Challenge repair question

Most of you are aware we had a total clutch failure at this years challenge, probably have a spring wedged into the flywheel.

Are replacement units for worn out or broken pieces budget free so long as they are the same part #?

Just to get my viewpoint out there on "paper,"

My view is that if you bought it with a functioning clutch, and i believe you challenged it last year on the same clutch, replacing it with the same unit is merely restoring the car to what it was when you originally purchased it for the set price. No budget hit.

I'd consider the clutch as a consumable wear item......no different than brake pads and such

But we're not the powers that be, so I'll sit back and watch if common sense meets the rules.

In reply to yamaha:

We're road racing the challenge car between now and the $2013 Challenge, and I assumed that anything I replace with like parts should be free. I totally expect to cook multiple sets of tires, bearings brakes, probably a clutch and god only knows what else. I had no plans to put replacement with like parts on my budget. (If this is against the rules, please ignore above statement)

I thought the rules had a section that said something to the effect that parts could be replaced with equal-value parts from year to year. Something like you could take out the $100 tires from 2011 and buy new $100 tires for 2012 with no hit to the budget. I would expect that if I were to break a CV during rallycross, for example, I would be able to put a used junkyard OEM-ish replacement on without having to count that as a new budget item.

On the other hand, I did destroy my used clutch at a rallycross earlier this year and I replaced it with a brand-new unit that is actually for a Dodge Stratus because it has a little better holding power. Since it was both brand new and an upgrade, I counted the full value of the clutch (minus the $30 Autozone gift card that I got with it!) against my budget.

i agree with the "you bought it with a good OE clutch so a new OE clutch should be no hit."

however, clutch is not free like brake pads because brake pads are safety item, clutch is not.

AngryCorvair wrote: however, clutch is not free like brake pads because brake pads are safety item, clutch is not.

That hits at what I was going to add earlier(and cpu crashed) about shouldn't be free to an upgraded unit nor to a vehicle purchased for challenge money due to a blown clutch

Personally, I'd put something in the budget.

The car had a working clutch, but not a new clutch. Even an OEM brand new clutch will outperform a worn one. I'd try to define the condition of the one I bought with the car (like 1/2 worn, etc), then include that the balance to the budget (ie: 1/2 the cost of the new clutch).

Or, I'd put a used one in with no hit to the budget. Yes, for a Challenge car I have installed used clutch components. I have also removed an entire suspension system and replaced it with identical parts that I got a better price on.

In reply to SVreX:

I like Paul's answer. Should be pretty easy to find a used part.

The bear has spoken, but personally, as long as it's not some six puck sprung monster, I wouldn't get my panties in a wad as your fellow competitor. It's a believable $2k car. That's good enough for me.

My $.02 ymmv.

SVreX wrote: Personally, I'd put something in the budget. The car had a working clutch, but not a new clutch. Even an OEM brand new clutch will outperform a worn one. I'd try to define the condition of the one I bought with the car (like 1/2 worn, etc), then include that the balance to the budget (ie: 1/2 the cost of the new clutch). Or, I'd put a used one in with no hit to the budget. Yes, for a Challenge car I have installed used clutch components. I have also removed an entire suspension system and replaced it with identical parts that I got a better price on.

All due respect but there is no way I am installing a used clutch behind a Bennett Racing 408 torque monster, I like my feet on the end of my legs.

Try asking a Pro to drive it with a used clutch in there.

That said I am going to presume that it was as new when I purchased the car and will install an identical replacement part.

Original is not out yet but it is orange in color.

Personally, I'm with poop, but I'm not the boss.

One suggestion I do have is that while it's apart, put a scattershield or SFI bellhousing on it. You had one clutch lose a spring and get wedged. No telling what piece the next clutch is going to lose and how much shrapnel it's going to take with it.

I put a scattershield on my car this year...being a FWD with the flywheel pointed between my legs, lets just say that everything on me feels a bit more at ease.

I'm going with stick another same clutch in there. If i'm right, your clutch didnt wear out, it just failed. You had a good strong clutch in it when you bought it.

