2005 R50 base 12/04 Mfg date clutch change Issue
 

My son is a new driver and glazed the clutch. Replaced. Attempt 1 metal clanking sound at start up and the Slave cylinder blew its guts into the trans. Complete tear down to retrieve parts and replaced slave cylinder. Attempt 2 metal clanking sounds at start up. Broke the new throw out bearing. Attempt 3 mangled the clutch rod retaining spring. For whatever reason the clutch rod is rotating CCW and the slave cylinder rod can’t even touch it. What on earth is going on?

2005 R50 base 12/04 Mfg date clutch change Issue
 

It appears that the M-Pact clutch I purchased just wasn’t quite right. Pulled out a Valero. Ordered and put a Valero back in and car is back on the road without incident. It took 20 days with FRS to get the new clutch rod retaining spring after they told me they couldn’t honor the price they sold it to me for. Strange that there is no pilot bearing to help with transmission alignment. The friction disk alignment tool doesn’t even sit in the end of the crank to ensure alignment.