MF'er!! MF'er!! My CLUTCHMASTERS Stage III Clutch is TOAST!

[ADAMnQuickCIVIC]

After only 3,000 miles!!

$600.00 piece of junk!!

Broke it in grandma style for 800 city miles (they reccomend 550mi), then took it easy for another 2,000 miles only getting on it hard a few times.
I never even power shifted, every shift was lift throttle.
Let's not forget...THE CAR IS F'N STOCK...NO TURBO, NO N2O, NOTHING!

So I take it to the track for the first time today and here's what happened:

Nobody could get traction today and most of us FWD'ers were pulling shitty 2.4-2.6 60' times due to poor track prep.
First pass felt OK once I finally stopped spinning 1st and 2nd gear:
2.41 60'
9.77 1/8th mi
15.02 @ 92.68mph 1/4 mi

Second pass I thought i felt the clutch slip on the 2-3 shift:
2.521 60'
9.99 1/8th mi
15.22 @ 93.60mph 1/4 mi

Third pass, the clutch slipped through 2nd and 3rd REAL BAD...
The car wasnt even accelerating, So I just let off and coasted...didn't even take my time slip.

So I guess you DON'T get what you pay for...$600.00 P.O.S. clutch.
They better warranty the fucking clutch or I'm doing a chargeback.
The replacement clutch they send will be going on eBay and I'm gonna try another brand...maybe Exedy stage II, i've heard good things about that clutch.

Sorry had to vent....I need to go do something to take my mind off this....UGH....

[myeverlovinsir]

I have the same clutch. I have heard of a few who had some problems with them now. I hope to not have the same problems. Sorry to hear yours died so soon.:(

[Peking]

Damn Adam, that sucks huge monkey balls :eek: Man I hope the next one treats you much better. No excuse for how yours went out on you, what a waste.

[evilep3]

sorry to hear about the clutch.. always sucks to inadvertently waste cash like that! thanx for the heads up though

[k20hatch]

Man im sorry! Is there no warrenty on the clutch? Thats crazy 3000 miles later after a new clutch and its pretty much toasted! Nutz!

[BSEVEER]

That sucks! Even if they do warranty it, what a pain in the ass.:p

[ADAMnQuickCIVIC]

Clutchmasters gives a 90 day warranty, but of course they don't cover labor (not cheap! even w/ my hookup). And I have to pay the shipping both ways.

I spoke to my mechanic and he said that I should let the car cool down then go out and do a few more holeshots and beat on it to see if it still slips.

Well, I just did it and i'm amazed, IT'S NOT SLIPPING NOW!

WTF?!

I think I may have glazed the disk from doing 3 passes back to back...on previous clutches, once its glazed it's finished.
Maybe it has something to do w/ the disk material (kevlar).
But it's not slipping now. So I may have to give the clutch another chance. I have till the end of march until my warranty is up, so I'm gonna hit the track again next week and see what's up.

Personally I still think there's no excuse, the clutch should NEVER slip, it's rated for TWICE the power i'm making!

[irrational]

what clutch will you be buying next?

[ADAMnQuickCIVIC]

I just went out again and tried and tried to get it to slip again, but it didn't slip at all, I spin first and bark 2nd gear each time but no slippage anymore.

This is very strange.

If it happens again, the replacement = ACT.

I definitely gotta get back to the track again ASAP.

[evilep3]

wierd :rolleyes:

[siver-SI]

Well I am not to good with cluch materials but it sounds like the cluch got over heated and caused to start slipping. Once it is cool it is fine. The only time I have heard of this is when the cluch is getting worn out and the heat is not displacing right. I just can not see how what is said to be a good cluch can have this problem. :(

[dofu]

thats the main problem with race clutches... you should consider a carbon/carbon setup... a bit pricey, but rebuildable, loves heat, and can handle mad power...

[Zero Three Si]

Can somebody please define the "text book" definition of a "clutch that slips".


What exactly do you feel?

[siver-SI]

Originally posted by Zero Three Si
Can somebody please define the "text book" definition of a "clutch that slips".


What exactly do you feel?

Best way to say is try and shift with not putting in the cluch or when they are starting to go it feels like you have the cluch in but not fully.

I think this is about right please correct me if wrong anyone.

[Zero Three Si]

Originally posted by siver-SI
Best way to say is try and shift with not putting in the cluch or when they are starting to go it feels like you have the cluch in but not fully.

I think this is about right please correct me if wrong anyone.


Damn if that's the case....my stock clutch slips all the time.

[ADAMnQuickCIVIC]

If you shift, let the clutch out, and the rpm's skyrocket but you're not accelerating....that's a slip.

[!@#$%]

basically when the car revs as though in neutral and it's in gear.

How about exedy organic? They are a bit cheaper than act, and still have a 38% higher clamp load than stock. That should be more than enough unless you plan on going turbo or maybe toda n2.

clutchmasters is now in the shit box with jackson racing.

[Rey]

ACT Street Strip OWNS ALL!!!!!!!!!

[dj addicted]

Originally posted by ADAMnQuickCIVIC
Let's not forget...THE CAR IS F'N STOCK...NO TURBO, NO N2O, NOTHING!

15.02 @ 92.68mph 1/4 mi
15.22 @ 93.60mph 1/4 mi


Does the clutch make this much of an improvement? I havent run my car at the track, but these seem like REALLY fast times for a stock Si.

