clutch slipping in 03 wrx, clutch, install, and flywheel upgrade questions

03blackwrx02yellowsv · 11-08-2012, 05:24 PM

03 wrx, stage 2, mostly suspension mods, 100k miles

car is my DD, couple auto x events a year, couple drag strip runs a year, very spirited weekend driver

clutch recently just started slipping in 5th and 4th gear under full boost

Did lots of research on NASIOC and I am gonna do the clutch and pressure plate swap myslef. (I have replaced my axles and knucles recently so I can get to that point no problem and I have replaced a clutch in a CRX couple years ago, so am somewhat knowledgeable in that regards).
Previous owner had upgraded the clutch with around 40k miles, so I am actually familiar with and enjoyed the heavy clutch pedal, but am somewhat concerned as to whether the flywheel has previously been resurfaced.

couple questions:
Leaning very heavily to either

1. Exedy clutck kit.... either OE, stage 1 or stage 1 HD

2. Competition Cutch stage 2 kit

3. Act heavy duty clutch kit

any suggestions?

I obviously want to resurface the flywheel with a shop that has a blanchard grinder, anybody know a good shop in and around the Cincinnati area that can do this for me or should I just buy a new OE one or a lightened one?

Kits comes with clutch, pressure plate, throwout bearing, pilot bearing, and alignment tool. Should I replace the rear main seal while I am in there?

Does a flywheel exist that falls somewhere between too light (12 lbs) and stock?

Any other recomendations?

Once I have the tranny removed, anybody in the Cincinnati area wanna help with installation including some beer and pizza or ok with being avaialble for questions?

Thanks in advance!
Jamie

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03blackwrx02yellowsv · 11-12-2012, 04:20 PM

Anybody got any info?

I have searched, just looking for some hands on experience and feedback. Thanks!

subi400 · 11-12-2012, 05:03 PM

My friend Scott has an 04 wrx running just a little more power than stock and has a stock clutch and a F1 racing flywheel and he loves it! Just a little different when taking off compared to using a stock flywheel but I would get the light weight flywheel since you will be in there.

I would stay away from the exedy stage 1 and take a look into the SouthBend Clutches in the parts review section on here. They have a stage 1 hd for the 2.0L that would suite you with what you are looking for.

Just a FYI, the F1 racing clutches suck, but their lightened flywheels are good. I also have a F1 racing flywheel in my car and love it!

This F1 flywheel http://www.ebay.com/itm/F1-RACING-CH...85ffee&vxp=mtr

Then the Southbend clutch for the 2.0L http://www.dxdracingclutches.com/html/wrx_impreza.html which is the first one on the list under 02-05 wrx part # KSB03-HD

Also, what power mods have you done so far? How do you drive during the week? Hope this info helps ya out

Aaron'z 2.5RS · 11-13-2012, 08:43 AM

My Exedy OEM (RS version) holds my 300+hp nicely, I don't beat my car though... The WRX version is said to hold over 400..

Don't bother with a LWFW... really.. There's as much bad said about them as good.. I run one, it came with the car.. my car's also modded in most ways, besides internals..

You should do the rear main and the block off plate while you are in there..

To many it's easier to pull the motor than drop the trans... dropping it is the easy part, putting it back and getting it lined up, while trying to keep blood in your arms and not dropping it on your head is the hard part..

03blackwrx02yellowsv · 11-13-2012, 07:32 PM

Thanks guys! I don't beat my car, but I do get pretty "spirited" frequently. I have a class A CDL and drive a semi for work so I know how to shift obviously but I also like and rely on downshifting and engine braking more than average guy because of that.

As of now I'm leaning towards the competition clutch stage 2 kit and a lightened flywheel or an ACT kit with streetlite fw. New dilema I just discovered after talking to previous owner, is I currently have an ACT clutch and lightened flywheel so not too stoked about going back to that setup based on durability, but I did enjoy the pedal feel, modulation, and bite. Think I could get that fw resurfaced (blanchard grinder) if it looked ok?

