Well its time to start buying engine parts for my build and a new clutch is a must. Right now I am running an AC Delco stock replacement and it has roughly 50,000 miles on it. Has never let me down and has seen GMPP S/C boost for a year along with Turbo boost for another 3 years after (ranging from 5-10psi).
I am looking to make 300-350WHP in the end with my new setup. AND I will be using drag radials at all 1/4 mile track events (roughly 2-4 events a season). This will be a street driven car overall. (work/school/trips/etc)
I have no idea which clutch to get. Had horrible experience with my SPEC stage 2 that I had prior to installing the Delco. Engagement was never good and couldnt shift at high RPMs and gear changes required the clutch to be pushed deep into the carpet (super low engagement). I dont want to risk this same incident again.
The car is a 2002 2.4L with the Getrag. Any help from you guys would be great. Mabye some links to good websites for purcasing clutchs and some reviews from your own experience!
Do I run another Delco replacement clutch? Luk? Clutchmasters? what are my options?
BeardLife /
Club Awesome Reject Blog
LUK.
(GM but costs less... far less)
Chris
'02 Z-24 Supercharged
13.7 @102.45 MPH Third Place, 2007 GMSC Bash SOLD AS OF 01MAR08
unfortunately man i have yet to hear about a clutch for our cars that has actually been better than a stocker. i have heard more GOOD stories about the stock clutch than i have about ALL of the aftermarket ones available to us. lots of people recommend bully, however... i dont think many have ever used one.
most know spec to be complete junk, what with the springs falling about of the disk, stupid engagement and such. then we have clutchmasters... just ask wade about theirs. i think if he could afford it he would send the god damn thing out into orbit. their customer service told him that his clutch was not to be revved past some ridiculously low RPM number of like 5000. worst clutch i have ever used in my life.
just how many stock clutches have i have heard do well? LOTS.
well lets see here... you just got added to the mix, 4-5 years of hard miles and its fine? wow.
paul LAUNCHED his on FULL SLICKS several times last year with a completely BONE STOCK clutch. grabbed perfect every time.
vince is using a LUK i think but as chris just said, its a stocker. we all know of the accomplishments he made last year.
brian ran his on spray for years, then turboed it with 15psi, it lasted.
i loved my centerforce dual friction, but... that was on an N/A car with a mere 151whp. i did get over 300 passes out of the first one...
If it makes you feel any better I plan on putting a stocker back in when the SPEC 3 POS finally dies. I will be shooting for about 250 hp with my 2.3 setup.
I believe Fetter, jr marks, and a few others are usng bully clutches with great results. Ive also rode in a 400+ whp eco cav with the bully stage 4 that something in the built motor let go at 38psi from a turbonetics gtk and the clutch was fine. Shifted/ launched great, much better than the @!#$ty spec stg 2 and 3 clutches he had.
If I ever do a manual swap Ill be using one for sure.
I had the Clutchmasters FX300. It held great and was not too jerky to take off with but I always had problems with it releasing fully when I shifted. The engagement was never consistent. I sent it in once and dealt only with the boss. He ran it through some tests and re-heat treated it. He swore up and down I would not have issues with it and I still did have the same issue. The main issue was it did not fully release at high rpms. You could put it in first gear, hold the clutch to the floor, then give it gas and above 5000 rpms you would feel the clutch start to grab and try and move the car.
I think I am going to talk with them again and see if they will give me a brand new FX300 and see if maybe mine was just FUBAR. The sad part is I have run the clutchmasters FX100 in both of my daily driven Ford Probe GT with great luck and no sign of the problem I had with the FX300 in the cav. In that car it gives a noticeably better bite but is daily driver freidnly. A truly great clutch for that application.
FORGET GIRLS GONE WILD WE HAVE GOVERNMENT SPENDING GONE WILD!
No I have a clutchmasters fx700 and love it but the price tag is to steep for alot of people on the org and not alot of people need a clutch good for 800+hp. I've heard good feed back on the bully clutchs, I ran a centerforce dual friction clutch way back when and it worked good for a while but lost grip after 8k miles. I don't know if I could go with a stock clutch at a higher hp.
