06 with 56K on the odometer dies on the road last week. ACT HD street clutch has crapped out. Inspection shows trashed thrust bearings leading to crank walk. Crank walk leads to rod/pistons under stress and cylinders that may be out of round. The sad fix: new short block or new engine? Change just the clutch and start praying the engine doesn't seize-up 100 miles from nowhere? This is no beast: I have the GReddy on it so it has a quick spool and gives it the lower end twist without having to hit 6000 rpms. I am happy running it at 290whp and 200 ft/lbs torque. I want to drive this 9000 miles a year for the next 10 years.

The ACT HD clutch never worked well - felt like a puck clutch rather than a disk and the pedal pressure needed was crazy high. The local Honda dealer couldn't even get it to turn over when in neutral with the pedal pressed cuz the pressure was so bad. Now, did that CAUSE the thrust bearings to crap out, allowing the crank to move? Who knows? I bought the AP2 used with 36K on it, so who knows what the oil change frequency really was. I hear plenty of tales that low oil is every bit as bad as a wack clutch on the thrust bearings.

I am really torn: my tuner and clutch install shop (Jason at PSI for those who know them) is a good guy who feels bad about what's going on, and he recommends a built motor (and will do it for a good price). But given the low boost I am content to run, getting back to stock on the clutch and engine has its appeal, too.

The new short block and OEM clutch installed at the dealer is about $7500. I wonder what built motor I could get for that?

 

Weird. My ACT has been butter smooth for over 20k. And I bought it used I wonder if something else was up with that clutch

 

i have had two s2000s both AP2s with ACT clutchs and both felt exactly the same. More effort than stock but with similar over all smooth feel.

 

yeah, the clutch was a bad one/bad install, and the temptation to blame all my woes on it is strong, but that may not be true.

 

Don't waste the money building the motor. Get a used shortblock, back in action asap, new clutch, clean up the tune and be done for on the cheap.

 

A clutch by design is a trade off. You cant have smooth engagement,light pedal,and holding power all in one clutch (unless its an expensive multiplate one and they have their tradeoffs as well).

Now there are things you can do to make the tradeoffs less of a problem. For the cars with heavy pedal disable the clutch starter lockout switch,and dont sit at stoplights with your foot on the clutch. For cars with low clutch holding power you have to keep boost down and no drag launches. For cars with engagement issues you just grit your teeth and deal with it.

 

Hey buddy sorry to hear of you problem here. Your a local guy, im up in WA and have a friend who had Jason build him a motor, he had a greddy kit at the time too. A recommendation I have would be to just pick up a used low mile bottom end or complete motor as mentioned. Also many of us here run SOS sport clutches becuase it feels like stock but has 33% more holding capacity over stock, which is about 255trq/400whp+. Considering the power your making, this would be a prefect option of you.

 

yea crank walk sucks. I set my ignition up so that I don't have to depress the clutch when I start the car, which is the dangerous time for crank walk. You can also tell its going when at a stop and you press the clutch in and the oil pressure drops, if that happens start breaking down the motor.

 

Get a running motor from a wreck for $2000-2500 & pop it in.
Sell off old motor in pieces to make more than half your money back, Ive done it 2x