1stGenCRXer

Clutch Master's Stage 3, and OPM's LSD

Alright, as some of you remember, my summer was spent back-tracking on my car and trying to figure out how to get my Dual DCOE40 Weber Equipped Si engine in my DX to put the power to the ground.

Before I start, let me say that final pictures of everything can be found at http://linus.highpoint.edu/~hleach/CRX%20tranny%20pics , rather than post specific pictures, I'll answer questions about specific shots, but everything should be fairly easy to understand if you look at the pictures along with this post.

The stock clutch wasn't holding up to the abuse the Webers were capable of dishing out, as was evident by the constant redline-riding nature the car had at a drag strip the only time I've put the car on one. Another nastiness the car exhibited was a healthy torquesteer to the left under hard acceleration in the dry, which translated into a near scary street driving experience in the wet.

I decided that none of this would do, and so went with a Clutch Master's stage 3 kit, advertised for street and competition use, and reviews online recommended it due to a near stock pedal feel. Sounds right up my ally.

For the torque steer, I decided that the weak link in my corner speed was in the differential. However, like most other enthusiasts, I found slim pickings for the first gen CRX. I really wanted a quaife, definately didn't want a phantom grip, and Kaaz had no listing either. Quaife wanted a guaranteed sale of 30 units to prototype and put thier gear-type into production, I just couldn't generate the interest. So my attention turned to OPM. I found that the OPM design is fairly similar to the Phantom grip, however, OPM goes one step farther. Where the phantom grip fits into the stock gap between the spider gears, OPM disassembles, machines and then puts a huge block between the spider gears in the diff. Absolutely no way for it to go anywhere, even with major wear.

Next came disassembly, inspection, and machining time. I was lucky enough to work at a shop where the owner didn't mind if I used the shop for my personal use when we didn't have any major projects, so I pulled the engine about a week before I needed to move back to college, since I couldn't figure out a way to support the engine to my liking in the car while removing the transmission, flywheel and all that.

With the engine on the floor, the old transmission was removed, and the starter [known to be good, I couldn't take any chances on the other starter], was put aside to go on the Si transmission that I currently had in pieces. I started disassembling the car on a Monday, anticipating a parts delivery from Honda [bearings and seals for the transmission], and the LSD to be delivered tuesday morning from OPM. No parts from Honda until wed., took a lot of sorting out, and I got a $20 bearing free out of their screw-ups, and the diff from OPM didn't show up until Friday since I wasn't shipped until late tuesday, and was shipped regular ground even though I was in constant contact with them, and they knew I needed it ASAP to get the car done by Saturday. All said and done, the transmission went together very well, didn't need any re-shimming, which also meant that I didn't have to get more parts from Honda and use up more time. The LSD uses the stock diff housing, so fitting it was no concern, it is slightly heavier than a stock diff, but not by a whole lot.

So anyways, at the same time that I was waiting on parts, I had a clutch and flywheel that needed put on. The flywheel also needed machined to Clutch Master's specifications, and I was lucky enough that my boss's engine was at the machine shop for re-build machining, and I was able to have my pressure plate put on a flywheel and spin balanced. $80 some-odd later, that was all done, bolted back to the engine, and waiting the transmission.

Final Thoughts:
After all that excitement, got everything put back together, back in the car about 6 p.m. the Friday before I needed to head back to school. My initial impression on the clutch was very good. The CM stage 3 has a nice, firm, but not stiff, pedal feel, very easy to modulate on the street. It also holds everything I can throw at it, I didn't fully realize how bad off my clutch was until upgrading to the CM kit. As for the LSD, it works, what else can I say. Brand new the steering was very stiff, and the car always wanted to pull straight, but as the break-in time elapsed for the clutch, steering feel is still stiffer over stock, but street drivability is improved, without loss in performance on the part of the diff. Even in the rain, the car has no torque steer anymore, although loss of traction can still surprise you, around corners, the inside tire stays firmly planted, and tire chirping is near non-exsistant as nearly all the power is put to the ground.

This step wasn't cheap for me, $700 for the diff, and $400 for the clutch kit, along with $180 for bearings, seals and engine mounts and other misc. stuff, but it was definately a needed step for my car and the way I drive it, I really couldn't be happier.

1stGenCRXer

junkyard diff

OPM LSD

flywheel with groove cut by a piece of hub spring imbedded into the friction disk face.

machined flywheel

very tired clutch
See how tired the clutch springs were!

the replacement

WhiteRice

Sounds like you had a busy week. Glad you got it all back together in time for school!!!! The clutchmasters stage III is awesome. My friend has one in his teg and it feels damn near stock (not too stiff that is) and it does hold it's own!!!!!

BTW....Watch the toesies!!! The flywheel falls off th chair, that's some painful toes!!! LOL

brtecson

good info. are the stage 3 cm clutches still available? we were looking for a clutch for an old teg and the sales rep said cm is starting to discontinue older honda apps

:werd: i dropped a jumbo flathead screwdriver into my foot the other dayh:

WhiteRice

Check out www.groupbuycenter.com and/or www.lightningmotorsports.com I'm sure they'll both have them.

jaje

did you have them lighten the flywheel any besides the resurfacing?

1stGenCRXer

Actually, I worked all summer wearing sandals without incident, so I have a weird foot tan, but yeah, I was definately careful around heavy objects I thought about it, but not very hard, the engine revs fast as it is, so I just kept the same stock weight for ease of daily driving.

FourthGenHatch

Damn you are the man. I wish I had the access to a garage or something to do my dirty work in.

1stGenCRXer

Heh, yeah, that's one of the benefits of working for a small shop.