My Evo was great--till I lost my clutch at 5K
Oct 8, 2003, 11:50 AM
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My Evo story
Greetings all--
I'm an ex-Viper driver--put 16,000 hard driven miles on my '99 ACR before selling it. It never gave me a hint of problems with its rock-solid drivetrain, even though I took it to the strip on one memorable occasion and launched it like I was at the strip on all others.
I picked up an EVO because the ACR never really seemed settled in the corners...it always felt like it was one toe-twinge from breaking lose. For my next car, I wanted something that had unbeatable handling.
I followed the news about the EVO closely, and became convinced that it was a spectacular handling beast.
In this, I was not disappointed
I felt faster the first day! AND I had 5 seats!
Sure, I was way down on power and torque, but I knew to expect that. What I didn't expect was how quickly I could really get to 60.
Mitsu says the car does 0-60 in 5.1. So that's what I did...over and over and over..
Never went to the track, but loved driving down a twisty road on the way home (Calavaras near Fremont)
Unfortunatily, what Mitsu leaves out is that if you DO choose to do 0-60 in 5.1, your clutch WILL fail. And quick.
So, there I was, 5300 miles later, and the car down for a clutch which Mitsu denied warranty on.
So, I'm left with going to the National Center for Dispute Settlement.
Does anyone here have advice for winning in a dispute like this?
My clutch (which I still have) does not look bad--and my service writer said it did NOT look like abuse to him. It simply looks worn down.
It also looks VERY small. I never imagined such a small part would be expected to handle 273 ft/lbs of torque for an AWD car.
I've chased down a lot of the clutch threads on this board, and got plenty of good info, but I'm still stinging from putting $1350 into a car less than 4 months old.
I think Japan wildly underestimated the American throttle.
Any advice from Mitsu veterans?
I'm an ex-Viper driver--put 16,000 hard driven miles on my '99 ACR before selling it. It never gave me a hint of problems with its rock-solid drivetrain, even though I took it to the strip on one memorable occasion and launched it like I was at the strip on all others.
I picked up an EVO because the ACR never really seemed settled in the corners...it always felt like it was one toe-twinge from breaking lose. For my next car, I wanted something that had unbeatable handling.
I followed the news about the EVO closely, and became convinced that it was a spectacular handling beast.
In this, I was not disappointed
I felt faster the first day! AND I had 5 seats!
Sure, I was way down on power and torque, but I knew to expect that. What I didn't expect was how quickly I could really get to 60.
Mitsu says the car does 0-60 in 5.1. So that's what I did...over and over and over..
Never went to the track, but loved driving down a twisty road on the way home (Calavaras near Fremont)Unfortunatily, what Mitsu leaves out is that if you DO choose to do 0-60 in 5.1, your clutch WILL fail. And quick.
So, there I was, 5300 miles later, and the car down for a clutch which Mitsu denied warranty on.
So, I'm left with going to the National Center for Dispute Settlement.
Does anyone here have advice for winning in a dispute like this?
My clutch (which I still have) does not look bad--and my service writer said it did NOT look like abuse to him. It simply looks worn down.
It also looks VERY small. I never imagined such a small part would be expected to handle 273 ft/lbs of torque for an AWD car.
I've chased down a lot of the clutch threads on this board, and got plenty of good info, but I'm still stinging from putting $1350 into a car less than 4 months old.
I think Japan wildly underestimated the American throttle.
Any advice from Mitsu veterans?
Last edited by viper2evo; Oct 8, 2003 at 04:44 PM.
Oct 8, 2003, 12:04 PM
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well if you constantly want to do 0-60mph in 5.1 then you will kill your clutch quick.
i have ~4900 miles and haven't had any clutch problem, hopefully not soon...
anyways, i've seen many posts that if you're gonna launch the evo with 5-7K dump, then you better install the twin exedy.
i am not ready to do those kinda launch til i am sure that i want to get that upgraded clutch. i have other mods that i want to do first.
i have ~4900 miles and haven't had any clutch problem, hopefully not soon...
anyways, i've seen many posts that if you're gonna launch the evo with 5-7K dump, then you better install the twin exedy.
i am not ready to do those kinda launch til i am sure that i want to get that upgraded clutch. i have other mods that i want to do first.
Oct 8, 2003, 12:04 PM
#3
Mitsu says the car does 0-60 in 5.1. So that's what I did...over and over and over..
keeps dening clutch warantee. Nothing is indestructable. If you beat on something long enough its gonna break. Good thing you didn't remove your clutch restrictor or you would probably be replacing your tranny right now.The thing is, unlike the Viper, this car was not meant for the strip. If you did so much research before you got the car you should know this.
