N34JZ

iTrader: (1)

So I need a new clutch for my car. The car grinds into second on hard to medium shifts and It also is real jerky and I have to "baby" it when I begin to go.(and yes smart asses I can drive stick)

So ive been reading alot about the act clutch and Ive been thinking about what alot of you guys had to say I just want to get your opinions now alittle way down the road from the last time you made them. (im reffering to a post a few months back)

I would like the benifits but I dont really want the disadvantages (duh right?). I have to drive the car to school and on the way back theres always traffic, and I like the smoothness of what a properly working stock clutch offers.
but I also would like a higher performance clutch for those times when It would come in handy. OK now my questions

For those of you with the act clutch
1)how much did you pay for it
2) how much was the install
3)did you have the fly wheel lightened
4)how long did it take for it to "break in"
5)while it was "breaking in" was it a PITA to drive?

also If I do go with the act clutch should I get the fly wheel lightened and what effects will it (the new clutch) have on my stock
tranny?

also about how much would it cost to get the clutch fixed (is it fixable) or replaced if I went the OEM way.

thanks

JDwyer2821

I bought centerforce and hate it cost me a little under $400 to install than $125 to lighten my flywheel and I think its a 500 mile break period

N34JZ

iTrader: (1)

why do you hate it? and was it $400 just to install it or did that include the clutch? if it did include could you tell me how much for each.? I was qouted somewhere at $275 to install if I supplied the clutch and no more than $500 for them to replace the stock clutch.
anywhere in thr right ball park? Ive only gotten one qoute so far so I may be able to find a lower price. any imput is apriciated

JDwyer2821

well the clutch slipped all the time when new. $425 was getting the clutch fork replaced and clutch and sending the clutch to the machine shop. The centerforce clutch alone was around $300

nismo1989

The ACT does have a hell of a break in time. My guy told me 700-1000mi. to be safe. Lightening my flywheel made for a lot of drivetrain noise at idle. Also, the ACT gave my pedal a diff feel. It's very stiff compared to stock I think, at first it was like doing leg presses in heavy traffic. But I can say that I have def gotten used to it and I really can't complain cause I do love it and it performs well both on the track and street. The cost was like 1600 dollars for th clutch, bearings, wider gears, tranny, and lightened flywheel. Also reinforced driveshaft. I think I got a good deal as it was a family friend who did the install and ordered the tranny parts. I don't remember how much just the clutch was but regardless of it's downfalls in a commuter car it has been satisfactory and is worth the money if your serious about your car's performance (and I know you are.)
BTW: I'm calling a contact to find out about your rubbing problem in the rear. Anything else I should know before I talk to him? I will be calling him this evening in like 5 hours so let me know...

N34JZ

iTrader: (1)

at first I was going for speed, but the car has a decent number of miles and I think it performs well enough now, so I think Ill put my cat back that I have (greddy) and buy a performance cat and mabey a Y pipe and a cai but that may be it.
Im sending the money for my kit on monday probably, and If that rubbing noise is a strut ill just lower it now, rather then replace one sturt and then change them all it when I lower it.
well see though. Im alomst %75 sure Im going with the oem clutch though.
Im only going to keep this car till I get a real job with $$$ when I finish school in june then I may get a 2k2 or a new Z, or something like that, and give this max to my brother( wont be able to sell it for any decent amount of money so..)or keep it as a project.

John van de Pol

My ACT experience is one different from most. Read on.

The clutch kit (with a modified street disc) was 324. I paid 300 to have it installed at a racing shop. I picked them over the dealer who would also have done it for 300 as well, because I thought these guys would really care about cars in a way sinilar to th eway I care about mine.

As this shop was 50 miles away, I could not drop my car so I had it done on a Saturday, so I could wait for it. There was no time to have the flywheel machined, and as I was told it did not need it, I went along with it.

When I first got it, the clutch chattered badly on easy engagement. I soon found out by revving the engine more and putting more power to the clutch, it would engage smoothly.

