Wow, I am glad I am driving the race car to work to drive out the kuarks and bugs.
I wish I had more good news on progress and when I will be at the starting line.
But faulty parts keep backing me into the garage.
At this point I would have dropped out of 3 races due to faulty parts.
At mile 220 with a brand new pre-run motor with all new parts, the Kennedy Pressure Plate tension gave out leaving you slipping at excelleration.
The first thing you notice is the clutch pedal feeling unusual with out a beginning and end to the pressure on your foot.
VW Paradise told me that a high volumn of Kennedy Pressure plates are failing. Kennedy is doing a great job taking them back to be repaired or replacing them at no charge.
So if you have purchased a Kennedy pressure plate in the last 8 months you may want to put some miles on it before you race to make sure it is not faulty.

Was there a bad batch? and can they be identified somehow?

Ours was good last time out, but while the car is apart I'd like to check it out.

Thank you,
Larry

There is no listings from kennedy to my knowledge.
Most returns were determined within 200 miles.
My case I was breaking in my motor the first 200 miles.
As soon as I started running the motor at normal rpm and tempature it started failing.
Others can chime in but I believe when the pressure plate gets heated up then it will fail if defected.
My purpose of this post is to let everyone know if you put a new pressure plate in your motor, go test it at race temperature before spending your money on fuel, time and entry fee at a race.

Thankfully, mine has been working properly.....so far..!!!

at mile 360 driving on the street, just lost another Kennedy Stage 1 pressure plate.
140 miles from the last replacement, the last pressure plate was faulty and repaired by kennedy. The current pressure plate was new, getting ready to install the rebuilt pressure plate.
Is it me or Faulty parts.
Need help!

Car Condition:
Class 11 car, 1776 cc high rev cam motor, Strong tranny, stock spring clutch disk, Kennedy stage 1 pressure plate, German throw out bearing.

Driving Conditions:
Driving on the street in stop and go lights, outside temperature is 95 degrees.
What would make the pressure plate fail ???
Clutch disk is good because the car goes forward well even with the clutch depressed - lol,
If I was on the clutch a little more than normal because of the high rev cam motor driving in stop and go lights that would only wear out the clutch disk not the pressure plate - Right!!
Stock spring clutch disc is good!!

I need some solutions as I am getting ready to put in a third stage 1 kennedy pressure plate, starting to feel really stupid about this time, I have been driving vw for over twenty years and own two other stock vw's and never had this problem.
Help!

Yes I have adjusted the clutch cable in increments of a half turn and tested until tight and over adjustment would have occured.

What part of the plates have broken? Did Kennedy give any input on the damaged plate?

L

The Diaphragm component is failing,
You cannot actually see any damage or failure.
I guess you would need a simulator to see what is going on when the clutch is pressed down. When the throw out bearing is pressing the pressure plate diaphragm it is not completely releasing the clutch. Exactly like if your clutch was out of adjustment.
Minimal input last time from Kennedy, they said it just failed, this time I will hopefully get a better analysis.

You mentioned . . .

M.E.A.D. Racing wrote:

If that is the case and you have to keep adjusting it. Is the clutch cable free, no hang-ups or is it stretching?

Are the components around the clutch the right tolerance(s)? Flywheel thickness, or now that I think of it is something hanging up, just slightly, on the flywheel? Or the bellhousing?

the clutch adjustments were made all at one time to check it was not the clutch adjustment.
the car was working fine for 140 miles prior the failing, I have the rebuilt kennedy pressure plate from the last failure ready to go in, just took motor back to vw paradise for them to retorque the heads, valve adjustment and fixing a leaking pushrod tube, leaking sand seal,

Curious on the out come. Still recommend Kennedy PP? or lean towards something else?