Emergency need help
Thread Starter
Staging Lane
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 64
Likes: 1
From: Albuquerque, NM / Afghanistan
Emergency need help I have a 99 Trans Am with a stock rear end (with Richmond 4.10 gears), a Spec stage 3 clutch with Fidanza flywheel. My ex crashed the car sideways and it bent the drivers side axle. I changed the axle, but when I did I didn't notice but I nicked the gasket that covers the wheel bearing. After my girl drove it a few days, all the fluid leaked out and when I went to drive it the car would not drive unless I revved it almost to redline and then it would slowly start to go. Tonight I replaced the wheel bearing and the gasket that seals it. I filled the rear with Mobil 1 synthetic gear oil. Now, I literally have to rev the car to redline to get it to barely move at all. Its worse than before. I have 3 thoughts on the matter. I am thinking its A). (Praying) its something to do with with synthetic gear oil. Do our cars not like that for the LSD? B). The LSD fried when the rear end ran dry. If so, what is the best LSD to put in for road race/daily driving. C). Finally, I think the most plausible is the clutch disk. I have about 20-30k miles on this clutch, and I don't know how long they should last. Like I said, I have the Spec stage 3 with the 6-7 pucks on it.
So my questions are these:
Has anyone run into anything like this before?
Does the fact that I put synthetic gear oil in have anything to do with it?
What is my best and cheapest way to go? If I do have to get a new LSD, I want a good solid LSD that will suit me for 95% daily driving and 5% autocross.
If I have to get a new clutch, I put down about 400WHP and 400lb/ft of tq. What is a good, cheap clutch to throw in. If I could just get another Spec disc, that would be good but I think you need a pressure plate as well? You can't just change the disk without the pressure plate right?
Thanks for the help.
So my questions are these:
Has anyone run into anything like this before?
Does the fact that I put synthetic gear oil in have anything to do with it?
What is my best and cheapest way to go? If I do have to get a new LSD, I want a good solid LSD that will suit me for 95% daily driving and 5% autocross.
If I have to get a new clutch, I put down about 400WHP and 400lb/ft of tq. What is a good, cheap clutch to throw in. If I could just get another Spec disc, that would be good but I think you need a pressure plate as well? You can't just change the disk without the pressure plate right?
Thanks for the help.
Staging Lane
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 65
Likes: 0
You have a few different situations here.
First, the clutch. It sounds like it is slipping. I assume you have to floor it to redline after you let out the clutch pedal? I would never replace just the disk without the pressure plate and resurface the flywheel. When clutches go bad...and you heat them up massively by flooring it to redline to get the car to move...it creates heat checks on the pressure plate and flywheel. Hot spots that will eat the new disk up in no time while also creating massive chatter when trying move the car from a stop.
Second, the rear end. Synthetic is actually better. If you ran it out of fluid, the LSD is probably still good along with the gears assuming it wasn't overheated. The bearings might be toast though, which would require a full tear down and all new bearings installed. At that point, the LSD and gears can be inspected for damage and replaced if needed.
First, the clutch. It sounds like it is slipping. I assume you have to floor it to redline after you let out the clutch pedal? I would never replace just the disk without the pressure plate and resurface the flywheel. When clutches go bad...and you heat them up massively by flooring it to redline to get the car to move...it creates heat checks on the pressure plate and flywheel. Hot spots that will eat the new disk up in no time while also creating massive chatter when trying move the car from a stop.
Second, the rear end. Synthetic is actually better. If you ran it out of fluid, the LSD is probably still good along with the gears assuming it wasn't overheated. The bearings might be toast though, which would require a full tear down and all new bearings installed. At that point, the LSD and gears can be inspected for damage and replaced if needed.
When you depress the accelerator I assume that the RPM's raise quickly and that there is no forward motion that accompanies this. Correct? If so then it could certainly be clutch slip. Since the issue wasn't their initially you could be seeing another aspect of the accident. Is the hydraulic fluid low in the clutch reservoir? Have you noticed any other leaks under the car?
