Had an error posting and lost the first half of my post, give me a minute guys. ClutchMasters FX 400 with "Ceramic Button" 4-wing 6 puck design
ClutchMasters FX 350 with "New Formula Button" Disc
Spec Mini Twin R-Spec Weight Reduced LWFW System
The conversation switches to single disc vs. twin disc at this point, Spec has both a single and twin disc option, although their highest rated street system is rated at 679 ft/lb vs 800 on the twin disc. Their stage 5 710 ft/lb holding clutch is terrible for modulation as it's a full race build, would a twin disc allow for reasonable street-ability at a high holding tq.? The flywheel for the Spec twin disc appears to have weight reduction holes cut from it, which both makes me concerned for it's durability and too light a flywheel.
My top pick for this clutch system was originally the 725 Clutchmasters kit, which features 2x 7.25" clutch discs for surface area but low rotating mass for better response (similar to Spec's "Ralley" classification vs their "Drag" twin). I'm thinking CM did the original tooling for a twin on this vehicle, and Spec got ahold of some tooling and made a similar one. CM claims "The cover assembly is machined from billet aluminum with 25% more tensile strength than the competition’s cast unit." and Spec loudly states on its Stage 1-5 clutches that they've redesigned the pressure plate with a billet pressure plate, on it's twin listing no such literature is found. This makes me suspect Spec is using cast covers to allow their own tooling, which would explain their 3 puck option in the absence of CM having a 3 disc unit. The unit states in it's description that the CM twins "... are designed to hold high hp/tq while retaining a very smooth operation" leading me to believe the 725 genuinely will be a smooth engage with two smaller clutches and a minor increase in clamping force, where the 850 would be the model oriented for track/drag/intense usage.
Typically twin discs are on/off switches, at least that's the impression i've been lead to believe, however CM offers what they call a "Race/Street TD7S" twin disc kit which HeelToe calls "Street" which through research on their BMW Twin FX725 system I found has one "fiber tuff" rigid disc, and one ceramic rigid disc in the "Race/Street TD7S" system and two ceramic discs in the "Race TD7R" package which HeelToe calls "Street/Race". This rewording by a company that's been around the model for a while makes me believe CM genuinely did get the FX725 system streetable if HeelToe has rewritten the classes of those clutches one step down each.
ClutchMasters FX725 7.25" Twin Disc System
Stumbled across a custom AASCO/Tilton listing on heeltoe that i've got to assume is something they must have set up independently, as even on the site it allows input for "Power Holding Needs" and "Engine/Trans Application" and a "completely custom billet flywheel"(like AASCO or otherwise per application? Unknown). The twin system uses 4 puck cerametallic discs, and later in the listing mentions "Suitable for most racing application where limited clutch slippage/modulation is desired" leading me to believe this would be worse street-ability wise in comparison with the CM systems either 725 or 850. If anyone has further information on this combination, I know Tilton makes great clutches and has for a long time, would love to know if there are more modulatable options for the discs and if the weight of the flywheel can be custom or what that aspect of the listing meant.
AASCO/Tilton Twin 4 Puck "CeraMetallic" System
The choice between Spec's twin disc and ClutchMasters's seems easy where the CM even claims by description to have higher build quality and part strength. Hard to do that in 2019 and be wrong, worth the extra $300 for durability and a description that claims smooth driving. Unless i'm missing something about the intricacies of twin discs, a 4 puck with ceramic in the mix is going to cause a jumpy response with the Tilton option. That same trait may be great for a true rally/drift car that could use the quick engagement and wants fast response on the pedal with high TQ requirements, but here I need the slippiest twin setup possible to retain streetability. CM's twin kits do not have sprung clutches, so any driveline harshness will be felt in full, which makes me wary of the modulatability of these twins but would that also not make it easier to feather with improved feel on what's going on at the discs?
I've put this up as an open discussion for the viability of each of these high power holding designs, and to open a discussion on the benefits and drawbacks of each system. If anyone has a twin disc system or has had one on their AZ car, please give us your input from experience as nothing beats pedal feel for knowing how well a clutch works for a car in a certain situation. Price point of the system is not to be a discussion point, as this is meant to be an even comparison of features of each system unmotivated by finance.
Hi AZ.
I've been waiting to upgrade my clutch trying to make sure I get the right combination for my street-ability and torque holding needs. I live in a very hilly area and my drive to work likewise has multiple stoplight/intense hill situations that need to be managed in rush hour traffic, yet need to hold the designed power of my build to avoid needing to upgrade the clutch system again. My targeted HP/TQ range is 440-550, although working with custom rods and pistons I may want something able to go a bit higher if I can push these heads, as long as I can get street-ability out of the system where I'm not stalling or having to give the next car 3s lead off a light to avoid jumping into their bumper trying to feather and modulate on a hill. Durability of the system is also a concern, as higher power can burn through clutches quickly sometimes a bit of overkill is a good thing for longevity as long as it doesnt impact street-ability too much. This build is meant to be done with a LWFW so for all possible builds assume that unless otherwise specified a sprung clutch will be used with the corresponding manufacturers LWFW.
