ok i have had a manual for about 1 month now and im able to race it pretty hard (got skillzzz) but im not sure why i would upgrade the clutch. so i would like to know the purpose of it.

 

Higher horsepower engines exert more force when shifting gears, upgrading clutch helps from blowing stock clutches often.

 

I don't know if you noticed, but in my civic with a stock clutch, I shift faster than it does(takes an extra moment for the clutch to grab) With an aftermarket performance clutch, it should improve the grab time in between shifts. I bought a stage IV good for 380whp. If you're going to invest the money I'd say get at least a stage II, stage I are worthless imo.

 

A stronger clutch will also have the ability to hold more power due to a stronger pressure plate or a more aggressive disk, or a combination of both.

On my 460hp Taurus SHO, I smoked up a near stock clutch after shifting into 2nd gear and hammering the throttle. I now use a clutch with a double-diaphragm pressure plate and a windowed Kevlar disk. This clutch offers a VERY heavy pedal, but will hold all the power I'll make with this car, which will soon be over 550hp.

 

very few of you will ever come anywhere near 380hp on a sohc. getting a clutch that heavy isnt really wise. if its too heavy, it will suck to drive around town, and will engage too aggressively, making it harder to launch without wheelspin. on Leviiis Si, he ran a 14.2 on just a 50 shot of N2O with a slipping stock clutch, then we did I/H/E, type r trans, plugs, wires, newer tires, and a bunch of other bolt-ons. then we had a new 6 puck clutch, basically a stage 2 with a stage 3 pressure plate, and we never did get it below about a 14.8-14.9. it was way more powerful, and could easily chirp the tires into 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and even occassionally into 5th. but that was the problem, it would engage so hard, that it would shock the tires and they would spin. seriously, even with boost, very few sohcs will even get over 200whp. so getting over a stage 1 or maybe a 2 is a waste, and will more than likely hurt your times, rather than improve them. honestly, with a clutch, its better to start small and once that one wont hold your shifts, upgrade one level, and keep doing that so you dont over-clutch your car, and hurt your times.

 

^ would you be refferring to some sort of "stage 1" clutch?

 

what do you mean? my last statement? yeah, start with a stage 1 if you are under 200whp, and then use that till you get to the point that it is holding you back, then upgrade it to a stage 2 and so on and so forth.

 

well with the gsr engine i want to get, would it be wise just to put the stage2 clutch on when i do the swap?
just to start right off the bat

 

not necessarily. I chose a stage 1 when i did my gsr swap. it is rated to at least 250 to the wheels. thats going to be damn hard to eclipse without boost or nitrous. and even then, the clutch will hold more, but it *might* become a liability once you start getting over the rated HP numbers. i am shooting for about that with a mild turbo on my current platform, though it will still be a while before i get the turbo. and a stage 1 is still noticeably stiffer than stock, but engages smoothly. a stage 2 is pretty rough engaging, and it can be very annoying on the street.

 

Well, that actually makes a whole lotta sense. Thanks Sac.