Long story below, but I'm looking for any advice/ideas you may have! Car/mods: '03 WRX with 100k miles VF-34 turbo Modified WRX injectors - 860cc Ebay TMIC Helix catless up-pipe Turbo XS stealthback exhaust Prodrive axleback Gimmick Turbo inlet pipe GM BCS Group "N" engine/ trans mounts So I just finished changing the clutch in my '03 WRX. I put in an Exedy stage 1 clutch and the stock flywheel. As soon as I started it up afterward it had a really loud knocking/rattle sound. I shut it off right away and then there was a burning smell coming from the engine bay. It was definitely not a burning clutch smell, but more like a hot/burning metal smell. I took the intercooler off and the slave cylinder, and it felt like the throw out bearing wasn't locking to the pressure plate properly, and maybe causing some type of rattle. Thinking that was the issue, I took it all back apart again and swapped it out with another pressure plate and bearing (long story, but yes, I had two brand new clutch kits on hand). I also double checked everything again while it was apart and made sure there were no clearance issues and that nothing was hitting anything in there, and that everything was torqued properly. After I got the trans/engine back together, I tested the bearing by pressing on the clutch fork lever, and I'm confident that this one is working properly and the pedal feels like it should. So I finished putting the car back together hoping the problem was solved. Started it up and it still has the rattle/knock. It is really loud and I can't really tell where it is coming from. It sounds so bad/loud that I can't stand to run the car for more than ten or fifteen seconds. It sounds as if the flywheel or pressure plate is hitting something as it turns. Is there anything that I could have done wrong or something that could be in the way of something? Maybe it's not clutch/flywheel related? Maybe just a horrible coincidence and a bad rod knock? I just changed the oil to Amsoil a week ago and the dipstick shows full. Thanks in advance for any help...
well you could jack it up and just take it off its only held on with 2 bolts if i remember correctly that will kinda rule it out
Bingo! Thank you so much! It was smashed on the passenger side between the engine/trans. I had to separate the engine/trans a few inches and pry it free. Lets just say that plate is no longer pretty, but it is still semi-functional. Maybe I should replace it before winter? There is a small spot in the passenger side that it no longer covers, and I could see some slush or snow getting in there. On a side note, removing my ACT flywheel and going back to stock solved my idle issues I've been having, and the horrible chatter during deceleration that I've had since it was installed. Very glad to be rid of that!
Another question now. Is there anyway to adjust the clutch engagement? I did some searching and can't find what I'm looking for. Basically the clutch engages when the pedal is less than on inch off the floor. It seems way too low to me, and that it shouldn't engage until the the pedal is at least an inch or two off the floor. I've found some posts about adjusting the pedal itself under the dash, is that where I should be adjusting it?
