The Fidanza clutch thread.

[99gst_racer]

OK, I did a little search and didn't come up with much of anything.

I'll be replacing my clutch this winter and I was originally just going to replace it with another ACT. But then I stumbled across the Fidanza clutches.

I'm not sure who is manufacturing them, but they look well built. They have four different kits available for us DSMers:

2.1 - Carbon Kevlar disc
3.2 - Kevlar disc
4.3 - Ceramic disc
5.4 - Sintered iron disc

From what I gathered, each kit uses the same 2300 pressure plate and each one uses a more aggressive friction material to gain more holding capacity. This is a much more efficient method than simply increasing the clamping force of the pressure plate.

These are very affordable, and I have them in stock here, so I'm really considering running the 4.3. If anyone has any input on the Fidanza clutches, or if you've been running one and have an opinion on it, please post in here.

Thanks in advance.

 

[99gst_racer]

My goal is 400hp and 350 tq.

The 3.2 should work for you just fine and would definitely be more user friendly than the 4.3.

We just put a 3.2 in my roommate's car last week. I'm eager to get it on the road so we can develop an opinion of how it feels.

Why in the world does this happen!? No one else seems to know.

It's beyond me. Something to do with heat and the friction material possibly?

Are you experiencing the same thing?

 

[habitatguy187]

It's beyond me. Something to do with heat and the friction material possibly?

Are you experiencing the same thing?

Oh yeah! On cold start the clutch disengages RIGHT off the floor. If I go on a highway cruise or do some engine braking it brings the engagement point to around the middle. If I do really serious engine braking it can bring it almost to the very top of the pedal. Maybe I'll make a new thread and we'll be able to keep it going.


EDIT: By the way I have an exedy, ordered a fidanza but the local shop screwed it up and to make up for it gave me an exedy and some extras, still interested in these clutches though. http://www.dsmtuners.com/forums/dri...ch-engagement-changes-heat.html#post151958083

 

[Artago]

We just put a 3.2 in my roommate's car last week. I'm eager to get it on the road so we can develop an opinion of how it feels.

Hey Paul,

How's your roommate's 3.2 hold up? Any problems? How many miles in on it so far? Any pulls?

Thanks,

Tom

 

[99gst_racer]

Hey Paul,

How's your roommate's 3.2 hold up? Any problems? How many miles in on it so far? Any pulls?

Thanks,

Tom

HA! He's a lazy ass, and hasn't touched his car since the week before the Shootout. The engine and tranny are in - it just need a day's worth of hooking up all the small things. So, I really don't know when he's going to get the thing drivable. I'll probably update this thread when that time comes (hopefully later this year).


On a similar note: I removed my 4.3 clutch to inspect it, and it looks great. There is very little wear showing and all wear is normal and even looking. Mine only has about 3-4K miles on it, I think. It seems to be holding the abuse of the compound turbo set-up quite well. My only complaints on it are that it's engagement kinds sucked and the pedal seems to fade quite a bit after a launch or two. I through an ACT2600 PP with a clutchnet 6-puck disk in it last night. Hopefully I like this combo a little more.

 

[PieEyedPiper]

It's beyond me. Something to do with heat and the friction material possibly?

Are you experiencing the same thing?

Same story for me, I know I don't have a Fidanza clutch but I had the same thing on my SPEC stage 2+ and to a much lesser degree, I have it now on my Competition Clutch Stage 2 as well. The only thing I'm sure of is that it's heat related. The pedal feels perfect first thing in the morning.

 

[tsunari]

So I'm on my 2nd 3.2 Fidanza Clutch + Pressure Plate. The first one died at ~12k miles with a hub spring popping out of the cage. The fingers that hold the springs in actually wore down to nothing from the springs expanding/contracting. Here I am on the replacement with ~8k miles on it and am starting to show symptoms of the same thing happening again. . .

When I press in the clutch, the sound of a rusty spring being compressed can be heard coming from the engine bay . . . a kind of *rrrrreeeeeeeee* sound (awesome onomatopoeia no?)

