lt4obsesses

Well, after over 100K miles, my Valeo clutch is finally calling it quits. Just wondering if any of you folks have had any experience with this set up from Carolina clutch?

http://www.carolinaclutch.com/ShowIt...20Package.aspx

I'm very tempted to try the stock clutch kit replacement, but at 150K on the clock, I'm sure the DMF is getting tired.

Open to suggestions, but in terms of budget, this is about as far as I can go right now.

Almost broke rule #1...1996 LT4 blue tag

Thanks for your help, Chris

ccrazor

Some discussions on clutches..
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/sear...rchid=35188585

lt4obsesses

Unfortunately, this link doesn't seem to be working. I was just wondering if anyone has used this set up and what they're thoughts are.

Or I guess for a few bucks more maybe this would be worth it? Kind of what I was wanting to do eventually anyway.

http://www.specclutch.com/cars/Chevy...te/1996/Single

mtwoolford

have a 96; service from SPEC was good...but check the number on the flywheel...I was initially sent the wrong flywheel (for a camaro / t56 combo) but exchanged it without problem (luckily I caught the error before installation...if I had installed it my experience may have differed)...I installed their "lightweight" (21 or 22 pound) billet steel flywheel...it seemed like a good compromise between the original heavy as hell dual mass flywheel ( thirty plus pounds ?) and a 12 or 14 pound aluminum flwheel along with a stage three plus clutch. I have nothing but praise for the setup.

For a near to stock driving experience their extra mass option is probably the way to go.

One caveat, double check your throw out bearing. A blue tag trans uses a throw out bearing with a slightly smaller inside diameter than earlier black tag trans....a black tag throw out bearing will fit, but will not provide satisfactory service.

In my particular installation, with a stock lower end in the motor, the balance of the clutch and flywheel seemed right on.

dizwiz24

When did you get your SPEC stage 3+ (ie. before or after they switched from the 'Valeo' presure plate to the C70049 (or C series) pressure plates.

There are people saying doom and gloom about the C70049 pressure plates, but Im not sure they have ever even tried one.

I called SPEC about using a NOS LT4 Valeo pressure plate (which i had a spare) along with their spec stage 3+ clutch and they advised against it for 2 reasons:

1. they modify the pressure plate (thickness) to work with their clutch disk. Spec stage 3+ is a .360" disk. I believe the stock clutch disk is around .300"

2. they 'claim' they do something to the pressure plate to give it more clamp force. Though they wont say what they do to it (dont want to give up the secret)...

Anyways...im going to give the 'CXXXXX' stamped pressure plate a try.

That said:

I do want to point out that the 'CXXXXX' stamped pressure plate they shipped me took 11 grams of weight to balance. That is crazy. I always get perf. cars pressure plate /flywheel neutral balanced (after removing the lt1 external weight on the flywheel. which is reinstalled, of course, before the assembly goes in to the car). Be sure to put that weight back on the flywheel because stock bottom end LT1 are externall balanced.

Back in 06, I purchase a spec stage 3+ clutch kit, and the valeo pressure plate they sent me only took about 2 grams of balance weight.


I guess we will see how it all turns out when I get the car off of jackstands!

My only complaint with the spec stage 3+ clutch is that the clutch disk spring cages wore out and a spring broke loose from the sprung hub. It jammed one of the pressure plate fingesrs 'open'. I felt an unusual vibration, heard a 'whirring' noise, and felt like there was less clamp force (which there was). I thought it was the throwout bearing.

Turns out throwout bearing was fine, and I had been using the right one all along.

My trans is an oddball. Its a remanufactured blue tag ZF6 W/ A BLACK TAG GUIDE TUBE !! So, even though its blue tag, it requires the black tag throwout bearing.

I ended up getting a blue tag guide tube from zfdoc, and blue tag throwout bearing (w/ the nylon insert). I converted it over for smoother shifting results (w/ the nylon insert). We will see how it turns out!

lt4obsesses

Hey thanks, I'm leaning toward the Spec, though the stage 1 disc should be plenty for me. When I pull the trigger on whichever I go with, I'll be ordering on the phone, as in talking directly to someone. since I don't have a garage, I'll need to rent a stall at a DIY shop here in town, so I'm going to have one crack at getting it right.

I take it they sent a counter balance with the FW? Did you have to match balance, or just match up the weight placement to the DMF?

Thanks --Chris

mtwoolford

on the engine side of the flywheel, wedged outboard against the outer rim is a bolted in weight, removal would (I guess) make the flywheel "neutral balanced"; as I said, I just mounted the flywheel as it came from SPEC; I am sure their balancing is within factory tolerances . If your entire lower end / rotating assembly was apart, a "custom" balancing job, including the flywheel, would be beneficial, but it wasn't necessary (or practical) for a simple clutch job.

dizwiz24

I took my both flywheels (fidanza aluminum and dual mass stock) to a machine shop and had them 'check' that the external weight was in the same spot as it was for the dual mass flywheel.

In my case, it was and all has been good.

The fidanza flywheel has a counterweight bolted to the back of it.

The stock dual mass just has extra material on one section of it.

After that, I removed the external weight and have them balance the pressure plate to the flywheel (for a neutral balance).

Of course, you must add on the external weight because stock bottom end lt1 is externally balanced.