93 Sc300 5-speed, I Have Broke 3 Different Pressure Plates In 2k Miles

[SC300Drifter]

PROBLEM RESOLVED READ LAST POST...

Ok I have owned this car for 4 years since 100k miles and now I am going crazy with clutches and my sc300!

Heres whats going on with my SC300, at 160k miles I replaced the clutch with an OEM unit and had to tighten the bolts on my clutch master cyclinder because it was moving/flexing away from the firewall everytime I pressed the clutch pedal down. The car ran great for about 5k miles and then the harmonic damper seperated at the rubber and flew off, I replaced it with a Bomz crank pulley...

At 208k miles I was on my way to work when my car started making a horrible rattle sound, I had never heard a sound like this before, it wasnt as low or hollow of a sound as a rod knock but I figured I had 208k miles I might as well replace the engine... I ordered a JDM 2JZ-GE the next day and had it delivered. I started to pull the transmission so I could start the engine removal and once the transmission was off I found the problem, every single bolt on my flywheel had backed out allowing my flywheel to come loose and rattle (pretty scarry).

I figured I might as well throw the new engine in anyway so I continued. I got the engine installed and used new bolts for the flywheel and loctite. Everything worked great for about 3 months....Then the Factory Harmonic damper seperated at the rubber and flew off my engine while I was driving it (again!), luckily the belt tightened up on the remaining peice of pulley. I replaced the pulley with a NEW BOMZ lightwieght pulley and everything once again worked great.... for about a month. The flywheel came loose again, so this time I bought ARP flywheel bolts for the Toyota 4A-GE (I read about alot of guys running these on supras...) and a new clutch kit, I installed everything and drove the car gently during the 500 mile break in, at 600 miles I "launched" the car from a stop light and dropped the clutch at 3k rpms, I took 1st to redline and grabbed 2nd gear, I took 2nd gear to redline and went to grab 3rd gear but the clutch wouldnt disengage & I was stuck in 2nd gear.... I wasnt too far from my house so I just drove the car home in 2nd, later realizing that I COULD SHIFT the car as long as the RPM's weren't over 3k, if I was at 3500rpms the clutch simply wouldnt dissengage. I got home and took the car apart again, I decided I would start by replacing the clutch slave & master because they were pretty old, I replaced them and it didnt resolve my problem, so I dropped the transmission again. After close inspection I noticed my pressure plate was missing 1 out of 3 clips (see the pictures). I bought another clutch from a different company and installed it, 800 miles later the clip breaks on this new clutch just as it did on the last one (different manufacturers).

By now I am so frustrated and tired of replacing clutches I am ready to sell the car. I decided that the flywheel had been throught alot (210k miles and it had came loose twice) and I didnt resurface it during the last 2 clutches (those 2 clutches only lasted a total of 1400 miles so I didnt think it was needed) so I purchased a New Fidanza flywheel and another clutch once again, I installed the complete clutch kit and flywheel and everything seemed fine just as before. I drove the car 200 miles and the clip broke again!!!!!!! AAAAH! I didnt even get to break it in!!! What the hell is going on? This is not right! So the car is broken right now and I just bought a new w58 transmission (thinking maybe the output shaft is damaged), a new Harmonic Damper (I decided the Bomz pulley could be to blame for this) and once again I ordered another clutch.... I am not going to install it until I actually find the problem, I am going to check the flywheel for runout with a dial indicator and I will also be switching from the ARP flywheel bolts back to new OEM bolts, I really dont know what else to do..... I cant keep buying clutches and having the car break so any help is appreciated. Has anyone even heard of pressure plates failing so soon?