So I got in touch with Fidanza and they pretty much said . . . our clutch is not right for your car. Send it back and we'll give you a refund. Which is nice and all, but this is the 3rd clutch in this car over the past few years that has done this (the first being an ACT2100).

Call up Shep (He built the tranny) and he said there was probably something wrong with the block bushings that help mate up to the bell housing. They might be worn, etc . . . I'm not exactly sure how if one or both of the bushings is worn that it would put undue stress on the clutch hub springs. Could anyone enlighten the rest of us (namely me)?

As for usage, this thing is 80% daily driver, 20% TimeAttack/Road Course, so I wouldn't think the clutch would get THAT much abuse.

****EDIT****

Just ran across this- some pretty good stuff.

http://www.schaeffler.com/remotemed...ary/downloads/luk_schadensdiagnose_pkw_en.pdf

 

[Artago]

^^ This begs the question. Is there any reliable DD clutch for the 400HP/350TQ range?

Does anyone know anyone who has run that much power in a DD and has had a clutch without any problems after 20K miles?

Thanks,

Tom

 

[97gstnick]

^^ This begs the question. Is there any reliable DD clutch for the 400HP/350TQ range?

Does anyone know anyone who has run that much power in a DD and has had a clutch without any problems after 20K miles?

Thanks,

Tom

Good question.

 

[Artago]

Good question.

I just wish I had an answer.

 

[habitatguy187]

Twin discs aren't reliable?

 

[Artago]

Twin discs aren't reliable?

Maybe they are .... but they're are a bit out of my price range.

Tom

 

[DSM_ThuNDeR]

I'm realy disappointed with the 3.2 I bought a month ago from extreme psi less than a month ago. Just yesterday the dam car would not go into gear(close to 2.5K miles on it). I think I'm going back to A.C.T. Clutches.

 

[tsunari]

I had some disengagement issues myself . . . trying out a centerforce this round.

 

[lucid15]

Did you guys do the pedal height mod? I had issues until i did this mod, pedal pressure, engagement, disengagement... etc.

 

[Artago]

Did you guys do the pedal height mod? I had issues until i did this mod, pedal pressure, engagement, disengagement... etc.

What pedal height "mod" are you talking about? Can you post a link please?

Tom

 

[richardc475]

I have had my Fidanza 4.3 and Fidanza flywheel on for around 2000 miles now. So far so good, Nice peddle feel, easy to use in stop and go traffic, I have done a few launches on it and I am impressed. Overall I like it better than my ACT2600 with a street disk.

My car isn't very heavily modded yet, (S16g, fp race mani, fmic, 13psi.) I will update this one I toss in My HX40W Pro and am putting down some real numbers.

 

[99gst_racer]

What pedal height "mod" are you talking about? Can you post a link please?

Tom

I believe that he's referring to the adjustment rod at the pedal on 2G cars.
We had to adjust it on my roommate's '97 GST shortly after installing an ACT2100. It was fine for a week or two, and then there was issues with getting the car into some gears. After adjusting that rod, the pedal felt better, it shifted smoother, and clutch engagement was improved as well.


If you have a 2G, don't blame your clutch if you've never adjusted the pedal.

 

[Artago]

I believe that he's referring to the adjustment rod at the pedal on 2G cars.
We had to adjust it on my roommate's '97 GST shortly after installing an ACT2100. It was fine for a week or two, and then there was issues with getting the car into some gears. After adjusting that rod, the pedal felt better, it shifted smoother, and clutch engagement was improved as well.


If you have a 2G, don't blame your clutch if you've never adjusted the pedal.

I thought that's what he was talking about. I'm about to install my ACT 2100 and will need to adjust the pedal. Is there a good write up you could direct me to?

I've already viewed Jack's video on the subject but if you have a link to a good write up can you post it for me please?

Thanks,

Tom

PS: How's the compound turbo set up holding up Paul?