FASTofwestchester · 11-13-2012, 07:40 PM

Many customers go for the the Competition clutch stage 2 kit for your car. It already comes with a lightened steel flywheel. Let me know if you need help picking one out. We have an online store if it interests you.

www.FASTofwestchester.com

03blackwrx02yellowsv · 11-14-2012, 07:13 PM

^ Thats a pretty darn good price!

I recently talked to the previous owner and he told me he thinks the flywheel he had upgraded to was the ACT streetlite flywheel and that was about 5 years and 60k miles ago.

I know getting a Subaru fw resurfaced is somewhat frowned upon, but what about resurfacing (blanchard grinder) a used aftermarket one if after disassemby it looks ok... any thoughts?

03blackwrx02yellowsv · 11-17-2012, 12:21 PM

Anybody ever hear of or suggest resurfacing an aftermarket lightened fw? esp an ACT?

Aaron'z 2.5RS · 11-17-2012, 01:08 PM

sure, as long as it doesn't hit a minium thickness... What that thickness IS, ACT prolly only knows..

11-08-2012, 05:24 PM	#1
03blackwrx02yellowsv Scooby Newbie Member#: 229840 Join Date: Nov 2009 Chapter/Region: MWSOC Location: cincy Vehicle: 03 wrx MBP black	clutch slipping in 03 wrx, clutch, install, and flywheel upgrade questions 03 wrx, stage 2, mostly suspension mods, 100k miles car is my DD, couple auto x events a year, couple drag strip runs a year, very spirited weekend driver clutch recently just started slipping in 5th and 4th gear under full boost Did lots of research on NASIOC and I am gonna do the clutch and pressure plate swap myslef. (I have replaced my axles and knucles recently so I can get to that point no problem and I have replaced a clutch in a CRX couple years ago, so am somewhat knowledgeable in that regards). Previous owner had upgraded the clutch with around 40k miles, so I am actually familiar with and enjoyed the heavy clutch pedal, but am somewhat concerned as to whether the flywheel has previously been resurfaced. couple questions: Leaning very heavily to either 1. Exedy clutck kit.... either OE, stage 1 or stage 1 HD 2. Competition Cutch stage 2 kit 3. Act heavy duty clutch kit any suggestions? I obviously want to resurface the flywheel with a shop that has a blanchard grinder, anybody know a good shop in and around the Cincinnati area that can do this for me or should I just buy a new OE one or a lightened one? Kits comes with clutch, pressure plate, throwout bearing, pilot bearing, and alignment tool. Should I replace the rear main seal while I am in there? Does a flywheel exist that falls somewhere between too light (12 lbs) and stock? Any other recomendations? Once I have the tranny removed, anybody in the Cincinnati area wanna help with installation including some beer and pizza or ok with being avaialble for questions? Thanks in advance! Jamie * Registered users of the site do not see these ads.

11-13-2012, 07:32 PM	#5
03blackwrx02yellowsv Scooby Newbie Member#: 229840 Join Date: Nov 2009 Chapter/Region: MWSOC Location: cincy Vehicle: 03 wrx MBP black	Thanks guys! I don't beat my car, but I do get pretty "spirited" frequently. I have a class A CDL and drive a semi for work so I know how to shift obviously but I also like and rely on downshifting and engine braking more than average guy because of that. As of now I'm leaning towards the competition clutch stage 2 kit and a lightened flywheel or an ACT kit with streetlite fw. New dilema I just discovered after talking to previous owner, is I currently have an ACT clutch and lightened flywheel so not too stoked about going back to that setup based on durability, but I did enjoy the pedal feel, modulation, and bite. Think I could get that fw resurfaced (blanchard grinder) if it looked ok? Last edited by 03blackwrx02yellowsv; 11-13-2012 at 08:04 PM.