[danoonez]

Originally posted by dj addicted
Does the clutch make this much of an improvement? I havent run my car at the track, but these seem like REALLY fast times for a stock Si.

*cough*K20A2*cough*

[dj addicted]

Originally posted by danoonez
*cough*K20A2*cough*

oh.. hehe.. that would explain it.

[Siman]

it burt off the first layer of carbon...I am speculating since its a stage 3 race clutch it should have carbon composite friction plates...as the F1 tech guys say, the carbon fiber composite clutches work best when they are heated up! its that the material grips at high temperatures better than low temp...much like hot vs. cold tires...get me?;)

[Siman]

"Carbon / Carbon clutches are extremely lightweight and have a very low inertia giving enhanced engine pick-up and allowing faster gear changes. The Carbon / Carbon friction members retain their integrity at much higher temperatures than conventional materials and torque capacity increases when hot, therefore the clutch is more resistant to abuse. Carbon / Carbon plates do not distort under heat or load allowing cleaner disengagement and help reduce gearbox wear. "

http://www.apracing.com/car/carbon/

[ADAMnQuickCIVIC]

My clutch is Kevlar.

BTW: I had the RPS Turbo Clutch "Carbon" back in the day and it worked great until I started making real power....then POOF!

[K-Series]

Adam, I'm having the same problems (I believe) with my stage 4. I'm already shopping for a replacement.


Steve

[HgSi]

Originally posted by Zero Three Si
Can somebody please define the "text book" definition of a "clutch that slips".


What exactly do you feel?

It's like driving an automatic. Press the gas and nothing happens, except engine revs.

[Jpax]

Originally posted by ADAMnQuickCIVIC
maybe Exedy stage II, i've heard good things about that clutch.

Sorry had to vent....I need to go do something to take my mind off this....UGH....

I have Stage 2 in my EK I love it.:D

[DavidT]

You should of gone with ACT! Or Exedy even. I had a lot of problems with my Clutchmaster's clutch in my 00 Prelude SH. Similar to whats going on with you, slipping and shit when you don't want it to slip. Then I went with ACT and it was all BETTER!! And I made consistant mid 13-second passes (In the modded SH, not my EP...I wish) as oppose to getting slower and slower everytime with the Clutchmasters. In my 91 Prelude Si, I had a Exedy setup and it was great too...no problems and the clutch pedal travel was so smooth and soft but it grabbed like a mofo (I had i/h/e and 65 shot of n2o in the 91 lude) never slipped.

BUT, you did make some pretty nice trap speeds for those times. You should be in the high 14s with those trap speeds ;)

[chunky]

what you've experienced is similar to brake fade - loss of friction due to heat.

Kevlar does NOT like to get hot. period.

So why use it in clutches?

a) lasts a really long time
b) has really good friction within it's temp range
c) is VERY kind to flywheels.
d) has very smooth engagement, similar to organic clutches.

But you'll rarely see a kevlar clutch used in an application where a lot of clutch slipping is to be expected, like drag.

Even for mild street use, when using a kevlar clutch, you MUST have a very high load pressure plate, otherwise it will slip like a bitch when hot.

so basically, give the clutch more time to cool inbetween runs, or try not to feather the clutch so much.

aside from that, you could trade up to a 6puck ceramic/copper clutch from clutchnet with their dual diaphgram pressure plate. I've yet to see one of those bad boys meet it's match in a street car.

[1FSTEP3]

I haven't had any problems with my clutch and I am putting down more power than you are. Did you properly break it in?

[ADAMnQuickCIVIC]

Originally posted by 1FSTEP3
I haven't had any problems with my clutch and I am putting down more power than you are. Did you properly break it in?

Did you read my post? I broke it in grandma style for 800 city miles...then tested it out and took it easy for another 2000 miles...this was my FIRST time at the track...and I didn't even power shift it....all lift-throttle shifts....The clutch is just garbage that's it...

I'm sending it back to ClutchMasters and selling the replacement.
I'm getting an ACT.
I thought I did enough research, obviously not.
The shop I bought it from said that the CM they bought for their project NSX was bad from day 1, replaced it, same issue, replaced it a 3rd time, still no dice.

Maybe you got lucky, or you've never done back-to-back passes where heat build up could become an issue. I could probably get away with keeping the clutch as long as i let it cool down between runs, but that shouldnt be neccessary....especially with my 180whp or so.

[teejoh]

Originally posted by ADAMnQuickCIVIC

Let's not forget...THE CAR IS F'N STOCK...NO TURBO, NO N2O, NOTHING!



That made me giggle.:angel: :p

[1FSTEP3]

Everyone I know that runs CM has no problems at all. I wouldn't put any other clutch in my car. Also, I have run back-to-back passes with my car w/ the clutch and I never power shift.

[Siman]

this sucks for CM....i thought they might have a little better quality than that....maybe the kevlar material they used is defective in some way? By the way....do they suggest you get a new flywheel with the clutch ?

[1FSTEP3]

I'm pretty sure they do. I have both their clutch and fly.

[ADAMnQuickCIVIC]

Originally posted by 1FSTEP3
Everyone I know that runs CM has no problems at all. I wouldn't put any other clutch in my car. Also, I have run back-to-back passes with my car w/ the clutch and I never power shift.

I guess I'm just the lucky one. :mad:

ACT here I come.