 

[Dallas J]

Jacks video pretty much says everything in picture better than we could describe in words...

But, youre basically extending the rod to the point where you cant push the slave cylinder back by hand (the bleed valve in the M/C isnt being opened then). Then you turn it about .5-1 turn, tighten everything up, and double check the slave cylinder. That will give you the absolute maximum clutch travel on a 2g.

Also, if youre having travel issues check all your bell housing bolts especially the often missed rear bolt that goes in from the engine side. That one is hard to see, but is the only thing to suck the bottom of the tranny to the engine. I missed it once and even with all other bolts tight their was a 1/2" gap at that bolt which caused all kinds of clutch engagement issues.

 

[DSM_ThuNDeR]

Yeah, right after the clutch install the rod adjustment was done. Aperantly extreme psi won't replace, I have to contact Fidanza directly...... and what for? If they are just going to give me another kevlar 4 puck kit that might fail again? SCREW THAT.

 

[99gst_racer]

I thought that's what he was talking about. I'm about to install my ACT 2100 and will need to adjust the pedal. Is there a good write up you could direct me to?

I've already viewed Jack's video on the subject but if you have a link to a good write up can you post it for me please?

Thanks,

Tom

PS: How's the compound turbo set up holding up Paul?

When we adjusted my roommate's, we just used the trial and error method. Adjust, drive, adjust, drive, adjust, drive, perfect.

I personally don't know of any write-ups, but it's pretty simple and straight forward. You'll feel it when you get it right.

The compound set-up has been great thus far. It's all in Texas right now being ceramic coated by Tirado Custom Coatings. Hopefully I'll have it back to me sometime next week.

Also, if youre having travel issues check all your bell housing bolts especially the often missed rear bolt that goes in from the engine side. That one is hard to see, but is the only thing to suck the bottom of the tranny to the engine. I missed it once and even with all other bolts tight their was a 1/2" gap at that bolt which caused all kinds of clutch engagement issues.

X2. I had this issue on my car and I was quick to blame the clutch. But, upon pulling everything apart, I found I was missing two bellhousing bolts (front and back, don't ask me how), and the clutch still looked great. After replacing those bolts, all functions of shifting were improved.

Yeah, right after the clutch install the rod adjustment was done. Aperantly extreme psi won't replace, I have to contact Fidanza directly...... and what for? If they are just going to give me another kevlar 4 puck kit that might fail again? SCREW THAT.

So how did your clutch look when you removed it from the car?

 

[DSM_ThuNDeR]

99gst_racer

So how did your clutch look when you removed it from the car?

I will take down the transmission down tomorrow a post up some pix. All I can say is wow!

 

[newtodsm's]

I know this is the Fidanza clutch thread. but has anyone tried there cv shafts? i was thinking of getting a set for my car. Just wanted some info on them

 

[99gst_racer]

I will take down the transmission down tomorrow a post up some pix. All I can say is wow!

It's a bit difficult to accurately blame your clutch if you haven't yet removed and insected it, don't you think? Just saying, don't be so quick to blame it until you're sure.

I know this is the Fidanza clutch thread. but has anyone tried there cv shafts? i was thinking of getting a set for my car. Just wanted some info on them

Last I checked, the only 2Gs they they made them for were the 420a cars.

 

[DSM_ThuNDeR]

Here are my results: When I removed the transmission apart from the block the clutch seemed fine, until I tried to shake it from where the alignment tool goes. This dam thing move LEFT, RIGHT, UP, DOWN FREELY with all of the pressure plate bolts tourqued down to spec! When I removed the P.P. this is what I found!

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Never going to try this POS Clutch again!

It's a bit difficult to accurately blame your clutch if you haven't yet removed and insected it, don't you think? Just saying, don't be so quick to blame it until you're sure.

I dealt with these things before, not just in my awd, but in other buddies DSM's. From bad TOB, to spring ejected disks, ect. I kinda had an idea.