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11-12-2012, 04:20 PM	#2
03blackwrx02yellowsv Scooby Newbie Member#: 229840 Join Date: Nov 2009 Chapter/Region: MWSOC Location: cincy Vehicle: 03 wrx MBP black	Anybody got any info? I have searched, just looking for some hands on experience and feedback. Thanks!

11-12-2012, 05:03 PM	#3
subi400 Scooby Specialist Member#: 216984 Join Date: Jul 2009 Chapter/Region: NWIC Location: Hayden, ID Vehicle: 1996 Impreza outback Green	My friend Scott has an 04 wrx running just a little more power than stock and has a stock clutch and a F1 racing flywheel and he loves it! Just a little different when taking off compared to using a stock flywheel but I would get the light weight flywheel since you will be in there. I would stay away from the exedy stage 1 and take a look into the SouthBend Clutches in the parts review section on here. They have a stage 1 hd for the 2.0L that would suite you with what you are looking for. Just a FYI, the F1 racing clutches suck, but their lightened flywheels are good. I also have a F1 racing flywheel in my car and love it! This F1 flywheel http://www.ebay.com/itm/F1-RACING-CH...85ffee&vxp=mtr Then the Southbend clutch for the 2.0L http://www.dxdracingclutches.com/html/wrx_impreza.html which is the first one on the list under 02-05 wrx part # KSB03-HD Also, what power mods have you done so far? How do you drive during the week? Hope this info helps ya out

11-13-2012, 08:43 AM	#4
Aaron'z 2.5RS Scooby Guru Member#: 1026 Join Date: Mar 2000 Chapter/Region: MWSOC Location: Hickigan Vehicle: '00 RS/WRX Stg5 '98 RS Stock	My Exedy OEM (RS version) holds my 300+hp nicely, I don't beat my car though... The WRX version is said to hold over 400.. Don't bother with a LWFW... really.. There's as much bad said about them as good.. I run one, it came with the car.. my car's also modded in most ways, besides internals.. You should do the rear main and the block off plate while you are in there.. To many it's easier to pull the motor than drop the trans... dropping it is the easy part, putting it back and getting it lined up, while trying to keep blood in your arms and not dropping it on your head is the hard part..

11-13-2012, 07:40 PM	#6
FASTofwestchester NASIOC Vendor Member#: 292964 Join Date: Aug 2011 Vehicle: 1998 Legacy RHD TT White	Many customers go for the the Competition clutch stage 2 kit for your car. It already comes with a lightened steel flywheel. Let me know if you need help picking one out. We have an online store if it interests you. www.FASTofwestchester.com

11-14-2012, 07:13 PM	#7
03blackwrx02yellowsv Scooby Newbie Member#: 229840 Join Date: Nov 2009 Chapter/Region: MWSOC Location: cincy Vehicle: 03 wrx MBP black	^ Thats a pretty darn good price! I recently talked to the previous owner and he told me he thinks the flywheel he had upgraded to was the ACT streetlite flywheel and that was about 5 years and 60k miles ago. I know getting a Subaru fw resurfaced is somewhat frowned upon, but what about resurfacing (blanchard grinder) a used aftermarket one if after disassemby it looks ok... any thoughts?

11-17-2012, 12:21 PM	#8
03blackwrx02yellowsv Scooby Newbie Member#: 229840 Join Date: Nov 2009 Chapter/Region: MWSOC Location: cincy Vehicle: 03 wrx MBP black	Anybody ever hear of or suggest resurfacing an aftermarket lightened fw? esp an ACT?

11-17-2012, 01:08 PM	#9
Aaron'z 2.5RS Scooby Guru Member#: 1026 Join Date: Mar 2000 Chapter/Region: MWSOC Location: Hickigan Vehicle: '00 RS/WRX Stg5 '98 RS Stock	sure, as long as it doesn't hit a minium thickness... What that thickness IS, ACT prolly only knows..