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Lets talk Clutches


White93z34

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I need a clutch for my z34.

 

I would love to know what people are running and where you bought it from as well as aprox. cost

 

Presently I have a "Zoom Perfection" clutch in the z34. It sucks. I will never run another one.

 

I don't really want something as aggressive as a Spec Stage 3, moreover I don't even know of any good venues to obtain a clutch through.

 

Educate me, please!

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Where can I buy such a clutch? Specs website lists NOTHING for a 92 Z34. I don't really have any problem paying for a quality clutch set, as you generally get what you pay for.

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Check out rockauto, they have:

 

BECK/ARNLEY $288.79

 

Rhino pac $468.79

 

SACHS $487.79

 

Ac Delco $555.79

 

 

 

I put a Zoom/Perfection in my Z24 cav, and it's fine, but I won't put one in my Cutlass (3.4 284) because everyone says they suck.

 

I've never tried any of those other brands, but maybe somone else on here has. The beck/arnley would be a good deal if its a good clutch.

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"Suck" doesn't quite describe the Perfection clutches.

how about a description of how they actually suck?

 

would they be fine in a 2.8 5 speed, but can't hold the torque or hp of a 3.4?

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1. Drive in the city for 5 minutes, and you have a slipping clutch.

2. There is no loading the clutch from a start, it just slips.

3. Want to shift quickly? It probably won't happen, it'll just slip (i.e. a high RPM 1-2 shift)

4. It slips.

 

I suppose it's a great clutch if you really like the smell of burning brakes/clutch material.

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i have a spec stage 3, i like it. before this i had a centerforce dual friction whoch started slipping on me after a few hundred miles, but i blame myself for not breaking it in properly

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I can't say that it was *THAT* bad, Shaun.

 

It wouldn't really slip too bad in the city, but it was very noticeable that it was hot and not performing properly.

 

Generally It would be good for about 1 WOT run then, that was really it for hours afterward

 

I never had any problems having it slip in high RPM range.

 

That all said, there is a reason that it is one of the cheapest clutch sets money can buy.

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Mine was never near that bad in my Z24, the only time it slipped is if i was pissed and hammering on it, I mean after like 5 massive burnouts it would start to slip. It should be toast already but has plenty of grip. I've also made 4 or 5 1/4 mile runs with my dynolicious and didn't have any problems, I've raced plenty of times with it also. I put mine in the cav @ 112k miles, it now has close to 170k, and does not slip a bit no matter how hard you run it unless you do like above (many burnouts within a short amount of time). Me and my cousin put a perfection in his 85 F-150 300 I6, and he would pull cars to the scrap yard twice a week with it. When we took my 94 cutlass in, he figured out by the scale readings that with the snow and other crap in the box, he had 1,000 lbs in the box besides pulling a 16 foot trailer with a cutlass on it.

 

I still won't put one in my Cutlass because I want something that I'm not going to have to change for a long time. Putting a clutch in a 1990 Z24 Cavalier is really quite easy, with never touching a cavalier before, me and my buddy drank a 12 pack and had it out in 4-5 hours. I had another buddy machine the flywheel that night, and we put it in the next day in about 3-4 hours. A w-body isn't a lot harder, but it isn't that easy. The j-bodies have 2 crossmember arms instead of a big subframe underneath them, so you can have leave the passenger side one alone.

 

I'm not saying it's an awesome clutch, but it's not as bad as you make it sound at least with my experience. It is possible I got lucky and got a good one, or you just got a bad one. We are also talking about completely diferent drivetrains, my 3.1 282 combo with a perfection has done fine, but a 3.1 is rated at what 150 hp or so, the 3.4 is rated at 215 or so, you're talking a 65 hp difference. IMO I think the biggest difference is that with a 3.4 you rev alot higher and make all the power obve 3k rpm or so, cheap clutches and high rpm's don't mix, a clutch is more likely to slip in a high rpm application vs. a 3.1's lower end, lower revving powerband, anything past 4k-4.5k in a 3.1 is pretty much just noise.

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  • 2 weeks later...

i went through this a while ago with my '93 z34 (wanted to replace it but just dont have the time / money since it does work just not well lol) and pretty much anything decent is a few hundred more than the zoom perfection clutches. for me there are times when it will slip during every semi aggressive 1-2 shift and other times you can beat on it with no problems. i think it slips more on the hotter days. i really had no idea that they would sell something that would slip so much right away. high rpms are where the 3.4 shines and if you cant rev it up it sucks

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Can't say I have, but I will be ordering a spec stage2 for my z probably this weekend or next week.

 

Is that a good daily driving with occasional redline clutch?

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http://jbkperformance.com/spec_clutch/spec_clutch_kit_stage_2/sc272/i-171494.aspx

I think i'll be buying it here.

 

The SPEC stage 2 Clutch Kit is perfect for all mild to moderately modified naturally aspirated and power adder engines. (Also good for stock power levels and spirited driving when good daily drivability and extremely long life are the goal.) Stock-like daily drivability and EXCELLENT wear characteristics.

 

High clamp pressure plate, pure Kevlar friction material and high torque sprung hub and disc assembly, bearing and tool kit.

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yep. I need to look into this seller a little more to be sure everything is legit. But it will be on my CC anyhow, so absolute worst case and I can start a dispute with them.

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