E153 troubles heeellllp ! Problem solved MODS please delete, mods please close Options

[Darkchylde]

Hey guys, I've got a 2nd gen 3s swap and am having trouble with my e153.

Some history first. Bought the car from Toyotacrazy about a year ago car is beautiful ran great no problems. ( this is my first turbo car ) about 3 months ago the clutch went. Long story short I took it down and the little sleeve that the throwout bearing rides on got chewed up.

Got a stage 4 comp clutch from Pheonix tuning and a bellhousing. Split the case and replaced the bellhousing ( used reverse lever loosening technique, so I only had to separate the front). Got everything sealed back up, put the tranny back in and it was a go, after a very long bleeding. After about 700 miles ( very easy and light driving miles I might add) it started to sound like the throwout bearing was going again. No biggie right made plans to change it, but before I could the car started acting up, it feels like the clutch master is loosing pressure after about 15 mins. Very hard to shift unless your Rpms are perfect. I've changed the slave twice rebuilt the master once and put in a brand new master since. Next step is pulling the trans and splitting the case again to check for internal problems. Any one have any ideas ? Any and all help would be greatly appreciated.

This post has been edited by Darkchylde: Jun 16, 2010 - 9:13 PM

[Culpable04]

art, if after people offer their diagnosis and techiniques, you come to find that the issue is the tranny, let me know.

let's say that, I found some cheap dirty gold on the wrong hards lol

[Smaay]

i doubt its the tranny, it just doesnt go bad that often. id be more inclined to trouble shoot the slave or master. here is somethin you can do. have someone push on the clutch pedal and you watch the slave and shift fork. look to see if its falling back in place liek you are loosing pressure.

[Culpable04]

I typed that too fast, what I meant was,

IF the tranny is bad, which is the latest thing to go bad, E153 are strong trannies, but just wanted to let you know, if you were to nned one, I have one ON HAND, that I wouldn't mind letting go to your car

[lagos]

Anything that deals with clutch pedal feel has nothing to do with the trans. Thats all the clutch and the hydraulic system.

Why did you open the case and replace the bell housing for a clutch job?

[pittfirefighter]

i had the EXACT same problem... the clutch is bad... i bought the comp clutch from tweak also... same clutch, the six puck, same tranny.. its a bad clutch... the springs pop and jam the clutch... the slaves going bad is just the beginning... i replaced three slaves and a master... also put in an elongated pushrod (great investment... can buy from speed source) until all the springs finally popped out of the disc... i'm not the only one thats had problems with those discs... i've changed to a different clutch and havent had a problem since

oh and mine went at about 2000 miles... three of the six springs had shot out of the disc.... sadly Compclutch refused to replace cause it was two years old... i bought it at the beginning of my swap

This post has been edited by pittfirefighter: Dec 2, 2009 - 7:24 PM

[lagos]

Yeah, bad springs will cause all kinds of shifting issues.

I've seen people have spring problems with all kinds of clutch brands. The only company that seems to do things differently is ACT, because they use 4 bigger springs, instead of 6 smaller ones. So that might be worth a shot, but they are costly.
Only thing I dont like about ACT is that they go crazy with trying to give you a very heavy pressure plate, that is overkill for 99% of cars and makes them a bit harder to drive in a daily situation.

[Darkchylde]

Lagos,

The throwout bearing is held on and moved by the fork, but on my trans it is "guided" by a sleeve that goes through it that also surrounds the input shaft.

Pittfirefighter,

I don't necssarily think that it is the clutch, powershifting at the correct rpm still works ( that's what I have had to do to get the car back to my drive way each time). Unless I am completely wrong last clutch that got shot wouldn't let me do that though.

This post has been edited by Darkchylde: Dec 2, 2009 - 7:35 PM

[Darkchylde]

As far as the pressure plate goes, I don't
mind the workout. The last one that was in the car according to Toyotacrazy was a TRD 3sgte PP and a three puc.

[pittfirefighter]

Pittfirefighter,

I don't necssarily think that it is the clutch, powershifting at the correct rpm still works ( that's what I have had to do to get the car back to my drive way each time). Unless I am completely wrong last clutch that got shot wouldn't let me do that though.

theres a difference between a clutch going and breaking
when a clutch goes... it loses all its friction capability... it doesn't matter what you do, theres no friction to grab and turn the input shaft
these clutches break... parts of them go bad easily and cause the clutch to malfunction... the friction material is still there so it will grab, but it doesn't engage and disengage correctly cause the springs are bad

[Darkchylde]

Understood

[pittfirefighter]

[Darkchylde]

Looks pretty bad, thanks for the help guys I guess I just have to pull the trans again. One more question Pitt, was your clutch making a high growly kind of when when pushed in the pedal ?

This post has been edited by Darkchylde: Dec 2, 2009 - 8:27 PM

[presure2]

Looks pretty bad, thanks for the help guys I guess I just have to pull the trans again. One more question Pitt, was your clutch making a high growly kind of when when pushed in the pedal ?

sounds like what my clutch sounded like when it spit a spring.

[Darkchylde]

That seems to be the general consensus. Waiting for my friend to clear room in his garage and then the fun begins.

[malecrod]

Same problem here since my swap. Its always been those springs popping out, except one time when the entire clutch sorta shattered. But I'm in the process of changing clutch again. its becoming a pain doing this clutch job every year. I have ACT 6 puck now to install and I hope it lasts. I wonder if welding the 4 edges/corners of those spring covers/retainers would be a good idea? I have been thinking of it but don't know if it would adversely affect anything. Anyone?

[Darkchylde]

A few of the guys on celicatech have recommended unsprung clutches, anybody disagree ? If so why and I would like to know a few manufacturers. If you don't disagree I would also like to know what manufactures you would recommend. I'd love to hear from some of the guys that have cars that make 350 whp or more as well. That's my short term goal for the moment and I want to make sure that the next clutch I choose is going to be able to hold up. Again thanks for all the info. You guys/gals have been really helpful I'd still be searching for parts and info for my first Celica if I had found this site.

[Culpable04]

if you have plans for your girl to ride in your car, don't, or if you think your baby will be EVER in this car, don't get an un sprung clutch, they are great because there are no springs to fail on you, but they are HARD, they don't smoothly grab, they just grab.

[supershannon77]

I love my center-force clutch

[pittfirefighter]

go with ACT... unsprung means there is no give at all in the clutch... TERRIBLE for daily driving or on a hill... be ready to stall a lot...