Oct 8, 2003, 12:05 PM
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LOL, I blew my stock clutch at 2300 miles and I took chunks out of my new six-puck at 6500miles. I'm getting the Exedy Single disc, we'll see how that holds up. It has less driveabilty then the twin-disc, well thats what I was told.
Oct 8, 2003, 12:07 PM
#5
i don't have any advise, but I am extremely pleased that you are fighting this. Please let us know how things work out for you.
And sr20det, I disagree with you. developed this car with the full knowledge that it was going to be driven hard. If that is what it was created to do, then they should stick behind when people do so. If you go out to a drag strip when it is open to the public and watch people run you will see Dodge and Ford reps out there with parts on hand waiting to do warrantee repair work on their cars that are broken from running them hard. Why do you think Mitsu is widely seen as a second rate Japanese car company behind Honda, Acura, Toyota, ect. From what I have seen these other first line car companies stick behind their products better than Mitsu does. This guy has a stock car that wore its clutch out at 6000 or so miles. That is not supposed to happen.
And sr20det, I disagree with you.
developed this car with the full knowledge that it was going to be driven hard. If that is what it was created to do, then they should stick behind when people do so. If you go out to a drag strip when it is open to the public and watch people run you will see Dodge and Ford reps out there with parts on hand waiting to do warrantee repair work on their cars that are broken from running them hard. Why do you think Mitsu is widely seen as a second rate Japanese car company behind Honda, Acura, Toyota, ect. From what I have seen these other first line car companies stick behind their products better than Mitsu does. This guy has a stock car that wore its clutch out at 6000 or so miles. That is not supposed to happen.
Last edited by USP45; Oct 8, 2003 at 12:13 PM.
Oct 8, 2003, 12:15 PM
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Not trying to be adversarial here, but you should pony up the money for an aftermarket replacement clutch. It's a wear item, and you have no shame in admitting you like to wear it down faster than necessary Do you really want to put a weaker (stock) unit back in it?
Do you really want to put a weaker (stock) unit back in it?
Oct 8, 2003, 12:18 PM
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Re: My Evo was great--till I lost my clutch at 5K
Why does your sig have a viper in it if you are "ex" viper driver?
anyone could figure out if you abuse something long enough it will break.... my car has about 15 hard launches on it over the past 5-6 months and I have no problems.... i didn't try them all in one evening though...
Originally posted by viper2evo
Greetings all--
I'm an ex-Viper driver
Greetings all--
I'm an ex-Viper driver
anyone could figure out if you abuse something long enough it will break.... my car has about 15 hard launches on it over the past 5-6 months and I have no problems.... i didn't try them all in one evening though...
Originally posted by viper2evo
Mitsu says the car does 0-60 in 5.1. So that's what I did...over and over and over.. Never went to the track, but loved driving down a twisty road on the way home (Calavaras near Fremont)
Unfortunatily, what Mitsu leaves out is that if you DO choose to do 0-60 in 5.1, your clutch WILL fail. And quick.
So, there I was, 5300 miles later, and the car down for a clutch which Mitsu denied warranty on.
So, I'm left with going to the National Center for Dispute Settlement.
Does anyone here have advice for winning in a dispute like this?
My clutch (which I still have) does not look bad--and my service writer said it did NOT look like abuse to him. It simply looks worn down.
It also looks VERY small. I never imagined such a small part would be expected to handle 273 ft/lbs of torque for an AWD car.
I've chased down a lot of the clutch threads on this board, and got plenty of good info, but I'm still stinging from putting $1350 into a car less than 4 months old.
I think Japan wildly underestimated the American throttle.
Any advice from Mitsu veterans?
Mitsu says the car does 0-60 in 5.1. So that's what I did...over and over and over..
Never went to the track, but loved driving down a twisty road on the way home (Calavaras near Fremont)Unfortunatily, what Mitsu leaves out is that if you DO choose to do 0-60 in 5.1, your clutch WILL fail. And quick.
So, there I was, 5300 miles later, and the car down for a clutch which Mitsu denied warranty on.
So, I'm left with going to the National Center for Dispute Settlement.
Does anyone here have advice for winning in a dispute like this?
My clutch (which I still have) does not look bad--and my service writer said it did NOT look like abuse to him. It simply looks worn down.
It also looks VERY small. I never imagined such a small part would be expected to handle 273 ft/lbs of torque for an AWD car.
