This weekend I put a Duralast clutch kit in my 95 Formula, along with a new/reman Standard flywheel and new slave cylinder. It now has a pretty strong vibration at around 4000 RPM, it's very consistent and present regardless of clutch position or gear. I also installed a ES trans mount so I expected a little more vibration than normal but this seems excessive.

Also, the clutch engages very early, almost as soon as you take it off the floor. It is getting better as I drive it, but when we first started it up and put it in gear it would turn the wheels with the clutch all the way in. I adjusted the slave cylinder and added fluid, that seemed to help and now the clutch engages within the first 2 inches of pedal travel. Sound normal? I've never installed a clutch before so have 0 experience with this stuff.

Thanks,
Josh

 

I just drove the car again and it seems to have gotten worse. Now it's quite noticeable at 2000 RPM and up. Is it possible to install the clutch disc backwards? I would think it wouldn't even work if it was backwards, but don't know.

 

It is possible to install the clutch disc backwards. I tore it down last night and the pressure plate is warped or otherwise out of balance, possibly due to improper installation of the clutch. Good thing Autozone has a lifetime warranty, I'm getting a new clutch disc/pp on Wed.

 

Yes, the clutch goes in a specific way. This may be hard to explain but the thicker side (where the center of the clutch disk is, with the adjusting springs) should go towards the tranny. If you put the thicker side towards the flywheel, it will be too thick and you will hear a grinding noise when disengaging the clutch (because technically I guess it won't be fully disengaging).

However, I don't know about the car shaking at RPM's, but I imagine it could be due to installing the clutch the wrong way. If you haven't pulled the clutch out, note which way you put it in the first time and see if you put it in right. Usually the clutch will come in the pressure plate the correct way that it is to be installed in the car. I am not sure if yours came packaged together or not.

 

Yes, we pulled the clutch out and it was installed backwards. Started the car with just the flywheel on the engine, no bad vibrations. Bolted up the pressure plate, no clutch and got the vibration again. Either the pp was warped/not balanced from the beginning, or installing the clutch backwards somehow warped or damaged the pressure plate making it unbalanced.

The clutch disc is marked on both sides. It was just my fault not checking that marking before we put it back together.

 

Ya that always sucks but at least you know you will never make that mistake again. It can be easy to switch the clutch around because the sides are not easily distinguishable. At least you got a new flywheel. I just put a clutch kit in my friend's jeep but only had the flywheel turned at a machine shop. I got everything together and the clutch was not disengaging all the way because they cut the flywheel too much. THankfully it was fine in forward gears (with syncros), just reverse was grinding. Oh well, live and learn.