Just want to apologize in advance for this long winded post, but I want to provide enough details for you guys to give me some accurate advice.
So about a year ago I made the mistake of letting someone drive my baby whom I shouldn't have. Nearly worst case scenario ensued. This guy proceeded to lose control, hit a sign, and got hung up on a driveway embankment. To make matters worse we happened to be in the middle of a town, so he panicked and proceeded to red line, and slip the clutch for a period of time to try to break free of the embankment, before I was able to gain control of the situation. I drove the car home and there she sat for at least a few months before I was able to face the damage that had been done to my most prized possession lol. Just standing near the car, you could smell clutch for days after the incident. Upon finally driving a few months later I noticed that under acceleration (3-4k rpm), after a shift change, I would get some slipping. Since then it has progressively gotten worse, to the point where now it will do it climbing a hill in 5th, while using cruise control. These events led me to believe that it is indeed a clutch problem, but I am far from an expert and can't afford to spend money on extensive diagnosing, or replacing components that don't really need it. That leads me to this forum and a few questions for the wealth of knowledge in this mustang community.
1. Is it likely that this could be anything other than the clutch itself?
2. If it is the clutch, what else is recommended to replace during that process? From what I've researched I've found that typically people will also replace the throwout bearing and either resurface or replace the flywheel?
3. This car has been fitted with an airaid intake and throttle body spacer, magnaflow dual exhaust, and a chip programmed by American Muscle for 93 octane. I've noticed a HUGE increase in performance from these upgrades, but am wondering if anyone would have a ballpark number for increased hp and whether a stage clutch kit is necessary for this added power?
4. Any clutch kit recommendations? I've found a wide variety of prices. AM used to carry a stage 1 or 2 exedy kit that included a bearing and flywheel, but they no longer carry any stage kits including more than the clutch. I'm looking for something that can handle 300-400 hp and will last, while not being insanely expensive.
5. How much should I expect (roughly) on the labor for a clutch, bearing, and flywheel install? Is it worth paying considerably more and having a professional performance shop do this fix? I have a mechanic who does good work at a reasonable price, but he's admitted to not having experience with this particular install.
Again guys I'm sorry for such a long post and so many questions, but I'm sure many of you will be able to relate with having a car you love, and being too strapped for cash to really do her justice. Any information or advice is greatly appreciated!!!
So about a year ago I made the mistake of letting someone drive my baby whom I shouldn't have. Nearly worst case scenario ensued. This guy proceeded to lose control, hit a sign, and got hung up on a driveway embankment. To make matters worse we happened to be in the middle of a town, so he panicked and proceeded to red line, and slip the clutch for a period of time to try to break free of the embankment, before I was able to gain control of the situation. I drove the car home and there she sat for at least a few months before I was able to face the damage that had been done to my most prized possession lol. Just standing near the car, you could smell clutch for days after the incident. Upon finally driving a few months later I noticed that under acceleration (3-4k rpm), after a shift change, I would get some slipping. Since then it has progressively gotten worse, to the point where now it will do it climbing a hill in 5th, while using cruise control. These events led me to believe that it is indeed a clutch problem, but I am far from an expert and can't afford to spend money on extensive diagnosing, or replacing components that don't really need it. That leads me to this forum and a few questions for the wealth of knowledge in this mustang community.
1. Is it likely that this could be anything other than the clutch itself?
2. If it is the clutch, what else is recommended to replace during that process? From what I've researched I've found that typically people will also replace the throwout bearing and either resurface or replace the flywheel?
3. This car has been fitted with an airaid intake and throttle body spacer, magnaflow dual exhaust, and a chip programmed by American Muscle for 93 octane. I've noticed a HUGE increase in performance from these upgrades, but am wondering if anyone would have a ballpark number for increased hp and whether a stage clutch kit is necessary for this added power?
4. Any clutch kit recommendations? I've found a wide variety of prices. AM used to carry a stage 1 or 2 exedy kit that included a bearing and flywheel, but they no longer carry any stage kits including more than the clutch. I'm looking for something that can handle 300-400 hp and will last, while not being insanely expensive.
5. How much should I expect (roughly) on the labor for a clutch, bearing, and flywheel install? Is it worth paying considerably more and having a professional performance shop do this fix? I have a mechanic who does good work at a reasonable price, but he's admitted to not having experience with this particular install.
Again guys I'm sorry for such a long post and so many questions, but I'm sure many of you will be able to relate with having a car you love, and being too strapped for cash to really do her justice. Any information or advice is greatly appreciated!!!
