Need help on this. . . Unique situation i'm experiencing. .

[Jagstang]

Alright, so I brought my car in to a shop on Tuesday to install a new Luk Clutch and slave cylinder, and it is now Thursday. I called them this morning to check on why they haven't called me back yet, and they said the clutch I bought for my car didn't line up properly. . .

So they ordered another Luk clutch from the same place I bought mine from, and neither did that clutch line up properly. Now they ordered a 3rd clutch, and it's on the way to the shop. . .

The mechanic at the shop also said if the 3rd clutch doesn't fit, he will need to order one from the Nissan dealership. . . And I asked for the price on that, and he said $250.00. . . (But I told them if the 3rd clutch doesn't fit, they should not order anything from the dealership, and that they should call me).

Now my questions is. . . If the 3rd clutch fits in. . . What should I do if the shop charges me more for labor (since they had to install 3 whole clutches to get it right)?

I called west-can (place I bought my clutch from), and I told them the model number off the receipt I got from the clutch I bought, and I wanted them to check and see if it's for a 1995 240sx. . . And the guy said it was. . . So I asked for his opinion on my situation, and he said they clearly don't know how to install the clutch on my car. . . He said he would tell them to f*** off if they charged him more for labor. . .

So personally, I think if they try to charge me more, I will refuse, since they seriously don't seem to know how to install the clutch on my car. . . It's impossible that 2-3 clutches were defective. . .

Help would be greatly appreciated on the situation, thanks in advance.

[got chub]

i had my clutch changed at a trans shop and it ran me $400. i would recomend you learn to do your own work. it might take a bit longer but it save you major cash

[Jagstang]

i had my clutch changed at a trans shop and it ran me $400. i would recomend you learn to do your own work. it might take a bit longer but it save you major cash

Well, I would if I couldn't find a good deal on the labor. . But this shop I took it to charged me $275.00 for the labor. So I decided to take it there. . . But what would you do in my situation (besides installing the clutch yourself).

[Doya]

What were they having problems with exactly, getting the pressure plate to line up?

[motoman399]

so heres the deal. if the clutch you brought in was indeed wrong then they are entitled to charge you a little more for labor (should be far less than an hour). if they had been the original purchaser of the clutch, then they would have to eat the labor. the book time is 3.5 hours for that job. most shops in my area charge $90-100 for an hour. so sounds like you got a decent deal. if you dont pay them then they will keep the keys and lock the car inside the shop. you will have to take them to court to settle it. might not be worth the trouble.

also the shop makes money from the clutch if they buy it. when you bring it in, they dont make anything. so they might charge you a little extra because of that.

[Jagstang]

What were they having problems with exactly, getting the pressure plate to line up?

Thanks for the reply. Well, I guess. They said the clutch wasn't lining up. So i'm guessing that's what they had trouble with.

so heres the deal. if the clutch you brought in was indeed wrong then they are entitled to charge you a little more for labor (should be far less than an hour). if they had been the original purchaser of the clutch, then they would have to eat the labor. the book time is 3.5 hours for that job. most shops in my area charge $90-100 for an hour. so sounds like you got a decent deal. if you dont pay them then they will keep the keys and lock the car inside the shop. you will have to take them to court to settle it. might not be worth the trouble.

also the shop makes money from the clutch if they buy it. when you bring it in, they dont make anything. so they might charge you a little extra because of that.

Thanks for the reply. But the clutch I brought was good. . . It's obviously their fault. . . They f*** up the installation with my clutch, and with the second clutch they personally ordered. Now they're on the 3rd one.

I'm just saying, I know I bought the right model. It seems they don't know how to align it properly. . . Bunch of noobs with their honda's and toyota's.

[kouki munster]

If memory serves the ka pressure plate will only go on the flywheel one way. I'm willing to bet that the idiots at the shop don't realize that they just need to keep rotating the pressure plate until the all 3 alignment pins on the flywheel line up with the holes in the pressure plate.

[Jagstang]

If memory serves the ka pressure plate will only go on the flywheel one way. I'm willing to bet that the idiots at the shop don't realize that they just need to keep rotating the pressure plate until the all 3 alignment pins on the flywheel line up with the holes in the pressure plate.

Yea exactly! That's what I was thinking, they're taking their Honda experience and applying it to a Nissan 240sx. And by doing that, it's just not working out. . . I ain't paying extra for their lack of KA knowledge.

[motoman399]

Thanks for the reply. But the clutch I brought was good. . . It's obviously their fault. . . They f***** up the installation with my clutch, and with the second clutch they personally ordered. Now they're on the 3rd one.

I'm just saying, I know I bought the right model. It seems they don't know how to align it properly. . . Bunch of noobs with their honda's and toyota's.

If memory serves the ka pressure plate will only go on the flywheel one way. I'm willing to bet that the idiots at the shop don't realize that they just need to keep rotating the pressure plate until the all 3 alignment pins on the flywheel line up with the holes in the pressure plate.

well if this is a real shop, they should know how to install a clutch. its such an easy task. when you went there did they have any machines or tools? sounds like its some backyard "mechanic" that has no clue where the flux capacitor is...

[OutToWinPAHC]

If they quoted the job, and are supplying the parts then they have to eat it. Its books time, if they did the job faster would they charge you less... NO.

[Jagstang]

Thanks for the reply. But the clutch I brought was good. . . It's obviously their fault. . . They f***** up the installation with my clutch, and with the second clutch they personally ordered. Now they're on the 3rd one.

I'm just saying, I know I bought the right model. It seems they don't know how to align it properly. . . Bunch of noobs with their honda's and toyota's.

