Clutch Problems @ 13,000 miles??

[Halligan]

Well, I'm a newbie on here, and I love the site...I did a little search but couldnt find much.

I jumped in my truck yesterday morning, started her, and couldnt get her into gear - finally got her into reverse to get out of the driveway, but still had a hard time getting her into first. I figured it was b/c it was cold, but I called the dealer and he said something wasn't right. Got her there this morning (same problem this morning at home), and they said the clutch and flywheel had to be replaced because the clutch was not fully disengaging. Have other people had this problem? What causes this?

I bought my truck with 10k miles on it. It has 13,900 now. I've babied it since I have owned, and I'm not hard on the clutch, I don't ride the clutch, and I've never dumped the clutch. The clutch, since, I've had it felt sloppy. But they always said that it was b/c it was a hydraulic setup. Let me know your thoughts... Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks,

Kyle

 

[TheMoparConnection]

doesn't sound like a clutch problem, sounds like a clutch slave and cylinder probelm, has been an issure in the past. recently changed mine out.

 

[Rice Eater]

i bought my truck with 10k miles and beat on it for 2 days and my stock clutch slave flywheel were all toast! I then installed the centerforce/fidenza/viper slave and have been beating on it hard for 13,000 miles with no issues....still feels like the first day I replaced it!

 

[RedSrt007]

Upgrade the entire clutch setup with a viper car setup. The hydraulics in the trucks are cheap plastic that wear out with heat and time. The viper car hydraulics are metal, which hold up to the heat and are stronger.

An aftermarket clutch kit will 'top-off' the combination and give you the solid shifts you need.

Add some high temp fluid, and you will be set for a while

-Red

 

[Prof]

No smell...not the clutch...but it won't be long...many of us lost clutches at less than 10K. Just do the Centerforce/fidanza clutch flywheel install, and while at it get the Viper slave and master cyl. replacement...get everything done at once that you will (probably) have to do eventually anyway.

Welcome!

 

[1bad4dr]

The guys above know of what they speak.

My wife (mrssrt10) had the same issue recently in her 10......

If you are not wanting to pay for the suggested upgrades, you MAY be able to convince the dealer to replace everything under the 12,000 mile warranty. I know you have 13K+, but sometimes the service guys will give you a break on the miles.

I had the Viper car slave put in under warranty, but opted for the factory clutch and flywheel. lol Too busy dumping $$$ into the SRT8. hehe

Guess I should have upgrade the clutch and FW since we are now discussing adding a Roe........ DOH!

Good Luck.

 

[TheMoparConnection]

clutch slave and cylinder is covered under 3/36. I doubt you're clutch is bad. but they can inspect while out doing your slave cylinder

 

[Halligan]

Thanks for your help, everyone.

It's probably going to be there a while, and they're ordering a whole new setup - slave, clutch, fly, etc. It was all covered under warranty, thank goodness.

If, and when, I need to replace the clutch I'll have to look into doing the centerforce upgrade. Currently, I don't have a place where I can work on my car. Does anyone know of any good places to take the truck to do those upgrades in the phoenix area? I doubt the dealer will even touch those parts . . .

 

[Prof]

...Currently, I don't have a place where I can work on my car. Does anyone know of any good places to take the truck to do those upgrades in the phoenix area?

Mikey's front yard! You will have to bring your own cinder blocks, he has all of his in use.

 

[Django]

Looks like you guys have this situation in hand.....

But I just wanna confirm the recommendation for the Viper GTS clutch hydraulics upgrade.... It's about 500 bucks or so, but it will eliminate the issue for good.

As I've said many, many times before.... My truck started this kinda shit at 700 miles and never quit until I upgraded the clutch hydraulics system.... 4 clutches, 2 flywheels and a tranny......They couldn't figure it out.....

I finally got the tip from the guys here....

I also recommend sheilding the hydraulic lines from all heat sources...

Good luck..... Hope your problem is remedied and your truck becomes fun again.

D

 

[Westxsrt10]

Bottom line is... you bought a used high performance truck with 10,000 miles on it. You have to assume it was thashed, so just be happy you didn't pay sticker price.

 

[z-man]

That is about the time my slave cylinder went out to. I was racing and couldnt get it into any gear and i was just rolling down the freeway at 120mph.

It sounds like the master/slave cylinder is going out. When they took mine out my clutch was toast but hey i powershift the hell out of mine.

 

[Halligan]

Looks like you guys have this situation in hand.....

But I just wanna confirm the recommendation for the Viper GTS clutch hydraulics upgrade.... It's about 500 bucks or so, but it will eliminate the issue for good.

As I've said many, many times before.... My truck started this kinda shit at 700 miles and never quit until I upgraded the clutch hydraulics system.... 4 clutches, 2 flywheels and a tranny......They couldn't figure it out.....

I finally got the tip from the guys here....

I also recommend sheilding the hydraulic lines from all heat sources...

Good luck..... Hope your problem is remedied and your truck becomes fun again.

D

Thanks. I hope it does too. Who did you guys go through to buy the Centerforce or GTS parts?

 

[Halligan]

Bottom line is... you bought a used high performance truck with 10,000 miles on it. You have to assume it was thashed, so just be happy you didn't pay sticker price.

I actually know the guy who owned it . . . an old guy in a retirement community that I think would probably throuw a hip if he even attempted to thrash it.

 

[Venom Power]

The advice you have received thusfar is the best regarding the clutch setup. It is an inevitable upgrade we will all have to face if we haven't already. I fall in the category of having to do it soon. Mine was bought brand new with single digits on the ODO and now it's at about 28,300 miles but with the original clutch. Talk about babying a ride huh? Still, that doesn't make mine exempt. I am certain the days are numbered on my clutch.

 

[InfinitySRT]

I was in the same boat, I had the clutch go out on mine at 20k miles, had the Centerforce put in and didn't do the Viper Slaver/master upgrade, I thought I could run the stock system for awhile. Well it didn't last much past the 500 mile clutch break in, I wanna say about 50 miles, and honestly I didn't even hit it hard, was still being easy on it, no clutch dumpin burnouts or snapin it from 1st to 2nd. Currently my CE is sitting at DC waiting for the Viper master/slave upgrade, I talked to Dan there and he said what everyone on here knows or has said, the OEM hydro system can't handle the upgraded clutch so it fails. So if your gonna do it, do the clutch, flywheel and Viper Slave/master upgrade you'll be much happier.

 

[Django]

Thanks. I hope it does too. Who did you guys go through to buy the Centerforce or GTS parts?

Check out the vendors on this site....... They can get almost anything you need.....

D

 

[Prof]

I actually know the guy who owned it . . . an old guy in a retirement community that I think would probably throuw a hip if he even attempted to thrash it.

CAREFUL YOUNG STALLION...YOU ARE ON THIN ICE.

In all seriousness, this is a performance truck, most of us love to thrash it and drive it like we stole it. It is beyond me why someone would have this beast and not push it from time to time. If I worried about the clutch, slave/master cyl issue every time I thought about merging into traffic or killing a ricer, I would be in agony. Kind of like worrying about the cost of fuel...these things just should not hit our radar screens if we really want to enjoy this truck. IMHO, and I am often wrong.

Resident old fart,

 

[mauiSRT/10]

Spend your cash on the viper slave master upgrade even if the dealer is giving you warranty parts. It'll save you time and aggrevation. My clutch went out at 3k miles.


patrick

 

[Halligan]

I def will have to upgrade when I get some extra cash laying around. Unfortunately its tight, so I'll keep letting dodge replace it until I get around to having them put in the viper parts.

Thanks again for your help everyone - I greatly appreciate it.