fabrizzio71
Senior Member
- First Name
- Matthew
- Joined
- Oct 18, 2018
- Threads
- 30
- Messages
- 380
- Reaction score
- 272
- Location
- United States
- Vehicle(s)
- 2018 Civic SI Coupe White Orchid Pearl
- Thread starter
- #1
On New Year's Eve last year, my stock clutch failed catastrophically. I had made another post about it when it happened, suspecting a hydraulic issue due to the clutch pedal getting stuck when it happened (this was not the case as you will see). I had not really experienced any slippage, or at least if it was happening, I hadn't noticed. So it came as a shock, although with 88k miles and 40 k of them tuned I shouldn't have been surprised. It was serendipitous that just as my car broke, orders opened for the RV6 flywheel, so I could run a CTR clutch and pressure plate. I decided to go this route, and after 2.5 months, I finally have my car back.
I think part of it may be that I was driving a 16 yo Honda van during the waiting period, but everything about the Si feels better than I remember. Prior to the accident I had been complaining of a rattling noise at low speeds, on turns and bumps which I suspected was a CV joint (also wrong!!). It turns out that my clutch had been shedding fabric like fibers for a while, from the pressure plate side of the friction material. When opened, it was found that the entire friction material had separated from the rivets of the clutch disc. There were long strands and fibers everywhere where a chunk had completely disintegrated, but surprisingly most of the friction material could be lifted in one piece like a brake pad and had separated from the metal rivets. My mechanic suspects that some of that material got into the release bearing and caused the final failure where my clutch got stuck partly released and finally was destroyed from this event.
I am still breaking in the new clutch, but initial impressions are very positive. Clutch pedal is slightly heavier than stock. There is significantly more feel through the pedal, specifically, when rev matching, you can feel the vibration of the engine clearly through your left foot. Revs drop immediately and smoothly when pressing in the clutch. Engagement seems similar to before-starts in the lower mid portion of the clutch travel, but the engagement itself is more positive and there is a more distinct and immediate sense when the clutch is fully engaged. I am still getting used to it. The lighter flywheel forces me to be really sure of my how much gas to give when rev matching; sometimes I'll give enough gas but not get in the next gear soon enough so the revs have dropped already and I have to re blip the throttle. Essentially, though it allows for quicker smoother more natural timed shifts, which is wonderful. At low engine speed, the car is actually less jerky than before, I am much happier not having that horrible dual mass flywheel. The biggest takeaway I have right now is that the car feels incredible. Everything about the drivetrain feels like a brand new car. The engine is quicker to rev, is smooth as silk, and sounds different too, (at least I think it does, but like I mentioned it's been 2.5 months of a honda V6 since I drove it). I now have a Type R shifter, pressure plate, and clutch, so I imagine this is pretty much what a type R feels like to shift, and it's awesome. I also was pleasantly surprised that the front end/steering feels a lot tighter, I think though this is due to the fact that everything in the subframe was re-tightened, and I suspect the previous clutch condition was messing with the front end feel also. In any case, I am very happy and hoping I will make it to 200k on this unit. Thank you @RV6 !!!!
I think part of it may be that I was driving a 16 yo Honda van during the waiting period, but everything about the Si feels better than I remember. Prior to the accident I had been complaining of a rattling noise at low speeds, on turns and bumps which I suspected was a CV joint (also wrong!!). It turns out that my clutch had been shedding fabric like fibers for a while, from the pressure plate side of the friction material. When opened, it was found that the entire friction material had separated from the rivets of the clutch disc. There were long strands and fibers everywhere where a chunk had completely disintegrated, but surprisingly most of the friction material could be lifted in one piece like a brake pad and had separated from the metal rivets. My mechanic suspects that some of that material got into the release bearing and caused the final failure where my clutch got stuck partly released and finally was destroyed from this event.
I am still breaking in the new clutch, but initial impressions are very positive. Clutch pedal is slightly heavier than stock. There is significantly more feel through the pedal, specifically, when rev matching, you can feel the vibration of the engine clearly through your left foot. Revs drop immediately and smoothly when pressing in the clutch. Engagement seems similar to before-starts in the lower mid portion of the clutch travel, but the engagement itself is more positive and there is a more distinct and immediate sense when the clutch is fully engaged. I am still getting used to it. The lighter flywheel forces me to be really sure of my how much gas to give when rev matching; sometimes I'll give enough gas but not get in the next gear soon enough so the revs have dropped already and I have to re blip the throttle. Essentially, though it allows for quicker smoother more natural timed shifts, which is wonderful. At low engine speed, the car is actually less jerky than before, I am much happier not having that horrible dual mass flywheel. The biggest takeaway I have right now is that the car feels incredible. Everything about the drivetrain feels like a brand new car. The engine is quicker to rev, is smooth as silk, and sounds different too, (at least I think it does, but like I mentioned it's been 2.5 months of a honda V6 since I drove it). I now have a Type R shifter, pressure plate, and clutch, so I imagine this is pretty much what a type R feels like to shift, and it's awesome. I also was pleasantly surprised that the front end/steering feels a lot tighter, I think though this is due to the fact that everything in the subframe was re-tightened, and I suspect the previous clutch condition was messing with the front end feel also. In any case, I am very happy and hoping I will make it to 200k on this unit. Thank you @RV6 !!!!