R.I.P. Brian Klocke, you will never be forgotten
I remember back in the day that Randy was having clutch issues too. He used a Clutchmaster stage 3 disc and a stock pressure plate without any issues
Jason
99 Z24 Supercharged
157hp/171tq - NA
190hp/170tq @ 6psi
LG0/LD9 for Life
I like my LS7 clutch!
its made by LUK!
HA
No but really, bang for the buck, what is BETTER then stock\LUK?
UNLESS you have what, 400 or more HP?
Never had an issue with my 02's OE clutch..... it lasted... some time.
Chris
'02 Z-24 Supercharged
13.7 @102.45 MPH Third Place, 2007 GMSC Bash SOLD AS OF 01MAR08
New stock clutch.
My stock clutch has taken a @!#$load of wheelhop and about 50 track passes (20 being supercharged) fastest pass 13.3
My stock clutch held my 408whp until I kept doing 2nd gear burnouts.. I went with the clutch masters stage 4 6 puck and it feels just like the stock clutch..A while ago i had the same problem as Wade Jarvis. And come to find out that the slave cylinder bearing went out.Put a new slave in and all is good sense then..
Mitch has probably put close to 75-100 passes with his stock clutch since the turbo went on. If you want to know what he thinks of it just give him a call. Im impressed with the abuse it has put up with.
i have had no issue with my spec stage 3
JBO since July 30, 2001
I have a bully stage 3 in my car now. It feels like stock, even my girlfriend can drive my car no problems. I have had friends hop in the car and take off first try no problems. It has a stock feel but you can tell it has more bite than a stock one. I've put 20,000kms on my car and over 200 passes and it has never slipped once (running 225/50/15 BFG drag radials). I am a little worried how it is going to handle the turbo as it is rated for 100% more tq over stock (approx. 320tq). The stage 4 is 200% over stock and is still a sprung clutch (stage 5 is unsprung). My stage 3 was available in a 4 or 6 puck but not sure if thats the same for the stage 4 but I am pretty sure it is. Overall I am happy with the clutch.
Buddy, no doubt in my mind, go with a Bully. We replaced Chris' (Sweetness) spec stage 3 with a Bully stage 4 and it was night and day. You can tell just by looking at it that it is a better built clutch. It also feels like stock. I just picked up a Bully stage 4 yesterday for my car.
gtpsunfire wrote:Buddy, no doubt in my mind, go with a Bully. We replaced Chris' (Sweetness) spec stage 3 with a Bully stage 4 and it was night and day. You can tell just by looking at it that it is a better built clutch. It also feels like stock. I just picked up a Bully stage 4 yesterday for my car.
i got in his car at the bash and liked the pedal i think i might of moved it too.... but i liked the bully but when i called them they said i would need a 4+ but it would cause my slave to go out on a reg. so thats why i did the twin disc
R.I.P. Brian Klocke, you will never be forgotten
Yeah, for the kind of power Jay VAn is going for. A 3 or 4 would be ideal. Hell, Raven still runs a stage 4 on his setup.
I had a SPEC Stage 2. Complete garbage. Springs popped out, didn't wear evenly, etc. Got a stage 3+ now, more garbage. Never engages at the same point, slips sometimes. Next time the trans is out, I'm going back to stock.
2010 Subaru Impreza WRX Limited
1999 Cavalier Z24 Supercharged
1999 Grand AM SE (Beater Car)
1997 GMC Sierra
2007 Honda CBR 600RR
2005 Honda TRX450R
i loved my spec stg 4, i beat the piss out of it, everyday. put over 9000miles on it.
no fade, even after qbephil and wade drove it.lolz
Built&Boosted moar
04 Cavalier Turbo r.i.p my baby
2nd place 2009 GM tuner bash qwick 8--holla
NOTa2_4 wrote:i have had no issue with my spec stage 3
Same here, though I got a 2. Seems like there's only a select few of us that haven't had a problem with a SPEC. Perhaps when mine finally dies some day I'll have to go with something else.
i find it amusing that SHOoff has nothing better to do but follow me around & be an unhelpful dick in even cross-forum. - Jon Mick
not a problem with my spec stage 3
I have had two. They both engage at different times, behave different, and feel different. however the inconsistent engagement was consistent between the two. Overall I would not recommend it.
