Clutch Issues. Help.

[Withoutaname14201]

So my clutch went out this weekend. Problem I keep running into is that Sachs seems to be back ordered for about a week, probably more(FML) So my next option is to go get one from the dealer.
Problem with that is that when my friend cracked my clutch open, he found that there was already a Sachs kit installed. My question being, is the Sachs kit the kit from factory?Or did the guy who own my 6 last just burn out the factory clutch before 17K and put a Sachs kit in. And if it's not the same kit, any manual transmission owners know the product #? Any help is appreciated.


And by the way, racpages.com has a pretty insulting customer service department.
I called them today because when I googled Sachs kit and they came up. It also sparked my interest because it said
"Always in Stock" right after the title. Call and they don't have the part. I asked to be transferred to customer service, and just told them that it's probably not a good idea to have "Always In Stock" in the title on the world wide web if that's not the case and that it was obvious false advertisement. Kerpal....Ryan then told me "Sometimes we have them, sometimes we don't, but it's not false advertisment" I laughed and said that they should then put "Sometimes in Stock"
He then tried to give me a lecture in buisness ethics and say that(and I quote) "That most companies that say Always in Stock never have that product in stock".Like I was going to be happy with that response and still buy a kit from this company .I don't like being told by a customer service department that basically I'm wrong and told him no matter what excuse he gave me it wouldn't justify the fact his company was lying or that it would make me a customer and that was that, just thought I would share/vent.

[stevey722]

Re: Clutch Issues. Help.

just wondering how many miles you have on the 6....also could you tell it was going to go out or just did you hop in it one day and it was slipping like crazy??? my clutch has no slipping or anything but when i depress the clutch to change gears i fill lots of vibration gets worse with higher rpms

[Withoutaname14201]

Re: Clutch Issues. Help.

I'm a little over 80K now. Started to slip one day a couple weeks ago but after a trip to work, everything seemed fine on the way back. Then the day before I left for my trip I knew it was going becuase I went to work and back and it was starting to go and I knew it was downhill. The issue your talking about I've never had.I'm assuming you let off the gas when you shift

[stevey722]

Re: Clutch Issues. Help.

lol yes i let off the gas lol but i get alot of vibration from the clutch when changing gears especially when rpms are higher anywho are you buying the clutch kit from race pages?

[Withoutaname14201]

Re: Clutch Issues. Help.

Nope, I'll find someone who will charge me the same price one or two weeks from now whenever Sachs decides to distribute, if I decide to wait that long I guess. I checked gmpartsdirect and it looks like just the pressure plate and clutch disc are 144.51, gotta double check and see what else I need but it'll still be higher then the Sachs kit.

Again,anyone know what the real difference would be between Sachs and OEM kits,if there is one? Does GM make a kit or am I forced to buy part separately ?

This is why I wish Pontiac made more manual g6s.

[Withoutaname14201]

Re: Clutch Issues. Help.

[stevey722]

Re: Clutch Issues. Help.

[Withoutaname14201]

Re: Clutch Issues. Help.

Looks like I'm ordering parts from gmpartsdirect. Called another part company today and they told me Sachs discontinued the kit.....yeah. Have no idea if that's the case cause 3 other places told me that they were just backordered for 3 weeks so I'm giving up.

[selfdestruct80]

Re: Clutch Issues. Help.

are you doing the install yourself? If so take plenty of pics. I'm sure a lot of us a manual six's would like to have that on hand when that dreaded day rolls around. If you are have a shop do it then how much are they charging?

Just curious cause I had a manual cavalier and the clutch went out on that. I tried fixing it myself got everything off the car and wasn't able to get the housing off the clutch. Its like the bolts were welded or something (overstatement). I ended up giving up and just put it all back together.

Let us know how this all turns out though.

[Withoutaname14201]

Re: Clutch Issues. Help.

I'm not doing the work personally, I'd be there helping but my work schedule has me by the short and curlys this week so I won't be able to get pictures, sorry. And as for doing the job yourself, I hear TechTime has this job taking 10 hours so best of luck. I hear it's a bitch even getting to our clutch. The price I'm getting charged is only $275, which I could imagine is not close to what the dealer would charge you because the guy doing the job on mine is a family friend. I'm going to be calling back in a few weeks to see if Sachs truly stops making the clutch kit and will let yall know.

[SergeantGrunt]

Re: Clutch Issues. Help.

Dont cha hate it when you find the fix to one problem only to discover a new one??? So I did the high speed brake scrub this morning on my way to PT. The brake shake stopped almost entirely, that's cool, I'm happy. Too bad for me that when I shifted into a lower gear to accelerate back up to speed my clutch decided to start slipping. Looks like the two dealers around here want about $1400 to fix my new issue. What are the choices for clutches?? Stick with OEM or find something better if it's made??

[Neatong6er]

Re: Clutch Issues. Help.

I personally don't know, but from what i've read the clutch they dumped in this car was not meant to handle that kind of power. I would recommend trying to get a performance clutch, might end up costing less that an OEM anyway.

[mjpate]

Re: Clutch Issues. Help.

I'm not doing the work personally, I'd be there helping but my work schedule has me by the short and curlys this week so I won't be able to get pictures, sorry. And as for doing the job yourself, I hear TechTime has this job taking 10 hours so best of luck. I hear it's a bitch even getting to our clutch. The price I'm getting charged is only $275, which I could imagine is not close to what the dealer would charge you because the guy doing the job on mine is a family friend. I'm going to be calling back in a few weeks to see if Sachs truly stops making the clutch kit and will let yall know.

I know this thread is a bit old, but thought it deserved comment. I'm in the middle of a clutch replacement and will post the pictures when I'm finished. Here are a few thoughts, from my experience so far:
- tools: you should have a stock of tools compiled before hand, or it will cost a week or two pulling them together. These include the engine support (buy or build one), the flange that you attach to a slide hammer to yank the half shafts off the differential, the little bastard expensive tool you attach to the back of engine to lock the flywheel, the kent-Moore tool you use to pull the half shafts off the hub. The expensive kent moore axle puller tool is the correct tool; I tried several others that "almost" fit. That Little bastard fly wheel locker tool must be gold plated: a few ounces and almost $100. Good luck finding a used one. You also need those differential seal protectors for when you slide the axle splines in. As already mentioned elsewhere, don't start this job without a reciprocating saw. It's already been used multiple times. Without a lift, you'll need BIG jack stands. I use the 12 ton variety; non-extended. It just feels safer that way when lying under the car pushing on this, pulling on that.
- parts: after you get into this job, you wil appreciate not wanting to revisite it. Replace all the guts under the bell housing, including the dual mass fly wheel. If you are tempted to low-ball and abstain replacing the flywheel, remember these flywheels cannot be resurfaced. If the flywheel causes problems after you complete this job, I'll bet you pay someone to redo it. Your front suspension will be virtually dismantled, so this may be the time to replace suspension members before you have to pile back in there. Replace those subframe bushings while you're at it.
- labor: the worst part of this job will be experienced by souls like me who don't have a lift. The subframe is massive, heavy and must be removed. The exhaust collector pipe must be disconnected from the tail pipe, so you can slide off the subframe. Those exhaust bolts must be cut off as the exhaust bolts have no semblance of corners. Even with tall 12 ton 19" jack stands (on safe, minimum lift), there's not much room at the back of the subframe, lying on your back. Bear in mind that everything will go slowly when moving and manipulating massive, expensive parts.
- all in all; this has the expected difficulty of a job on a modern car. Just don't be misled by clutch jobs on older smaller Hondas and toyotas. If this job just required 10 hours; I suspect this is not your first time on a gtp/3.9L and you have a lift.