I've chased down a lot of the clutch threads on this board, and got plenty of good info, but I'm still stinging from putting $1350 into a car less than 4 months old.
I think Japan wildly underestimated the American throttle.
Any advice from Mitsu veterans?
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Oct 8, 2003, 12:20 PM
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The Evo was never really designed to be a drag racing car. the clutch will last for years even if used on a road course fairly regularly...... S2000's are the same.... not meant to be a drag racing car, but will last forever at a roadcourse.
Originally posted by joeycoates
And sr20det, I disagree with you. developed this car with the full knowledge that it was going to be driven hard. If that is what it was created to do, then they should stick behind when people do so. If you go out to a drag strip when it is open to the public and watch people run you will see Dodge and Ford reps out there with parts on hand waiting to do warrantee repair work on their cars that are broken from running them hard. Why do you think Mitsu is widely seen as a second rate Japanese car company behind Honda, Acura, Toyota, ect. From what I have seen these other first line car companies stick behind their products better than Mitsu does. This guy has a stock car that wore its clutch out at 6000 or so miles. That is not supposed to happen.
And sr20det, I disagree with you.
developed this car with the full knowledge that it was going to be driven hard. If that is what it was created to do, then they should stick behind when people do so. If you go out to a drag strip when it is open to the public and watch people run you will see Dodge and Ford reps out there with parts on hand waiting to do warrantee repair work on their cars that are broken from running them hard. Why do you think Mitsu is widely seen as a second rate Japanese car company behind Honda, Acura, Toyota, ect. From what I have seen these other first line car companies stick behind their products better than Mitsu does. This guy has a stock car that wore its clutch out at 6000 or so miles. That is not supposed to happen.
Oct 8, 2003, 12:28 PM
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i'm with avatar
in doing research before i bought the car, i saw that the EVO vii had clutch problems also, so i knew what to expect
i have a clutchmasters stage 3 in right now, and this this grabs hard...
screw mitsu...
if you want to prove a point to them, don't bring your car there for service... bring it else where...
in doing research before i bought the car, i saw that the EVO vii had clutch problems also, so i knew what to expect
i have a clutchmasters stage 3 in right now, and this this grabs hard...
screw mitsu...
if you want to prove a point to them, don't bring your car there for service... bring it else where...
Oct 8, 2003, 12:28 PM
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Originally posted by NRG
FYI, 5.1 sec 0-60 does not require you to launch the car. I did 4.3 secs with catback, ecu reflash without launching........
FYI, 5.1 sec 0-60 does not require you to launch the car. I did 4.3 secs with catback, ecu reflash without launching........
did you happen to get one of those magical evos?
Oct 8, 2003, 12:32 PM
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Nope........Infact, I feel like I got the slower ones......But anyways 5.1 claim from Mitsu isn't etched in the stone. It really depends on the driver. I know many Evo owners do 4.8 bone stock without launching. 5.1 is a very very modest claim.
Oct 8, 2003, 01:14 PM
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Originally posted by NRG
Nope........Infact, I feel like I got the slower ones......But anyways 5.1 claim from Mitsu isn't etched in the stone. It really depends on the driver. I know many Evo owners do 4.8 bone stock without launching. 5.1 is a very very modest claim.
Nope........Infact, I feel like I got the slower ones......But anyways 5.1 claim from Mitsu isn't etched in the stone. It really depends on the driver. I know many Evo owners do 4.8 bone stock without launching. 5.1 is a very very modest claim.
Oct 8, 2003, 01:33 PM
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DO NOT COMPARE YOUR VIPER TO AN EVO. When you drop the clutch the rear tires spin on a Viper. The Evo grabs with all 4 wheels and the first thing that breaks in any stock drive train is the clutch. Since the rear tires spin on the viper much of the abuse is put to the tires.
The clutch is the cheapest part to replace in your drive train. Be glad the clutch didn't hold up and rip out your transmission.
The clutch is the cheapest part to replace in your drive train. Be glad the clutch didn't hold up and rip out your transmission.
Oct 8, 2003, 01:49 PM
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Give it a year or so for the guys that took out the restrictor you will be hearing alot of whinning about differentials and trannies being rebuilt and they will blame Mitsubishi for it. No wonder Japan hesitated in bringing all its flagship AWD cars like the Skyline, EVo, and STi everyone here is use to Hemi's and Vettes with rear wheel spin and smoke. These cars need to be approached a little different. I know I will get flamed for this but someone needs to say it.