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spec stage 2 clutch for a 3L?

M

montrese04

Veteran CEG'er
Joined
Aug 11, 2008
Messages
835
Location
Indianapolis, in
ok i have a 98 EO svt. I'm in the process of putting a full 3l in and i was looking for a good clutch and came across a spec stage 2 with lightened flywheel. These are the planned mods


  • 3l engine
  • y-pipe optimization
  • throttle body optimization
  • gutted pre-cats and cat
  • mil eliminators
but wanted to know the opinions of the stage 2 clutch. for the most part i've not heard anything fabulous about it but said what the heck. Why not ask
:shrug:

also i did read the forums for a bit but still have a mixed feeling about it so i decided to take a small pole
 
I absolutely hate the clutch chatter on my stage 1. I can't sit in traffic or at a light without the clutch in. I love my fidanza flywheel, but if I was ever going to replace my clutch, I would probably just put a stock SVT one in.
 
Stage 2 is overkill on a 3.0L. I personally would go with a Stage 1. Just make sure you get the correct TOB and you clean the oily surface of the disc/pressure plate before installing. The stock SVT clutch will hold, but I think it really depends how much your planning on abusing it. If your the kind of guy that that powershifts, slam gears, not let off when the car is wheel hopping, etc I really would look into something other than the SVT clutch. People who are cutting low 14, high 13 second passes on a 3.0L, would definitely blow out an SVT clutch.

On the other hand, if your just putting in a 3.0L for some extra hp/tq and do the occasional spirited 5-60 mph sprint, I think you'll be fine.
 
beyondloadedSE said:
Stage 2 is overkill on a 3.0L. I personally would go with a Stage 1. Just make sure you get the correct TOB and you clean the oily surface of the disc/pressure plate before installing. The stock SVT clutch will hold, but I think it really depends how much your planning on abusing it. If your the kind of guy that that powershifts, slam gears, not let off when the car is wheel hopping, etc I really would look into something other than the SVT clutch. People who are cutting low 14, high 13 second passes on a 3.0L, would definitely blow out an SVT clutch.

On the other hand, if your just putting in a 3.0L for some extra hp/tq and do the occasional spirited 5-60 mph sprint, I think you'll be fine.
Click to expand...

yeah i think i'm more of the spirited driver. I mean yeah i get on it but i dont plan on taking it to the track (YET:laugh:) i have not got their in my life but feel the track life creeping up on me quicker. especially i fthis 3L build strokes my ego correctly :o
 
I wouldn't recommend an upgraded clutch without some kind of LSD first. The added TQ of the 3L will most likely trash the diff very quickly with a upgraded clutch IMO.....
 
TX00SVT said:
I absolutely hate the clutch chatter on my stage 1. I can't sit in traffic or at a light without the clutch in. I love my fidanza flywheel, but if I was ever going to replace my clutch, I would probably just put a stock SVT one in.
Click to expand...


its not clutch chatter, its gear roll over. and gear roll over is also sometimes made worse with a lightened flywheel.

clutch chatter isn't a sounds, its from the clutch engagement ....
 
blu_fuz said:
I wouldn't recommend an upgraded clutch without some kind of LSD first. The added TQ of the 3L will most likely trash the diff very quickly with a upgraded clutch IMO.....
Click to expand...


3Ls can survive on a stock diff if you are carefull driving them.


but for a 3L a stock SVT clutch or a Stage 1 Spec clutch is more then enough unless you plan to go fi then go stage 3+
 
My opinion.

lightened flywheel, new OEM clutch or somewhat more performance oriented, and a limited slip dif

don't waste money with a stock engine.

whats mentioned above are great improvements on a stock engine. or even a slightly modified engine.

good luck
 
your the first to really say you wre going to use it again thats for sure. well the most luck to you i simply ended up purchasing a slightly used stock svt clutch :shrug: but havent got to drive yet seeing as i'm not finish with the build yet. might haft to go back an dpull the motor due to a slight faint of a oil leak in the timing chain cover. :nonono:
 
kevlar is a good clutch material as long as it is broken in, it can glaze over VERY easily when city traffic driven during the break in period.
 
PurpleMystique said:
FWIW, a SPEC Stage 1 lasted me less than 20,000 miles on my full 3.0. That did include a few dragstrip passes.
Click to expand...

I didn't even get 10K out of mine - no drag strip. I daily drive my car and LOVE it with the 8lb Fidanza, Spec 3+, headers, y-pipe & MIL's. My car is not tuned and is lacking low end tq because of that - a stock clutch will do better then a Spec stage 1, but won't last. I've got over 25K on my stage 3+ and it still bites hard.
 
Got my stage II in last week for $404.00.

PICT4803.jpg
 
PurpleMystique said:
I'll add that I always engine brake and that my dragstrip visit included 13 runs over the course of 2-3 hours.
Click to expand...

You should really start using your brakes to do the braking, clutches are more expensive and more labor intensive to change than brake pads :crazy:

In my opinion if you are planning on really driving the car and upgraded clutch is definetly worth it. The svt or the stage 1 does hold up but they start slipping afer a while of abuse. I think the spec stage 3 is a great clutch and will do just fine NA or with boost.
 
96BlackSE said:
In my opinion if you are planning on really driving the car and upgraded clutch is definetly worth it. The svt or the stage 1 does hold up but they start slipping afer a while of abuse. I think the spec stage 3 is a great clutch and will do just fine NA or with boost.
Click to expand...

Yup - I figured I might want boost down the line, so I built the toughest setup I could reasonably afford. I've got no worries about my Spec 3+ - if it goes out, I'll buy another one without thinking (a stage 3+)

If you are going to enjoy the power of the 3L (beat on it) you are going to destroy a stage 1 clutch.
 
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