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L6 N/A Clutch recomendations


Dtsnlvrs

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I know, I know it has hashed over many times, but just to get it straight and possibly put as a sticky. I want to ask about L-6 N/A clutch choices. I specify N/A because as alot of us have found out, some brands (center force) do not hold up well to the quick onset of power that turbo motors provide. More specifically, what are some of you guys ussing in your hot N/A L-6 powered s-30 zcars.

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On with the first setup.

Engine is a L-28 with about 10:1 CR, tripple webers, stage III cam

 

I am running a stock 225mm flywheel and a Centerforce II clutch.

I do not like the clutch..hold fine and engages smoothly, but the damn thing is noisy at idle. I think the inertia weights are the culprit and have removed the tranny more than once to inspect the clutch assy to make sure it aint broke.

 

I just sourced a Maxima flywheel (Y70) and intend on installing a new clutch assy. Has anyone used a sachs unit on a L-6? Any other recomendations besides centerforce?

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I like my ACT pressure plate with a bone stock 225mm clutch disk. There are only two variables here, how agressive the pp is and how aggressive the disk is. I've seen damage to the thrust bearings and flywheels from puck style clutches, and while they're great for racing I just feel they're a bit overkill for anything else. Putting a more powerful pressure plate on with a stock disk also increases the holding power but is much easier to deal with on a day to day basis. Mine holds down ~240 whp no problem and is easy to drive. I don't believe that it is necessary to go too crazy with the NA engines, they just don't make enough power to require puck clutches in my experience.

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For every brand of clutch you find, you'll find one person who hates it and one who swears by it.

It's all in who's behind the wheel and how they use it.:icon53:

 

I've use ATC, Valeo and even used a cheap one from Advance Auto (who knows who made that one) and none of them were any better or any worse than the one before.

 

I put a Centerforce 1 in my 71 just because I had it sitting in a drawer and hated seeing that 200 dollars sitting there not being used, and one of these days I'll get the car on the road and get to use it...:wink:

 

I've seen ITS racers using Centerforce, OEM replacement, stock discs, puck style discs, combinations of stock PP and puck discs, Centerforce PP and stock style discs and puck discs.......you name it.

 

Wish I could find that bookmark, I had a site that sold nearly every type of clutch disc and different types of pressure plates to fit a Z.:mad:

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I've use ATC, Valeo and even used a cheap one from Advance Auto (who knows who made that one) and none of them were any better or any worse than the one before.

I think a lot of people run out and buy a "high performance" clutch to go with their basically stock engine. This isn't really a good idea, since it just makes the car harder to drive, and doesn't really give you any benefit at all. I'd guess that was the case with 2ManyZs. If you can't tell the difference, then you don't need anything more than an OEM replacement. That's not all that surprising considering your own usage. A really potent ITS engine puts out what 200 flywheel hp? We're talking about engines putting down over 200 whp and the situation does change at some point. I had a little bit of slippage shifting into higher gears at WOT, but not bad, when I was running my engine with SU's (estimated 200whp). When I switched to triples the clutch just would not hold the power down. It wouldn't hook up when you left the line and it wouldn't grab when shifting into the higher gears. 3rd to 4th shift at WOT had the clutch slipping for 4 or 5 seconds before it would finally grab.

I've seen ITS racers using Centerforce, OEM replacement, stock discs, puck style discs, combinations of stock PP and puck discs, Centerforce PP and stock style discs and puck discs.......you name it.

I think if I were building an ITS race car that never saw the street I'd be inclined towards a stock pp and a puck clutch. Should be no slippage and it doesn't need to be street friendly. Plus the pp isn't strong enough to tear the fork apart like some of the aftermarket pps.

 

In general I think the Centerforce clutches don't have a very good rep for L series engines, and that is the only one that I would really go out of my way to avoid. That's kinda weird, because everyone I know with an American car swears by them.

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Here's are the units I've used:

 

OEM clutch and pressure plate - worked great on stock L28 with SUs.

Nissan Comp clutch (sprung center) and pressure plate - worked great on a 190hp BSP prepared L28 and on a similar powered L24 ITS 240Z.

