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Clutch Housing Explosion (and Calatoral Damage)

FineLine
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FineLine Grand Master

FineLine

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How to go from the Penthouse to the cellar in one easy leasson. Power cruise at qr today Just doing what the natives do. Cruising, racing and having fun. During the off street racing segment I stopped on the back straight. Gave it 5 kay on the tacho and slipped the clutch to warm up the mickey T's in preperation for a race. What happenned next i wouldnt wish on anybody.

An incredibly loud explosion shook the shit out of the car, I clutched it and stopped it as quickly as I could and looked back to see a pile of debris scattered all over the track. The clutch housing literally exploded, the bellhousing was blown to smithereens, the slave was sent to god and probably still hasnt landed, shrapnell took out the dump which, fortunately saved the chassis rail. Bits of the back of the engine block were blown off. The starter motor copped it.

The majority of the blast fortunately went downwards in to the bitumen, fortunate for me because if it went the opposite way i shudder to think what may have happenned.

The clutch was a Jim Berry full monty, Pupportedly capable of holding some major horsepower. Wether I am just the unlucky one or not I dont know but I will not use another clutch without a burstproof housing and a kevlar blanket.

A very sobering experience.

Edited by FineLine
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Duncan Grand Master

Duncan

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well I guess you've joined ben's club, glad to hear you weren't injured because that sort of accident could cost you your legs :thumbsup:

most likely it was the flywheel that went not the clutch - what flywheel was it?

I originally had a standard flywheel in the race car but we found hairline cracks - I changed it for a billet one for exactly this reason

FineLine Grand Master

FineLine

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well I guess you've joined ben's club, glad to hear you weren't injured because that sort of accident could cost you your legs :)

most likely it was the flywheel that went not the clutch - what flywheel was it?

I originally had a standard flywheel in the race car but we found hairline cracks - I changed it for a billet one for exactly this reason

The os giken flywheel is still intact and bolted to the back of the engine. Its was the clutch housing that let go.

Edited by FineLine
Shaun Mentor

Shaun

Posted
Posted

Shit! I spoke to Jim about this when ordering my single plate clutch. He told me that the standard flywheel would be fine but i think ill change to a steel item next time i pull the gearbox.

Looking forward to pics of the clutch housing.

FineLine Grand Master

FineLine

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Shit! I spoke to Jim about this when ordering my single plate clutch. He told me that the standard flywheel would be fine but i think ill change to a steel item next time i pull the gearbox.

Looking forward to pics of the clutch housing.

Think more about your clutch cover than your flywheel Shawn. Having done some preliminary homework already it would appear this is not an isolated incident.

I have already sourced a similar hp rated clutch with an antiburst cover for a lot less bucks than the berry. He can shove his full monty where the sun dont shine.

STATUS Grand Master

STATUS

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shite, sorry to hear. i wont get into it here because ive said it so many times, but these types of failures are the reasons i like to stick to decent stuff like ORC etc....

Shaun Mentor

Shaun

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Think more about your clutch cover than your flywheel Shawn. Having done some preliminary homework already it would appear this is not an isolated incident.

I have already sourced a similar hp rated clutch with an antiburst cover for a lot less bucks than the berry. He can shove his full monty where the sun dont shine.

It would be interesting to hear what Jim says about this incident.

I actually bought a Nismo clutch and he modified it to suit my application, so hopefully i dont suffer the same fate.

Im really sorry to hear about this though. Ive sufferred engine failures due to things that werent my fault and it sucks.

bnr#@ Mentor

bnr#@

Posted
Posted
It would be interesting to hear what Jim says about this incident.

I actually bought a Nismo clutch and he modified it to suit my application, so hopefully i dont suffer the same fate.

Im really sorry to hear about this though. Ive sufferred engine failures due to things that werent my fault and it sucks.

Sorry to go off topic but you needed a nismo clutch modified? WHY MAN? They are among the best clutches, dont rattle, atleas mine didnt and feel prety much stock...

Shaun Mentor

Shaun

Posted
Posted
Sorry to go off topic but you needed a nismo clutch modified? WHY MAN? They are among the best clutches, dont rattle, atleas mine didnt and feel prety much stock...

Well, maybe i shouldnt have said 'modified'. I bought a single plate nismo clutch that had worn out, sent it to Jim, and it came back all new and shiney. He increased the clamping force i know that, but as for the rest of it, im not sure. It certainly doesnt feel like standard pedal pressure though!

Beer Baron Grand Master

Beer Baron

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fk mate. i'm sorry to hear that. clutch or flywheel explosions are a very scary thing. one happend recently to a friend of mine and he was very lucky. some pieces of shrapnel pierced the floor and through the car roof. all he got was a cut thumb! (this one was an alfa race car and not using a JB clutch).

I can name a few such explosions now in skylines and all the ones I know of were running jim berry clutches. I don't know if it's coincidence or not but it is a worry. benm can tell you his story which for all intents and purposes made his car a financial write off. There was another also in sydney a few months prior.

FineLine Grand Master

FineLine

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Well I spoke (and spoke, and spoke, and spoke, and spoke, and spoke, and spoke, and spoke, and spoke) to Mr. Berry this afternoon and he expressed interest in pursuing the matter via his insurance company. Something to do with A dodgy batch of covers or such.

I've been jumped through hoops before so I dont hold much hope but I will pursue it regardless.

Will keep you posted.

murrayis Mentor

murrayis

Posted
Posted

god i didn;t think it was going ot be that bad from the description but then again pictures do paint a better image of what you were describing.

the flywheels looks intact wonder what sheered off

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