So far the options within the single disc option are ClutchMasters FX350, which gives "110% holding capacity over stock"(525ft/lb?) using segmented kevlar and "New Formula Button" Discs that appear to be 8 puck discs that would allow plenty of street-ability, but the barely more than double holding capacity concerns me for the longevity of this clutch as my build will be near it's holding capacity and could cause high wear. For slightly more holding capacity at 170% over stock (687 ft/lb?) the FX400 uses ceramic 6 puck 4 wing "Ceramic Button" discs, however the listing for this item warns of high chatter and quick engagement due to the ceramic. This makes me concerned for the featherability of the system without jumping the car drastically with higher hp.
Some members I know on this board have the Spec Stage 3+ system installed currently and are loving the 679ft/lb holding capacity of the plate without having to go to a puck design. However I have read a ton on quality control issues and general quality issues with this system and would like to avoid it unless absolutely necessary. This disc does feature carbon semi-metallic full faced material which could provide great surface area for durability, given a high build quality. The appearance of the plate leads me to believe they are a ceramic metallic mix, and could still be jumpy discs. Given that these are the popular single disc options and the latter ones that should hold my target hp well are not the most durable or street-able options, I looked into twin discs.
ClutchMasters FX 400 with "Ceramic Button" 4-wing 6 puck design
ClutchMasters FX 350 with "New Formula Button" Disc
Spec Mini Twin R-Spec Weight Reduced LWFW System
The conversation switches to single disc vs. twin disc at this point, Spec has both a single and twin disc option, although their highest rated street system is rated at 679 ft/lb vs 800 on the twin disc. Their stage 5 710 ft/lb holding clutch is terrible for modulation as it's a full race build, would a twin disc allow for reasonable street-ability at a high holding tq.? The flywheel for the Spec twin disc appears to have weight reduction holes cut from it, which both makes me concerned for it's durability and too light a flywheel.
My top pick for this clutch system was originally the 725 Clutchmasters kit, which features 2x 7.25" clutch discs for surface area but low rotating mass for better response (similar to Spec's "Ralley" classification vs their "Drag" twin). I'm thinking CM did the original tooling for a twin on this vehicle, and Spec got ahold of some tooling and made a similar one. CM claims "The cover assembly is machined from billet aluminum with 25% more tensile strength than the competitions cast unit." and Spec loudly states on its Stage 1-5 clutches that they've redesigned the pressure plate with a billet pressure plate, on it's twin listing no such literature is found. This makes me suspect Spec is using cast covers to allow their own tooling, which would explain their 3 puck option in the absence of CM having a 3 disc unit. The unit states in it's description that the CM twins "... are designed to hold high hp/tq while retaining a very smooth operation" leading me to believe the 725 genuinely will be a smooth engage with two smaller clutches and a minor increase in clamping force, where the 850 would be the model oriented for track/drag/intense usage.
Typically twin discs are on/off switches, at least that's the impression i've been lead to believe, however CM offers what they call a "Race/Street TD7S" twin disc kit which HeelToe calls "Street" which through research on their BMW Twin FX725 system I found has one "fiber tuff" rigid disc, and one ceramic rigid disc in the "Race/Street TD7S" system and two ceramic discs in the "Race TD7R" package which HeelToe calls "Street/Race". This rewording by a company that's been around the model for a while makes me believe CM genuinely did get the FX725 system streetable if HeelToe has rewritten the classes of those clutches one step down each.
ClutchMasters FX725 7.25" Twin Disc System
Stumbled across a custom AASCO/Tilton listing on heeltoe that i've got to assume is something they must have set up independently, as even on the site it allows input for "Power Holding Needs" and "Engine/Trans Application" and a "completely custom billet flywheel"(like AASCO or otherwise per application? Unknown). The twin system uses 4 puck cerametallic discs, and later in the listing mentions "Suitable for most racing application where limited clutch slippage/modulation is desired" leading me to believe this would be worse street-ability wise in comparison with the CM systems either 725 or 850. If anyone has further information on this combination, I know Tilton makes great clutches and has for a long time, would love to know if there are more modulatable options for the discs and if the weight of the flywheel can be custom or what that aspect of the listing meant.
