products Beware:
On Feb 1st 2012 I ordered the LS9-R clutch kit from Katech KAT-A6184. With the remote bleeder and shipping I spent $1825.70. I had the clutch kit installed at the dealership who installed the katech flywheel, clutch and pressure plate, slave as well as a new gm clutch master cylinder. I did the usual stop and go 500 mile break in period no issues. Let me also state that this is a weekend vehicle so I only drive it on weekends weather providing. Well one Sunday mid April I was driving the car and noticed as I shifted into third gear there was a strange noise from the drivetrain area. I coasted to the side of the road to soon find out that the car would not come out of gear. The car would move forward fine but it was stuck in gear for some strange reason. I turned the car off but as I tried to start it again with the clutch pedal pressed in the car tried to jump forward and still would not come out of gear. I let the car sit a bit, checked the clutch fluid and still no luck so I had the car towed back to the dealership. The dealership began by checking a few things and replacing the clutch master again with no luck and then they tore the rear end and drivetrain all back out. The clutch disk on the pressure plate side had been ground down to the rivets and there was a large worn area on the pressure plate as well. The strange part is that the flywheel side had not worn at all like that and the flywheel still looked perfect. I contacted Jason at Katech that following week to discuss what had happened and informed him that the car had only 700 miles on it since the clutch was installed. He said he would have his “engineers” look into the pictures that I had taken and for me to send him the damaged parts back. After numerous emails and different “ideas” of what they thought might have happened, Jason refused to stand behind his product (which was obviously defective) and replace the parts. I have attached pictures and copies of our emailed conversations.
Me: Hi Jason,
I had called you the other day in regards to my LS9-R clutch kit that I purchased back around the first of February. I had the dealership install my clutch kit on Feb 10th and it has approximately 700 miles on it since the install. I also had the dealership install a new clutch master when we put this clutch kit in. As I was telling you the other day the clutch locked up and wouldn't disengage at all. I had the car towed back to the dealership. The dealership first replaced the clutch master cylinder to see if that was the issue but no luck. They then tore the whole thing back down. I had the technician take pictures of everything and I have attached them for you to see. The disc on the flywheel side looks perfect he said and the flywheel is still in excellent condition as well. I'm thinking I need to switch out the disk, pressure plate and slave. Please give me a call at your convenience so we can discuss swapping this out for another unit.
Thanks James
Jason’s first email response: Thanks for the pictures. I'm having one of our engineers review this. I'll get back to you.
Jason Harding
Director of Aftermarket Operations
Jason’s next email response: James,
It looks like the clutch was slipping for a long time, finally wore the material down on one disk and let go. You have a lot of clutch dust on the slave cylinder for only 700 miles and it looks wet. This could be caused by an oil leak at the rear main seal or a hydraulic leak. You will need to replace the clutch assembly and investigate an oil leak.
Best Regards,
Jason Harding
Director of Aftermarket Operations
My response: Jason there is no leak of any sort on any part of the clutch assembly. There is no rear main seal leak at either. There is clutch dust on the slave boot because the clutch disk was worn down to the rivets and that dust had to go somewhere. There was definitely some sort of defect in the pressure plate and disk and these parts need to be replaced.
James
Jason’s next email response: James,
I've been speaking to the engineers involved with the design of this clutch and I have some more information for you about the failure you experienced and a concrete explanation. The failure is from what the engineers call “cold burst over speed.” In other words, the drivetrain was over-revved when cold. The disks are good to over 10,000rpm when hot, but when cold that threshold is greatly reduced. If the car experiences a mechanical over-rev, clutch disk speed exceeds maximum with clutch pedal in. The input shaft is still traveling at high speed even though the engine is decoupled from the gearbox and an engine over-rev does not occur. I hope that sheds some more light on the failure.
Best Regards,
Jason Harding
Director of Aftermarket Operations
My response once again: Jason,
I have sent you the clutch kit back as requested so you should be receiving it within the next few days. As far as the "cold burst" goes that is impossible for that to have happened. I warm the car up properly each and every time I drive it which is only on weekends and our Texas weather has been 80 degrees + for the last few months. The clutch disk and pressure plate failed on the pressure plate side after 700 miles and as I stated earlier it was installed at the dealership by a certified 20+ year GM technician. I really wish you would stand behind your products and make this right.
