ORC Heavy Duty clutch + Lightened Flywheel on DC5R - Easy to live with?

[Nuci]

Hey all,

After having my DC5R tuned to make more power, I figured clutch and flywheel would be a good place to look to next. Ive heard good things about ORC, and so im thinking this is the brand im going to go with.

However the car is my daily drive, and I wanted to know from people's experiences, how a heavy duty clutch and lightened flywheel from a company like ORC affects driveability? My previous car had an exedy heavy duty clutch, but im guessing that the ORC parts are a bit different. What are the pros and cons of an upgrade like this? Worth it? And is the improvement in acceleration noticeable?

Any help would be great. Cheers.

[M@lew]

ORC is nuts. I'm sure you'll get used to it though, but it's pretty tough for day to day if you're not up for it.

[CivicOnBoost]

What sort of power are you making? Even with 150kw at the wheels I never had an issues with the stock clutch.... If its not broken don't fix it... :)

[Nuci]

It's making 135 kw at this stage, but I have plans for more power later down the track. I just figured a better clutch / lighter flywheel would make for quicker shifting and better acceleration. The heavy pedal doesn't worry me too much, it's more whether the car is going to become jerky and harder to drive smoothly, escpecially in like 1st and 2nd gear where there is the most engine response.

[45SET]

Questions:
- What engine mounts do you have?
- Are you ever planning on changing the final drive?
- Is the ORC HD clutch a full faced clutch or does it have seperate pucks?
- Do you have a link to the particular clutch you are after?

Thanks

[DC2-PWR]

After the clutch invest on new engine mounts, they will go weak.

you will love the clutch, I heard the new ones have a very soft pedal to it, but engagement is still grippy.

[Nuci]

I have the Hasport street engine mounts. Not planning on changing the final drive at this stage. If by separate pucks you mean single/twin/triple plate, I believe its a single plate clutch, with a 3.8kg billet flywheel (Model ORC 309D).

Here's a link to it on the JDMyard website: http://www.jdmyard.com/catalog09/ogura-racing-clutch/

[Nuci]

Yeah already got Hasports. And I've heard the same thing about the light pedal, not like the ones made here where they're heavy as.

[DC2-PWR]

Yeah true that, my mate has the old one in his B18CR eg and his brother has the new version one in his VTiR Integra. EG guy is cutt as because of how soft the pedal is.

And it still makes those cool sounds when clutch is engaged. Still has that grippy ORC clutch feeling.

But beware there are still some suppliers selling the older version I heard... theres nothing wrong with it, just that heavy pedal.

[45SET]

I have the Hasport street engine mounts. Not planning on changing the final drive at this stage. If by separate pucks you mean single/twin/triple plate, I believe its a single plate clutch, with a 3.8kg billet flywheel (Model ORC 309D).

Here's a link to it on the JDMyard website: http://www.jdmyard.com/catalog09/ogura-racing-clutch/

No, by separate pucks I mean that the clutch face has separate friction points

Below is an example of a 4-puck clutch
http://www.performanceroadandraceparts.com.au/images/Xtreme%20Clutch%20Kit.JPG

These are the types of clutches that are hard to drive with, as the clutch is either on or off.

If it's a full face clutch (Like the one you have chosen), you can still ride the clutch, so it can be used for everyday driving. But it can be annoying in traffic with the heavy pedal, but you get use to it after a while, and it feels normal.

As for the flywheel, the stock AUDM flywheel is about 9kg. The major things you are going to notice with a light weight flywheel are that the engine is going to rev quicker, as it has les weight to rotate from gearbox to driveline. It also looses revs fairly quickly.

Again, you get use to this fairly quickly, and after driving the car for a couple of days you'll think it's as easy to drive as stock. Just rev the car a little bit more then you normally would, and you’ll be fine.

When I first got my Toda clutch kit (Excedy Sports Organic & 3.8kg Flywheel), I stalled the car about 8 times driving around in traffic, but now have no problems what so ever with the clutch or flywheel at all.

[bennjamin]

Pedal feel is directly linked to the pressure plate / type not the clutch disc or flywheel surface.

[Nuci]

Ok cool thanks for the info. Is a clutch with more than one puck also called a button clutch? That's what I thought they were called (button because they were either on or off).

And did you notice that with a lightened flywheel the car was noticably faster under hard acceleration?

[bennjamin]

just some experience - i have a very light flywheel in my EP3 (3.8kg) and this is what goes.
1. The car looses "feel" - it feels looser and alittle doughy in normal driving. You may be disappointed if you just drive your car in traffic everyday - the car will feel slower.
2. The car has only a tiny bit more acceleration.
3. Where this makes a difference tho - is on a race track or thru a nice drive in the twisities. The engine feels to rev quicker inbetween shifts (up or down shifting) and is easier to hold in a gear at speed. It basically makes every gear rev faster and more response.

[Nuci]

just some experience - i have a very light flywheel in my EP3 (3.8kg) and this is what goes.
1. The car looses "feel" - it feels looser and alittle doughy in normal driving. You may be disappointed if you just drive your car in traffic everyday - the car will feel slower.
2. The car has only a tiny bit more acceleration.
3. Where this makes a difference tho - is on a race track or thru a nice drive in the twisities. The engine feels to rev quicker inbetween shifts (up or down shifting) and is easier to hold in a gear at speed. It basically makes every gear rev faster and more response.

How much power is your ep3 making? So are you saying it's worth it for a street car or not? And is the ORC clutch worth the 800 more than say an equivalent exedy one?

[45SET]

Do you ever plan on taking the car to the track?

If you plan to take it to the track all the time, spend more money on a good clutch/flywheel

If you plan to take it to the track once in a blue moon or never, and money isnt an issue, just get a Excedy or Toda Clutch kit (Both run the same Sports Organic Excedy clutch, but both have a different 3.8kg flywheel)

If you plan to take it to the track once in a blue moon or never, and money is an issue, just get a new clutch, and don't worry about the flywheel as you'll find it more annoying then good if you are using it for a daily.

[45SET]

Ok cool thanks for the info. Is a clutch with more than one puck also called a button clutch? That's what I thought they were called (button because they were either on or off).

And did you notice that with a lightened flywheel the car was noticably faster under hard acceleration?

No. Button clutch referse to the material used on the friction pad.

Full faced button clutch is easier to use then say a 3 or 4 puck button clutch. Like I said, you'll get use to it after a couple of days, and it's not going to break your leg to push it down.

I did notice a difference with the lighter flywheel, and there was better acceleration under all conditions. I've never intended to use my car as a daily (As I have another car, and don't drive during the week much), so I don't find it a issue.

[type_AHH]

Slightly off topic but when upgrading clutch and flywheel, do you need to change the bolts that hold your flywheel/clutch together?
A mate reckons changing to stronger (presumably?) flywheel bolts like the ones by ARP?

[45SET]

Use the bolts that come with the kit?

But ask you mate what the advantage of changing the bolts is, or if he is just pulling the info out of his ass.

[bennjamin]

Always used OEM flywheel bolts. Just torque them to spec and in a star configuration...