Finally....the clutch is slippin

[jnava]

The Galant is finally needing a clutch. I've been waiting for this day since I purchased the car. The previous owner was waiting as well, since he purchased an ACT 2600 with a street disk. Now it didn't have a throw out bearing and apparently the oem TOB is meant to handle some serious abuse. Since the car is going down for repairs, I had recently purchased some FP2 cams, which are 272 spec from Forced Performance's website. I have some EVO8 560's I've been holding onto for a while. Geez, I have so many mods to take care of but the my real need is an ems or dsmlink. Tuning will be a serious concern. I guess it's one step at time. I haven't had the time to spare for a baseline run and since the clutch was going out, the figures might have been skewed. I'll set a baseline after I get the clutch installed. Enough about me, what do you think? btw....anyone recommend me get a lightened flywheel?

 

[BluFalcon]

No. I had a Fidanza in my car for awhile and hated it. The motor would sometimes bog down and die when coming to a stop at lights, and I just didn't like the way it felt while driving it around town. Swapped a resurfaced stocker back in the car when my tranny started making noise, and have been pretty happy since. Just my personal observation.

 

[mikus]

i've had a fidenza and a stocker on ACT clutches, and it wasn't significantly different for me. I wouldn't speak against it but would not put a priority on it if you have more important service to do.

 

[jnava]

Then whats the reality of reducing rotational mass about? I've been led to believe that it's an upgrade but you mentioned that you felt no real difference. Other than less weight on a vehicle, I should be ok with just the replacement of the clutch and disk. Hey Ed, I've yet to ask you this question, why did Chris need to replace the front bumper on my GVR4? I saw that you hooked him up with the one I have. BTW do you think your car will be ready by MOD day in Irving? I would really love to check your ride out!

 

[BluFalcon]

Juan,
When I first got my car, I had a 90 AWD Talon that was supposed to be my main project. The GVR-4 was supposed to be a daily driver, so it rarely saw above 6K RPM, and was rarely driven in anger. To me, the Fidanza just didn't seem to suit a heavy car like the GVR-4, in day to day driving. RPM's would drop pretty fast when coming to a light, and the motor would sometimes stall or cause the oil pressure light to flicker.It also seemed like the lower mass of the flywheel made the car difficult to get moving from a dead stop. This could have been all in my mind, like I said, just a personal preference to have a heavier flywheel in the car. Now this may all change if I ever decide to install a twin disc in the car. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

It's been so long since I've seen Chris, I can't remember if I ever did sell him a bumper. I had a spare white one with the center cut out that I got from Howard Draper when I bought his car. That bumper went to a local GVR-4 guy (who isn't on here), and I also ended up selling the same guy my KG bumper when I installed all my JDM stuff on the car. I can't recall if Chris had ever had an accident in the car or not.
As for MOD, I should be out there. Just spent the day swapping another 4 bolt into the car, trying to see if I can figure out where the whining noise is coming from. Gonna get cleaned up and test drive it in a few.

 

[jnava]

Thanks Ed, that's exactly what I was trying to understand. For daily use, there is no significant difference and instead I might have some side effects that are not welcome as a daily driver. I find this very useful and appreciate your response. As for the Chris question, I'm just trying to find out the history of the car. It has been stable and I have had few issues but nothing that the previous owner hadn't already told meh. Do you think I can go to MOD as a "PROJECT" in progress? Or is this the bling show?

 

[BluFalcon]

I think MOD is a bring your Mitsu/DSM to show it off, no matter what condition it's in. Bring your car on out, and show it off. The fact that it's still in one piece, running and driving is something some guys out there can't even say for their cars. I had to register mine as a "classic" for the show. Kinda weird feeling.

 

I daily drive my GVR4 with a Fidanza flywheel and ACT 2600 with the UNsprung organic disc.

You do need to rev the engine higher when starting from a stop but that was the only effect of the lightened flywheel. I have not experienced any stalling that was the result of the flywheel.

 

[cheekychimp]

Basically your lower rotational mass means your flywheel now picks up rpms faster but drops them faster too due to less momentum. I have driven with both, my daily driver currently has a lightened flywheel on it. I don't find it harder to pull away from a dead stop UNLESS I am on an incline. Hill starts are significantly more difficult. I also find the car bogs most noticeably in third gear. Often I go into roundabouts and change down to third only to find the car bogs as I try to accelerate out. It also has stalled on occasion as the rpms drop but I have idle issues at the moment so whilst the flywheel might be exacerbating existing problems, I am not convinced it is causing them. I really wanted to go back to the stock flywheel initially but over the past month or so I've just adapted my driving style to deal with everything. I have noticed a significant increase in acceleration once you hit boost at about 3000 rpms.

I'm still a bit undecided, but I think I'm going to keep the lightened JUN unit in there until I'm ready to swap in the 3.909 transmission. I want to see if the lower gearing will balance things out and allow me to get over the hill start and bogging issues whilst keeping the awesome mid-range acceleration.

 

[jnava]

Well, two separate cases with similar issues. I daily drive the car so any deterioration of drive quality is a major concern to me. I love going through the gears and what you describe is basically deterring me from purchasing and I would rather just change out the pressure plate and disk. I just wanted to see if I should upgrade since ill have a mechanic already there. I still would like to hear what happens when you install the gears.

 

If you stick with the stock flywheel I would at least spring to have it resurfaced.

 

[Lonewolf64]

I have an "XACT streelite" flywheel and it might be because I have never driven my car with the stock flywheel but I believe it is still 100% streetable.

 

[jnava]

Yeah, the flywheel will need to be turned. I fully realize that it needs it. I'm good with my situation but I appreciate the response. Thanks guys.

 

[jnava]

damn...nearly a month and finally the 2600ACT with a street disk has been installed. I've always heard folk say that the pedal pressure is pretty hard but it really isn't. My 02 Xterra 4x4 supercharged was exactly the same pedal pressure. I once drove with my dad to South Texas and I was stomping my foot trying to adjust to his soft clutch pedal. The car feels great and it shifts like butter. I'm supposed to go to MOD but I think I'm just gonna park and check everyone else out tomorrow.