AASCO/Tilton Twin 4 Puck "CeraMetallic" System
The choice between Spec's twin disc and ClutchMasters's seems easy where the CM even claims by description to have higher build quality and part strength. Hard to do that in 2019 and be wrong, worth the extra $300 for durability and a description that claims smooth driving. Unless i'm missing something about the intricacies of twin discs, a 4 puck with ceramic in the mix is going to cause a jumpy response with the Tilton option. That same trait may be great for a true rally/drift car that could use the quick engagement and wants fast response on the pedal with high TQ requirements, but here I need the slippiest twin setup possible to retain streetability. CM's twin kits do not have sprung clutches, so any driveline harshness will be felt in full, which makes me wary of the modulatability of these twins but would that also not make it easier to feather with improved feel on what's going on at the discs?
I've put this up as an open discussion for the viability of each of these high power holding designs, and to open a discussion on the benefits and drawbacks of each system. If anyone has a twin disc system or has had one on their AZ car, please give us your input from experience as nothing beats pedal feel for knowing how well a clutch works for a car in a certain situation. Price point of the system is not to be a discussion point, as this is meant to be an even comparison of features of each system unmotivated by finance. Likewise I would like to hear thoughts from those of you with experience with these systems for my application, I can feel the end of this clutch coming up and I would like to get this next system decided on soon and value y'all's input.
Hey guys. I just had a nice joyride earlier. I wanted to show some appreciation for my TSX.
Ever since I got it, this thing has been a joy to drive. I guess the first thing that caught me about the tsx was the price range. I was looking at Civic Si's first, and almost pulled the trigger on a few. But the TSX for the same price had leather seats, the same HP and same engine (vtec yo) ...I test drove my first TSX and instantly fell in love with the handling. I was instructed to test drive cars like a crazy person in order to know the limits of the car in 10 minutes. The TSX kept up. The model was a special edition and silver, but the body seemed a little aged and it had 80k miles although a great carfax.
I decided to look at one more. It was only 4k more, and a color I lusted, white.
Because I knew that I could put black rims on it and have it look the way I visioned. They wanted about 16.5k and tax and title. I got it for 14.2k out the door. It had been in a wreck, but to this day I still can not tell where the damage has been.
The only thing I have had to do is get the oil changed with full synthetic, use premium gas, and get new wheels, tires, and front brake pads. Everything else is golden. This thing is solid. I drive it so hard and although it is only 201hp horsepower, I feel like I am getting every single horse. The handling and suspension seems to get more power down and keep the ride smooth even when flying over questionable terrain going 60 in a 30.
I can weave through traffic with ease, and sport mode keeps up for the most part. Although the paddle shifters have left me in the red line a few times saying "dude, I pressed the god damn paddle", I still seem to have pretty good control downshifting. And I like how it wont let me do idiotic downshifts. Sometimes that is disappointing but I am still stoked about everything. Most of the time I just cruise in D and I still get the power I need. Even when I am being unassuming and lame, I still feel satisfied to drive this car. Even going 80 feels like I am going about 50. It is a smooth ride. Yeah there is some road noise which I have heard it get bad tallies for, but that does not matter to me because I have another upgrade I would like to talk to you about.
The stock audio unit is questionable. No screen, no backup cam, no gps (unless you get tech package but mine was base) and I have seen it get bad marks for that as well. So I decided to replace the audio head with a Sony AX1000 with Apple Carplay and Android auto. That changed everything. Having Carplay has been a luxury and I feel content like I have everything I need. Well Almost. I had a friend install two 10s with an amp for $140 installed. He works at Toyota. He said it is better than Honda.
I also have added 17 inch wheels from CarId.com.. They are Matte so they seem to get dirty easy, but for the price they have really been nice, and they still look and feel good despite a couple k miles and a few curb checks. I got htem for 500. I have Toyo HPs on all for wheels as well. For the price, they really get good traction and handling, even in questionable rain conditions like in my city, Dallas ( aka new seattle ) so yeah.
I think my favorite thing about this car is the handling. Also the downshift from 2nd to 1st going about 20mph. Oh and for the amount of power, handling, style, and overall sporty yet realistic package, I still get decent gas mileage. I average about 20mpg when driving unassuming yet spirited. Driving aggressive, ass-holey, and damned, I get about 16mpg. I use shell nitro+ only, but lately I have been using cheaper premium to see how it does, and so far so good. Actually on a cheap, seemily shitty quality station, I got better gas mileage than Shell.. So I am going to keep messing with that.
If anyone has any questions about this car, and are on a budget and considering a TSX, feel free to message me any time. I would vouch that I could not have found a better car for 14k!!!!! For a broke, too old too be college student, this car makes me feel like a rock star. People in BMW's and other REAL sport cars check me out all the time and even try to race me ( haha ) and man, I just feel proud to get up in the morning and walk in to this thing. The design is sleek, sexy, but modest. I love the tail end, by the way.
Thanks everyone. More to come. I am thinking about doing a video review. Have you ever watched "The Straight Pipes" on youtube? Badass car reviewers!