I spoke to a tech at ACT. He explained that the "modified" in modified street disc is a change of the structure of the marcel (the springy wavy metal disc between the friction plates). And this modification which facilitates quick release and engagement does tend to increase the tendency to chatter. This should all smooth out after about 2000 miles.

During the first 500 miles the chatter went down significantly, and I was all encouraged. However, it never improved beyond that. Now I have about 3500 miles on the clutch.

Where the clutch annoys me to no end is when I want to just coast out of my garage in the morning, I have to do it with 2000+ rpm. Same story when puddling in a traffic jam. It gets better when it's warmed up, but never goes away. This problem only affects easy engagements. One you pull the fun levers of driving, this clutch does all it promises. It's great. Starts,... shifts,... if you go fast, it is absolutely superb. However, this is not what 90+% of my driving is like. So I have decided to swap it back to a new oem clutch at my first opportunity.

I was deeply disappointed with the shop that did my clutch. They unnecessarily loosened the cross member. The cross member has 4 big isolating grommets at the mounting points. Through these go a fitting that looks like a t-nut and it controls the shape of the grommet when you torque up these bolts. Well, one must have dropped and was not replaced. The nut was just torqued up and had torn the s--t out of the grommet. I found this out when I replaced the motor mounts, which was suggested as an other possible cause for the chatter. (replacing did not fix that problem). The grommet and the "t-nut" were expensive (around $10 each) and a big job to install.

On discovering this I did some other checking. FOUR of my transmission to engine bolts were loose! When I tried to tighten them I discovered why: They were stripped! By removing the bracket that holds the Y-pipe I could get two of them to engage, only to completely lose them anyway in the following two weeks. The workmanship on this clutch installation was absolute crap. There may be stuff inside the bell housing waiting to be discovered.

I have decided to do the clutch myself this time so I will know it is put together right with no surprises. I will have the flywheel machined (but not lightened) and I will have to spend time drilling tapping and heli-coiling teh messed up threads in my transmission housing. I can't tell if my poor clutch performance is product related, or due to a sloppy install. I can't help but wonder how it would have worked if the flywheel would have received a clean up pass. But I am not willing to risk it again given the magnitude of the job to replace the whole setup. The oem worked great for me and looking at the disc that was thrown, it must have had at least 25-30% left after 50K miles.

The ACT guy told me that my experience is not unique, but that it is rare. I posted the same story on the 4dsc board, and a number of people commented that they have had chatter, but that it kept going down and it may take 4-5k miles to get smooth. If you frequently race your car, this may only be a small inconvenience. For me on a strictly street driven car it was too much.

If the clutch looks OK when I take it out, I may offer it for sale, but I'll decide that after I have had a chance to assess the parts.

Good luch with your decision.

John

N34JZ

iTrader: (1)

Yeah I think you posted about this in another thread because your story sounds familiar and I can relate. %90 of the time will be normal driving. So you paid $300 for the install so I guess $275 isnt bad (my friend works at the shop).
Okay now I couldnt find many post that answered these next questions (dealing with a stock setup)I'm gonna ask the tranny guy most of these questions but I know you guys arent trying to sell me anything
1) whats a good price for a replacement OEM clutch?
2)while their replacing the clutch are there any other things I should have done that will probably need replacing down the line?or any accesories I should add? ( I have the short throw already)
3)how do replacement OEM clutches hold up undernormal drving with a few exceptions

thanks

Bman

I think when you do a clutch replacement you should replace the clutch, release bearing, and pressure plate. This is usually called a "clutch kit" at Courtesy and other places as well.

I'm also pretty sure that the stock clutch is good for up to 300 HP according to Matt (where is he anyway?), and that the stock clutch is good for anything other than forced induction, NOS, or if you want to drive around chirping 2nd and 3rd gear.

Lordrandall

iTrader: (4)

If you do get a stock clutch, no matter what you do, do NOT get the "Key Value" clutch kit. It is CRAP!

Other than that, luck.

nismo1989

I wouldn't get the LOK either...