Nissan Comp clutch (6 puck) and pressure plate - worked great on a L24 ITS 240Z.

Centerforce dual friction clutch and pressure plate - sucked on a L24 ITS 240Z. Lasted one weekend and took the 3 to 4 synchros in the transmission with it.

Quartermaster 5.5" dual disk clutch and pressure plate - worked great on te Rusty Old Datsun.

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My $.02 on this subject, for the N/A L-28, at least use a NEW clutch assembly. Even it is just an OE replacement from Shucks, it HAS to be NEW! My experience for even hot N/A L-28’s is that OE replacement will hold up just fine, no slippage, especially if you are using a lighter weight than stock Z car flywheel. Now if you plan to rev the engine to 7000 RPM and/or beyond regularly, I cant recommend using just any OE replacement clutch as I’ve seen some discs literally shred their linings and/or chuck the coil springs out of the disc. That is not a good thing. Name brand performance clutches are a better choice for high RPM engines.

 

Now back to my REMANUFACTURED rant….

 

Do NOT ever, ever, ever, ever use a REMAN clutch EVER!!!!!! Let me say that again… just say no to REMAN!!! That applies to water pumps, starters, alternators, clutches, distributors, brakes, etc. Also stay away from any parts that come with a Lifetime warranty! (unless it is a brand new very reputable aftermarket manufactured parts such as ARP bolts etc…Not sure ARP offers a lifetime warranty, but you get the idea.) Life time warranty does not mean a quality part. In fact, it literally means LACK of ANY quality whatsoever! You don’t believe me? Ask anyone that has used reman parts with a lifetime warranty, how many times they had to replace that part and how much time that broken reman part cost them in taking care of that issue each time it failed? If a part has a lifetime warranty and the price is very low, DON’T BUY IT! Sure, the place that sold it to you will replace that part at no charge. Uh.. Well.. They wont refund the towing bill, the time off work you lost while sitting on the freeway with a broken car, the hassles you went through to replace that reman part for the 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th time etc. Pay a little more money up front and forget it. Those lifetime warranty’s mean SQAUT! That applies to brakes as well. NEVER let a shop like Mineke, Midas, Les Schwab, etc, install their “Lifetime guarantee” brake parts on ANY of your cars, unless it is your mother in-laws minivan.. .

 

Whew, I feel better now….

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L26 with roundtop SUs and header

225mm Spec stage 2+ clutch kit with their 11lb flywheel. It is the highest rated clutch with a full organic disc. I love the engagement of the clutch. It is very crisp and SLIGHTLY heavier than stock pedal. (Stock was so weak you could hardly feel the clutch point) Great clutch for daily use.

 

I have seen Powerful Turbo Zs that have ripped Spec clutches apart but I think for a N/A Z the stage 2+ is plenty for the hottest N/A motor. It is rated to 265hp.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Well I have talked to many of you and the almost unanimous consensus was that the ACT pressure plate mated to a NEW clutch disc (ACT street in this case) is a good way to go, I will be mounting this to a freshly turned and balanced Maxima Flywheel very soon (got all the parts just need the time.)

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on my turbo engine i use 240mm act street disc and pressure plate-it hasnt slipped under high boost conditions but engine broke a piston on dyno day.for a long time i used a stock daiken clutch kit.daiken was oem supplier to nissan.i got the kit at one of those 1 day clutch shops.it worked good but wouldnt hold the motor on the dyno.it cut loose and overheated but came back after cool off with no ill effects.if i was running under 200 rwhp i would just get a good oem style NEW clutch.no kragen rebuilt junk.

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Daikin is not the OEM supplier. Their pressure plates are fine and they make a CHEAP turbo "HD" pp which is a nice upgrade for turbo guys (Bastaad525 was running one before he sold his car), but the clutch disks have a plastic hub. I've never seen the plastic hub fail personally, but I had a Nissan Master tech warn me about Daikin disks. It's been probably ten years, but I am pretty sure he said Paraut was the OEM manufacturer for Nissan clutches.

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