Recently bought a 2016 AWD RDX Tech. Has 18" Michelins (235/60 R18) on it but the spare is 165/90 R17. I've been concerned that the owner(s) before me simply popped something in there to fill the space. No surrounding foam as I've seen in pix here. But in reviewing posts I get the idea that the spare I have is the OEM tire. Can that be correct? Can anyone confirm for me that this really is the original and correct spare for this car? Would relieve my mind ... and my pocket. Thanks.
One other sidebar: I've come to rely on the terrific advice from certain online forums for questions like these. One of my first tasks after buying the RDX was to identify the most active and valuable. I'm pretty certain this is the right place for my (often stupid) questions. Thanks to everyone for the help.
I ordered some brake fluid to replace old clutch fluid. Can you just empty reservoir and refill without bleeding system? I dont want to get air in system since Im not familiar with it.
Hey all. Just asked Scotty Kilmer his thoughts on the reliability of this generation (though I knew he was critical of turbos and Honda transmissions in general). He referred me to a contentious Toyota fanboy and told me to buy one of those.
I currently have an 05 non VTEC Civic LX with a little over 200k miles on it and have replaced most everything shy of the engine, transmission, and shocks the past two years. That said, my wife and I live at the foothills of the Blue Ridge mountains (couple snows a year and mostly heavy rains) and Ive been looking for an inexpensive, used vehicle thats fun to drive like my Civic, has more room than my Civic, is an automatic, and would hold up for at least 50,000 miles. We love mostly debt-free and would like to keep the price under $12,000, and I personally drive no more than 4,000 miles a year.
Thinking the 1st gen RDX or the 2nd gen MDX would be a fun and reliable enough car to own. Wanted your takes on it. Have been a reader here for years but never a forum member til today. Thanks in advance!
If you’re wondering why Konami is handling this, the original console was a joint effort between NEC and Hudson. Konami became Hudson’s parent company in 2005 and then absorbed its operations in 2012, meaning it owns the brand and all its properties.
Six titles have been announced so far for North America/Europe:
R-Type
Ys Book I & II
New Adventure Island
Ninja Spirit
Alien Crush
Dungeon Explorer
The Japanese version, meanwhile, has an almost entirely different set of games:
Bonk’s Adventure
Dracula X
The Kung Fu/China Warrior
Ys I & II
Super Star Soldier
Dungeon Explorer
Interestingly, Ys and Dracula X are CD-ROM games, meaning we could be seeing more titles not just from the Turbografx-16, but the TurboGrafx-CD as well.
Hey guys, Im currently in the process of painting my TL and wanted some input to the paint color of my wheels. I am painting the whole car matte white with matte black trim pieces. My tail light are also blacked out but matte. I was wondering what color I should paint my rims and if I should go matte or glossed. Please tell me your thoughts. I am adding trim pieces that are carbon fiber as well.
Hi, I love this car, but with kids now I am thinking about the utility of having a car my wife can't drive, lol. Without getting into all that...
It's in good condition, brand new Brembo brakes, tires, belts, and fluids, as of this week. In fact, the service guy fawning over it at the Honda dealer is what got me thinking about this. On KBB it says I'd only get like $3,500 for it, which really surprised me. I saw some private listings that seemed in the $5-8K range. It seems like my car has pretty low miles, and there were no 6MT for sale within 200 miles of me... what should I expect to get if I try to sell it? What would you pay for it?
A friend of mine wanted me to check out her noise coming from the hood. Sounds horrible!
Of course oil was black but the level was correct. Pulled the codes and retrieved "P2646 Rocker Arm Actuator System Performance or Stuck Off Bank 1"
Video here:
Hey guys new to the forum as a member but Ive been following for awhile now since I got my 2000 TL. Anyways the previous owner didnt take care of the car so Ive had to do multiple repairs, (anyways) Ive been trying to clean up the stock rims and Ive used multiple products but theyve worked to only an extent. Do you guys have any ideas outside of the box that I could use to clean them up.
This is regarding an 08 base TL (no navigation) with almost 110,000 miles.
So, last weekend while driving, the radio suddenly got stuck on one station (KISS FM of course), not even being able to switch to AUX, XM, or CD. Upon turning the car off and on again, the radio seemed completely dead.
I checked the under dash fuses #s 5,7, and 32, replacing only #5. I also checked various fuses under the hood. Now, all Im seeing is an intermittent ENTER CODE message. I DO have a five digit code written into my owners manual but no matter what I do, the screen only alternates between the ENTER CODE message and a black screen. In addition, the trick of holding the 1 and 6 preset buttons to get the serial number doesnt work.
An old thread I found on google mentioned going to an underground parking garage? Others mentioned disconnecting the antenna? Any help is appreciated.