92CelicaHalfTrac wrote: I'm going with stick another same clutch in there. If i'm right, your clutch didnt wear out, it just failed. You had a good strong clutch in it when you bought it.

Pat wrote: One suggestion I do have is that while it's apart, put a scattershield or SFI bellhousing on it. You had one clutch lose a spring and get wedged. No telling what piece the next clutch is going to lose and how much shrapnel it's going to take with it. I put a scattershield on my car this year...being a FWD with the flywheel pointed between my legs, lets just say that everything on me feels a bit more at ease.

This, if he lost a spring off the disc its not a worn item......its a parts failure. My '95 did that....made a heck of a racket, and wouldn't disengauge. I doubt that would mean he needs a scatter shield(not a bad idea though)

FWIW, I had a clutch wear out on my $2009 Fiero while I was daily driving it. I was trying to be super legit, so I actually got a used clutch to replace my worn clutch to avoid a hit to the budget. With that said, now that I've been to the challenge a couple of times, I think everybody is chill enough that if I were doing it again I would just got a new el-cheapo clutch from the parts store instead of a used one; it did fail just due to daily driver wear and there is clearly no advantage going from a used OEM clutch to a new PepRockZone clutch.

I think the clear point is that if you put something in that is better than it was before, the right thing to do is to replace it. If you put something in that you know will provide some advantage (keep in mind, reliability IS an advantage) then it should be counted. If you're concerned about a cheap/used clutch disassembling during usage, scattershields are free to the budget.

Bryce

This is relevant and timely for a couple questions I need input on.

1) bought a complete JY engine and got it back to the garage safely with the help of a friends trailer, leaving it temporarily blocked up on a dolly. Moving it around the garage before I got a hoist, Murphy strikes and it falls/rolls the 2 inches to the concrete and cracks the cast aluminum pan. Is it a budget hit to replace it with another identical pn junkyard pan? My gut reaction is that being out the $ and time for a klutz move but not a budget hit doesn't ping my challengethicometer, but not disclosing and giving the opportunity to voice otherwise, does.

2) similar situation but the oil pressure sensor cracked where the plastic body meets the metal threaded lower portion. Only I think it might have broken while the yard, um, fork-hoe(?) Was lifting it out of the bay. That means that technically I bought it broken, even though both myself and the yard did not know or think it was. Its pretty cheap to replace from the yard but wanted to check since those little things add up.

3) if I fab my own bell scattershield, external to the stock bell but that holds closer to its shape, that's cool to deem "safety only" as long as it provides no other structural support (only attaches at one end)? There isn't room to use an off the shelf unit but it's a unique motor/trans combo facilitated by a flywheel adapter so I'm not ok with not taking any precautions.

Thanks.

hey aussiesmg... email me when ya get a chance mr2donalson at gmail dot com

bluej wrote: This is relevant and timely for a couple questions I need input on. 1) bought a complete JY engine and got it back to the garage safely with the help of a friends trailer, leaving it temporarily blocked up on a dolly. Moving it around the garage before I got a hoist, Murphy strikes and it falls/rolls the 2 inches to the concrete and cracks the cast aluminum pan. Is it a budget hit to replace it with another identical pn junkyard pan? My gut reaction is that being out the $ and time for a klutz move but not a budget hit doesn't ping my challengethicometer, but not disclosing and giving the opportunity to voice otherwise, does.

bump! anyone have thoughts on this first one at least?

Regarding 2/3, I'm going to replace the oil pressure sensor and fab the scattershield because I know I'm not going to run the car between now and next year without either of them. If my budget ends up close enough (likely) that I need to pull the oil pressure sensor and plug that port for the challenge only, I will.

In reply to bluej:

you bought it with a good pan. therefore a good pan is part of your budget already. replace away, no charge to challenge budget.

We encountered some issues at the Challenge this year. We attempted (poorly) to resolve them. We bought new parts to put on the car. I didn't bother to update our budget, but considering we were several hundred dollars under budget and spent about $35, I figured it wasn't worth hassling the GRM staff with it.

That said, I do have the receipts which will be included in next year's book if we bring the 280 back.