Thanks,
James
Jason’s final email response: We do stand behind our products, but our warranty does not cover over-revs. It could be a hot over-rev if the disks went over 10,000rpm. I had the GM engineers who designed your clutch analyze it. They knew exactly what the cause of failure was.
Jason Harding
Director of Aftermarket Operations
CLIFFS: KATECH LS9-R CLUTCH KIT LOCKED UP AFTER 700 MILES AND JASON AT KATECH WONT STAND BEHIND HIS PRODUCTS!
On Feb 1st 2012 I ordered the LS9-R clutch kit from Katech KAT-A6184. With the remote bleeder and shipping I spent $1825.70. I had the clutch kit installed at the dealership who installed the katech flywheel, clutch and pressure plate, slave as well as a new gm clutch master cylinder. I did the usual stop and go 500 mile break in period no issues. Let me also state that this is a weekend vehicle so I only drive it on weekends weather providing. Well one Sunday mid April I was driving the car and noticed as I shifted into third gear there was a strange noise from the drivetrain area. I coasted to the side of the road to soon find out that the car would not come out of gear. The car would move forward fine but it was stuck in gear for some strange reason. I turned the car off but as I tried to start it again with the clutch pedal pressed in the car tried to jump forward and still would not come out of gear. I let the car sit a bit, checked the clutch fluid and still no luck so I had the car towed back to the dealership. The dealership began by checking a few things and replacing the clutch master again with no luck and then they tore the rear end and drivetrain all back out. The clutch disk on the pressure plate side had been ground down to the rivets and there was a large worn area on the pressure plate as well. The strange part is that the flywheel side had not worn at all like that and the flywheel still looked perfect. I contacted Jason at Katech that following week to discuss what had happened and informed him that the car had only 700 miles on it since the clutch was installed. He said he would have his “engineers” look into the pictures that I had taken and for me to send him the damaged parts back. After numerous emails and different “ideas” of what they thought might have happened, Jason refused to stand behind his product (which was obviously defective) and replace the parts. I have attached pictures and copies of our emailed conversations.
Me: Hi Jason,
I had called you the other day in regards to my LS9-R clutch kit that I purchased back around the first of February. I had the dealership install my clutch kit on Feb 10th and it has approximately 700 miles on it since the install. I also had the dealership install a new clutch master when we put this clutch kit in. As I was telling you the other day the clutch locked up and wouldn't disengage at all. I had the car towed back to the dealership. The dealership first replaced the clutch master cylinder to see if that was the issue but no luck. They then tore the whole thing back down. I had the technician take pictures of everything and I have attached them for you to see. The disc on the flywheel side looks perfect he said and the flywheel is still in excellent condition as well. I'm thinking I need to switch out the disk, pressure plate and slave. Please give me a call at your convenience so we can discuss swapping this out for another unit.
Thanks James
Jason’s first email response: Thanks for the pictures. I'm having one of our engineers review this. I'll get back to you.
Jason Harding
Director of Aftermarket Operations
Jason’s next email response: James,
It looks like the clutch was slipping for a long time, finally wore the material down on one disk and let go. You have a lot of clutch dust on the slave cylinder for only 700 miles and it looks wet. This could be caused by an oil leak at the rear main seal or a hydraulic leak. You will need to replace the clutch assembly and investigate an oil leak.
Best Regards,
Jason Harding
Director of Aftermarket Operations
My response: Jason there is no leak of any sort on any part of the clutch assembly. There is no rear main seal leak at either. There is clutch dust on the slave boot because the clutch disk was worn down to the rivets and that dust had to go somewhere. There was definitely some sort of defect in the pressure plate and disk and these parts need to be replaced.