Just to clear things up, after the flywheel came loose the first time @ 208k miles I have installed:

JDM 2JZ-GE

New Toyota Supra engine mounts

New transmission mounts

Fidanza flywheel w/ ARP flywheel bolts

3 clutch kits from different manufacturers, all 3 pressure plates failed

New seals/gaskets

New timing belt & tensioner/idler pulley

New Bomz Crank pulley

New serpintine belt

Full tune up

OBX header & mid-pipe w/ new O2 sensors

K&N air filter

New differential

New wheel studs

New wheels/tires

New struts & springs

Electric Fan/removed factory unit

So the car still only has 5k since I replaced EVERYTHING and the only peices that are still original/could be causing problems are the W58 transmission or the crank pulley. I have purchased a new w58 and an OEM harmonic damper hoping this will be the last time I will have to repair anything....

Sorry for the long post but I am trying to be as thorough as possible, Im running out of options.

I need help!

[Lethal_Threat]

Its most def. a wear issue, as to where though you will have to dig that up. I would guess its wear either on the input shaft or the flywheel. Even possibly the throw bearings, had you inspected them??

[SC300Drifter]

Its most def. a wear issue, as to where though you will have to dig that up. I would guess its wear either on the input shaft or the flywheel. Even possibly the throw bearings, had you inspected them??

Well the engine is a low milage JDM 2JZ-GE, several of my friends and I have purchased engines from them with no problem before. the flywheel is BRAND NEW, all the bearings were replaced each time the clutch was (replaced 3 times). I will be trying a lower milage transmission this install, along with an oem harmonic damper. other than that the only other thing it could be is the crank. Any ideas?

[UCF3]

Before you try something new, go completely stock Toyota. OEM Clutch, replace the Rear main Seal, and use Toyota Synthetic transmission fluid.

It also sounds like you're killing the transmission, too many burn-outs perhaps? Apply less pressure to the clutch and see if it lasts longer than 5,000 miles.

[SC300Drifter]

Before you try something new, go completely stock Toyota. OEM Clutch, replace the Rear main Seal, and use Toyota Synthetic transmission fluid.

It also sounds like you're killing the transmission, too many burn-outs perhaps? Apply less pressure to the clutch and see if it lasts longer than 5,000 miles.

thanks for the response, well seeing as how the flywheel came loose 2 times I think its possible the shaft is messed up. it looks visually fine but I'm unsure of how to actually check it, I do have a new tranny that I'm going to install. the old tranny shifted fine, didn't grind, but it had sloppy gates (bushing?) but that's too be expected after 200k+ miles isn't it? yeah I power braked the car maybe 3 times since I've owned it, I maybe did about 10 donuts a month, and drifted it daily... gear fluid, main seal shouldn't actually effect the clutch itself should it? I was under the impression that the only thing tranny related that could cause a problem was the shaft? I do drive the car pretty hard but I am being honest when I say that I baby the vehicle during the 500 mile break in. the only time it is ever driven that nice is during a break in, I don't understand how 200 miles of very very easy driving can kill the clutch? smooth slow shift, no rev matching, gentle starts. I'm driving by the book and it breaks. any ideas?

[UCF3]

It could be the Drive shaft, but I'm leaning towards a poor quality Clutch. I burned through my ACT clutch within a year, with low pressure driving. I replaced it with a Stock Toyota and didn't have the problem.

I don't think I'll be able to help you with this as much. I've never had this problem before. Hopefully someone else will stop by to perhaps help you.

If I was to guess, I'd opt to replace the transmission fluid first, before you replace the transmission. also see if you can switch the flywheel. a new one might be needed.

Keep me in the loop on what you find.

[SC300Drifter]

yeah, we will be changing all fluids and installing a new exedy clutch, transmission, flywheel bolts, harmonic damper... anything else i should change out? i have a dial indicator and a mag base so im going to check the runout on the flywheel once its installed. thanks!

[SC300Drifter]

PROBLEM RESOLVED! I replaced the Harmonic Damper and installed an Exedy Clutch and the SC300 has been running strong for 3,000 miles with no problem.

So all in all I learned: DO NOT use ebay clutches or ebay underdrive crank pulleys.