NEED Clutch help - Honda Prelude Forum

98ludeMC · 11-03-2008, 02:46 PM

So a week after drag racing my 100k prelude for the first time my clutch started slipping and needs to be replaced. My installer wants to know if i want to just get another OEM one or upgrade to a performance one. I am low on cash and want to know if it is really nessecary for me to go after market one a pretty much stock engined (megan racing cat back and aen short ram) car that i plan on keeping this way? What you think and if u think i should go performance what is the best bang for buck least expensive but of a good brand.

petern101 · 11-03-2008, 05:47 PM

You gotta pay to play. For drag racing especially, you want a better clutch, the oem one has been known to not handle high rpm dumps for very long.

prepreludesh · 11-03-2008, 07:43 PM

I was in your boat back when I hit 200,000miles in my car. The clutch went out without so much as a sign unfortunately. I needed the car for my daily driver and I couldn't wait that long and I thought I couldn't afford any aftermarket one.

I believe though, that the OEM one is still as expensive as a decent aftermarket one. Look up on the internet the prices and see stock ones with some aftermarket to compare prices.

Do your self a favor and do what I didn't but still regret, and that is go with an aftermarket. I don't believe that alot of aftermarket pieces can compare to the fit, finish, and reliability like an OEM piece, but performance wise they exceed of course. Aftermarket clutches on the other hand, won't let you down. I've had my ACT Street Organic Clutch on for a 15,000 miles and its been great to put down the power and remain just like stock.

Besides that, for no other reason, do it because if you decide to upgrade later on, you're going to regret having to pay all over again to do it. That is unless you're going to do it yourself, and my hat is off to you if that is the case, because you can do whatever you want

petern101 · 11-03-2008, 09:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by prepreludesh

I don't believe that alot of aftermarket pieces can compare to the fit, finish, and reliability like an OEM piece, but performance wise they exceed of course. Aftermarket clutches on the other hand, won't let you down. I've had my ACT Street Organic Clutch on for a 15,000 miles and its been great to put down the power and remain just like stock.

Contradicting? edit: Just looking at your sig, you couldn't afford more than an ACT Organic??? Sounds even more weird...

I would say there are plenty of aftermarket clutches that are much better than oem, at an OEM price??? Maybe not.

Honestly if you can't afford it, you can always get OEM replacements but just remember you can't rag on them hard. Also figure in other maintenance items while you there (if you are going to ask, I'm going to say search)

prepreludesh · 11-03-2008, 09:32 PM

Good Question Petern101,

To clear it all up, here is the clutch I have in the car,

HA3-HDSS

This clutch is advertised to hold up to 278 ft/lbs of torque. My dyno graph indicates that even after the tune, I'm still only putting down 201 ft/lb. So I'm still well within reach.

I went with an organic clutch because by all acounts of what I've read, a 4 or 6 puck clutch would create alot of "chatter." I also read that they are less streetable mainly because of their such increased grip that you can't "feather" the clutch as easily or as smoothly as a stock organic one.

4 and 6 puck are made for the track due to their high level of torque grip and low level of slipping, making them hold on to every last pound of torque and every last horsepower from the motor. Who needs comfort and streetability when your only goal is to go as fast as you can?

But in the real world of having a daily driver, especially one with as many stops and starts as I do, I feel very happy that I've made the right choice to stay with one of their higher performing organic clutches. No slipping issues have come about so far and the pedal feel is almost identical to the stock one it replaced.

I do not race on tracks, I might in the future, but for now this car is a street only car. I do what you do, probably race around the street at night every now and then, which can take a toll on anyone's clutch, but not to the degree that balls-out racing will have on it with those extended periods of high heat and pressure wailing on all your engine and transmission pieces.

As for prices, I usually use Ebay as my gauge, I checked out the price of an OEM clutch (one that proves to be OEM, not has wording that could prove otherwise). Here's what I found:

$195 + 22 shipping = $217
eBay Motors: 1992-2001 Honda Prelude OEM /New Clutch Kit (item 2476441012 end time Dec-03-08 17:34:47 PST)

$365 + 30 shipping = $395
eBay Motors: ACT HDSS CLUTCH SET 92-01 HONDA PRELUDE (item 200256852403 end time Nov-21-08 23:26:39 PST)

Just $178 more... I think it was well worth it though...

98ludeMC · 11-04-2008, 01:47 PM

thanks for all the help i want to go aftermarket if i can scrape the money together. I am really considering the act one that preprelude said it sounds perfect for me. The only thing is how fast i can get it reasonably. If it takes a month to get in i am 17 and need my daily driver i will probably just go oem because i know my mechanic can get them in a day or two.

petern101 · 11-04-2008, 05:12 PM

If you've ever driven a 4 puck clutch on a prelude, you should try. It really isn't that hard or harsh for city driving. Just a though.

harmonichonda01 · 12-11-2008, 02:11 PM

sorry to bring this back to life; but I thought I once saw a thread showing how much hp and torque the stock clutch can handle.

I currently am driving without vtec as the compression isn't high enough to handle the big head and intake on the car just yet, but the tune is 183/173.

My dual friction clutch from centerforce went out today on my first drive further than 30 miles with it only having 300 miles on it... so I really advise staying away from it... but I want to make sure the oem clutch will be able to handle 200-210 once I have the new pistons in the car and vtec is re-enabled.

prepreludesh · 12-11-2008, 02:28 PM

Centerforce FTL