James
Jason’s next email response: James,
I've been speaking to the engineers involved with the design of this clutch and I have some more information for you about the failure you experienced and a concrete explanation. The failure is from what the engineers call “cold burst over speed.” In other words, the drivetrain was over-revved when cold. The disks are good to over 10,000rpm when hot, but when cold that threshold is greatly reduced. If the car experiences a mechanical over-rev, clutch disk speed exceeds maximum with clutch pedal in. The input shaft is still traveling at high speed even though the engine is decoupled from the gearbox and an engine over-rev does not occur. I hope that sheds some more light on the failure.
Best Regards,
Jason Harding
Director of Aftermarket Operations
My response once again: Jason,
I have sent you the clutch kit back as requested so you should be receiving it within the next few days. As far as the "cold burst" goes that is impossible for that to have happened. I warm the car up properly each and every time I drive it which is only on weekends and our Texas weather has been 80 degrees + for the last few months. The clutch disk and pressure plate failed on the pressure plate side after 700 miles and as I stated earlier it was installed at the dealership by a certified 20+ year GM technician. I really wish you would stand behind your products and make this right.
Thanks,
James
Jason’s final email response: We do stand behind our products, but our warranty does not cover over-revs. It could be a hot over-rev if the disks went over 10,000rpm. I had the GM engineers who designed your clutch analyze it. They knew exactly what the cause of failure was.
Jason Harding
Director of Aftermarket Operations
CLIFFS: KATECH LS9-R CLUTCH KIT LOCKED UP AFTER 700 MILES AND JASON AT KATECH WONT STAND BEHIND HIS PRODUCTS!
05-30-2012, 02:48 AM
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dam that blows. so you engine spins 10k rpms? and i didnt see any oil on the disk. **** them and there products. if you spent 1800 and they wont stand behind there products. thats not a cheap clutch to burn out in 700 miles
05-30-2012, 03:06 AM
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Saw your post on corvetteforum. It seems that you are not alone.
Keep at them and see what happens. There are two sides to every story. I'm not sure I would let any dealership install a clutch, but you have an strong case, and with others having issues, I think they should stand behind their products.
If this fails, buy a Mcleod RXT clutch, have Gforce install it and thank me later.
Keep at them and see what happens. There are two sides to every story. I'm not sure I would let any dealership install a clutch, but you have an strong case, and with others having issues, I think they should stand behind their products.
If this fails, buy a Mcleod RXT clutch, have Gforce install it and thank me later.
05-30-2012, 08:34 AM
#5
Katech has become a joke. I called to ask about some plug wires. Guy on the phone was helpful but when I told him I would like to order them he directed me to the Internet. I went with a different set of wires. Years ago I bout a set of rod bolts from them and one of the bolts actually said crower on it!! I have been very happy with my spec twin and the service I have received from Jeremy.
05-30-2012, 08:43 AM
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Even if its cold still should be good around 7k rpms... Which isnt your rev limiter set before 7k. If you where in 80* wether it should warm up to a 100 in seconds. So its not like it was sitting out side snowing you turned it on hopped in a dropped the clutch at a high rpm. Thats a bunch off ****. They should be the one to send a new unit and pay for your extra cost.worst comes to works you can send them a notice they are being took to court that can scare them.
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05-30-2012, 09:46 AM
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Ive never seen anything like this, 1st he tells you that its an oil leak. When you tell him its for sure not leaking oil he tells u he knows without a doubt it was from an over-rev. God what a clown.
06-07-2012, 05:08 PM
#12
See people clowned me awhile back when I got into it with Katech about new products and money and now look at what's up.
A problem with a "supposedly" engineered LS9 clutch.
Trust me, Katech is going to fight you to the fullest on this but stand your ground. To them, you and that 20 year GM tech are inferior when it comes cars and automotive work.
I bet their next point of conversation will be the credability of the technician. They will say he installed it wrong.
A problem with a "supposedly" engineered LS9 clutch.
Trust me, Katech is going to fight you to the fullest on this but stand your ground. To them, you and that 20 year GM tech are inferior when it comes cars and automotive work.
I bet their next point of conversation will be the credability of the technician. They will say he installed it wrong.