If memory serves the ka pressure plate will only go on the flywheel one way. I'm willing to bet that the idiots at the shop don't realize that they just need to keep rotating the pressure plate until the all 3 alignment pins on the flywheel line up with the holes in the pressure plate.

well if this is a real shop, they should know how to install a clutch. its such an easy task. when you went there did they have any machines or tools? sounds like its some backyard "mechanic" that has no clue where the flux capacitor is...

Well they're a reputable shop. They have hoists, and all the tools necessary. They also do government inspections etc. To me, they seem more than good enough to do it. . . But like we suspect. . They must be screwing something up. . .

[Jagstang]

Wow. . . Just got back from the shop. When I arrived there, the mechanic told me that the 3rd clutch worked. . . And that it was going to be done in a couple hours. . . They said the first 2 clutches didn't work on my car because it was a 1995 clutch. . . The third clutch that worked was a 1994 clutch. . .

SO anyways. . . If they try to overcharge me for not knowing my own car's year (which I do know), I will take out the book, and show them my car is a 1995 model. I have already several sources proving that my car is a 1995 model. . .1 being the government aircare website (when you input the VIN), second being Wikipedia (I know, not that great), and third being car fax.

But that's stupid, it makes no sense that the 95 clutches don't work on my car. . . Anyone ever heard of this happening before?

[Dittoz7]

Unless someone before you swap a S13 KA into it.

Dunno if that make a diffrences clutch wise tho.

[Jagstang]

Unless someone before you swap a S13 KA into it.

Dunno if that make a diffrences clutch wise tho.

Yeah, nobody swapped an S13 KA. . . Bought the car from the 1st owner, and from all the receipts I got from him from the late 90's, nothing ever mentioned any of that. This is the gay.

[Gabes13]

What ditto said was my first thought, but I remember hearing that some s14s were manufactured in '94 and advertised as '95. I don't think that would really mean anything, b/c lots of makes do that.

[KYZAAC]

i know on motorcycles anything made after the 7th month was bumped up a year. ie. the manufacturing date on cbr is september 2004, but says 2005 on the tag. i dunno if that would be an issue or not

[Dittoz7]

Ummm anyone know how to tell S13 and S14 KA apart?LOL

[kouki munster]

Wow. . . Just got back from the shop. When I arrived there, the mechanic told me that the 3rd clutch worked. . . And that it was going to be done in a couple hours. . . They said the first 2 clutches didn't work on my car because it was a 1995 clutch. . . The third clutch that worked was a 1994 clutch. . .

SO anyways. . . If they try to overcharge me for not knowing my own car's year (which I do know), I will take out the book, and show them my car is a 1995 model. I have already several sources proving that my car is a 1995 model. . .1 being the government aircare website (when you input the VIN), second being wakopedia (I know, not that great), and third being car fax.

But that's stupid, it makes no sense that the 95 clutches don't work on my car. . . Anyone ever heard of this happening before?

Lol....... good luck finding a 1994 240sx that left the factory as a 5 speed, 94 240's were all verts, and all verts were automatics from the factory.

I think that they just got the pressure plate lined up correctly the first time they put the pressure plate to the flywheel on the third attempt. If you're lucky they put the clutch disk on the right way.

[Jagstang]

Alright, well. . . I just picked up the S14 a couple hours ago. . And I must say. . . It's literally 100% stiffer than before. I went into the office. . And the guy asked for the money, and I gave him $275.00 and he counted it, and said thank you. . . I was so happy finding out that he wasn't going to increase the price.

My buddy Asoomal came along with me, and my clutch pedal feels as good as his S13's clutch (and I always wished to have my clutch as stiff as his S13). So in the end, i'm VERY happy with how my clutch turned out. And take into consideration that my clutch is still being broken into. . So it should be stiffer once broken into properly.

And for future references for anyone, before leaving, I asked the mechanic to see the old clutch, and there was about 10% of meat left on it. . . But what surprised me the most was the slave cylinder. . . It said Nabco japan on it (15 year old slave cylinder). . And it was all rusted and screwed up. So for anybody wanting to stiffen their pedal, give a new slave cylinder a try, it should more than likely fix your soft pedal.

[coupe240sxguy]

just out of curiosity what was the part number on the luk clutch... 06-910 or 06-009 should fit 1995
if its a 1994 it should be 06-054 or 06-914

[Dazzla]

$275 is that how much you paid in labour or clutch + labour?

[Jagstang]

just out of curiosity what was the part number on the luk clutch... 06-910 or 06-009 should fit 1995
if its a 1994 it should be 06-054 or 06-914

I'll get back to you on that.

Edit: Kk, the part number for the first clutch that got f*** up was P UCC 06009. So the one that fit my car is probably either 06-054 or 06-914. I don't know the part number because they never gave me the box from the other ones they installed etc.

$275 is that how much you paid in labour or clutch + labour?

The labour was $275.00 and the clutch was $150.00 and the slave was $20.00. So $445.00 for everything. Which seems like a very good deal in my opinion.

[coupe240sxguy]

pretty decent deal... i would have done for about the same amount... or 250

[Doya]

If memory serves the ka pressure plate will only go on the flywheel one way. I'm willing to bet that the idiots at the shop don't realize that they just need to keep rotating the pressure plate until the all 3 alignment pins on the flywheel line up with the holes in the pressure plate.

That was the same thing I was thinking Glad everything worked out though.

[TwoFourOhh]

I just had a SPEC stage 3 clutch, Carbonetic 1.5 way Carbon diff , peak perf. trans mount, Isis subframe collars and short shifter installed and they had no prob. So the shop your dealing with must be idiots.

[Dittoz7]

Wouldn't call them idiots by a long shot. Just probably not used to our "special" cars...