Well, I'm gonna need a clutch real soon, anything more than 1/4 throttle under 3500 rpm and the engine just revs up without the car going anywhere. I'm trying to take it easy, but it is very difficult to drive on the highway when you basically have to downshift to third to be able to hit the gas even remotely hard. What are some good replacements clutches and flywheels. What are the prices and where are the best places to get them. I can do all the work myself so that $$ can be saved. Hopefully I can do this for under $1000.

 

If you know your clutch is going out then why are you bothering to try to hit the gas hard? Keep it in as low a gear as possible as this puts the least amount of stress on the clutch.

 

Unless you burn up your flywheel from running a wornout clutch on it, you should be able to get it resurfaced for $50 or less. Check Summit for clutches. If you resurface the flywheel and change the clutch yourself you should be able to do it for less than $500.

 

I'm not hitting the gas hard, i can barely press the pedal at under 3000, in any gear. Also, I thought you cant refinish the dual mass flywheels?

 

you can't refinish DM flywheels.

Under a grand? unless you can do the swap yourself, it ain't happening.

The dimensional requirements inside the bellhousing are SO tight that if you cut the DM, it simply won't work anymore. The clutch will move to far forward. And I am talking measurements in the hundredths of an inch. Insane.

A DM flywheel is gonna cost you $600.00 no matter what. You might get lucky by calling LPE or Callaway. They used to have some low mileage take offs for sale, cheap!

If you go single mass, check in the GM route, using GM parts! The F-body flywheel fits just fine, just needs to be cut .090!!! Use the F-Body friction disc and the Vette pressure plate and throwout bearing.

This way, using stock GM parts, from Chris at Superior Chevy (1.800.728.8267, tell him you are a forum member and that I said hi), expect the parts to cost about $500.00 total.

Now, here is the catch. The DM is the external balance for the engines rotating mass. If you replace the DM with a SM FW, you MUST match balance the SM to match the DM. This will maintain the engines balance. Otherwise, you will get a vibration.

 

I looked on mid america, and I can get a fidanza aluminum flywheel, and stage 2 clutch kit shipped for $967. Would this be a good setup. Yes, I can do the work myself and i dont mind the extra noise that may come from this setup.

 

are you planning serious power upgrades? Do you HAVE serious power upgrades?

If not, the stage 2 is overkill.

The GM based setup I suggested will handle 400~450hp. Keep that in mind.

I have the Findenza. I don't think I would do it again. I think it's TOO light. Especially for the street. The acceleration isn't as strong as I had hoped.

 

If the car is stock and will remain stock for a while, just put the stock clutch back in, parts will run you around $525 not including the flywheel(which as Andy mentioned can't be resurfaced, or actually is not recommended).

 

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1047577

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1045881

 

Call SPEC/Star Clutches in Texas. For about $850 you should be able to get a package deal with an aluminum flywheel and a Stage I or II clutch and pressure plate. You cannot resurface the dual mass flywheel.

 

SPEC sucks. They sold me a POS clutch 3 years ago... and I ain't the only one.

Stay clear.

If you want another option, consider Mcleod or Centerforce.

 

I think I'll probably be going with the Fidanza FW and stage 1 clutch. Also, is it necessary to replace anything else while I'll have it all torn apart. Like the master and slave cylinders?

 

Sorry for butting into this post but where do you guys buy the Mcleod clutch kits? I am about to put a clutch in my 95 and am considering the fidanza setup too. If not it will be stock or Mcleod. I have the Mcleod in my camaro with about 500hp and love it.

thanks,

 

I'm not a fan of McLeod, my buddy had one in his C5 and it only lasted about 3000 miles. The Cartek clutch he replaced it with is still in there with about 30,000 hard driven miles on it.

 

UCFVetteLt4, if you put the clutch in yourself please take a couple pictures. I am considering putting mine in myself but not sure. I've put them in older GM cars (like 60's and 70's cars) but never a vette.

 

I will surely take some pictures but this will all be done in about two months so it'll be awhile.

 

I have a Fidanza flywheel I'm selling if you decide to go that route. It'll be cheaper than buying the whole setup from someone else if you buy it and the clutch somewhere else. Let me know if you're interested.

 

I just did mine yesterday and it's not that hard. Same as older cars basically. Just don't drop the $3000 ZF6.

 

cresus, which clutch did you use? I got under mine yesterday and it doesn't look too bad. I may as well put in the hurst shifter while I'm at it.

 

Ok... time for one more attempt to get the message across:

I have the Fidenza. I still think it's WAY too light for the street. And what they sell them for, the GM factory F-Body single mass flywheel is a much better value. It is just that much heavier to make it easier to drive and should be more durable. There have been more then one report of people stripping out threads on the Fidenza... Just be very careful.

The Fidenza is about $400.00, the GM? Under $200.00. The Fbody flywheel is $175 from www.gmpartsdirect.com - the only downside to them? They charge out the *** for shipping. Call Chris May at Superior Chevy in KS, tell him you are a forum member and that I said "hi". The part number is 10125379. The flywheel also needs to be cut .090 so it will fit correctly.

Don't replace the master/slave unless they are leaking. The current supply of GM parts SUCK. People are replacing them on a monthly basis. Mine has a small leak, but it ain't worth upgrading to a larger leak.

It is MOST IMPORTANT to get the new flywheel match balanced to the old flywheel. Otherwise, it will shimmy and shake. Remember what I said in a post above, the dual mass is the external balance for the engine.

woolford - the clutch on a Vette is EASY. Just take your time. You will want a tranny jack, tho. The ZF6 is HEAVY. Clutch technology hasn't changed much in the last 100 years or so. modern, old, it don't matter much really. The only real trick is the removal of the bell housing. The clutch fork clicks to the side and then twist the housing and it falls right off the throw-out bearing. Done. I did mine in about 5 hours, over 2 days.

Something a forum member suggested, get a length of threaded rod and put them in the bottom holes of the bellhousing, then ride the transmission up on that. Should help alignment.

Very important, get some of that metal paint marker stuff (the liquid in a jar) and mark the position of the c-beam, both transmission and rear end. This will make realigning them much easier.

Also, whilst everything is apart, replace the driveshaft u-joints. You want Spicer ujoints.

Check with www.zfdoc.com, and get some beam plates. Makes assembling the c-beam much easier, and also strengthens the connection between the beam and the car. Controls lateral torque loading, too, which reduces the cars desire to pull to the right rear under full throttle acceloration.