When/what SVT clutch replacement?

[DOLadd69]

Have an 03 SVT with 79k miles. I sense a bit of clutch slip in normal driving. Pedal is almost up to the top when engages. How do you decide its time to replace the clutch? And if you aren't into performance driving, who makes an affordable OEM replacement clutch kit? What is the replacement clutch diameter? I see 9" and larger clutches that call for an upgraded pressure plate and/or flywheel. local parts stores are not much help.

[Sponsor]

[Peregrine]

Try to pull from a dead stop in 2nd and see how long it takes to roll out. If the clutch disk still has some life left in it, doing this should be easy.

I have a high take up point in my clutch pedal as well and my clutch hasn't a sign of slippage. I do know that some '02s that I've driven had relatively low engagement points on stock clutches.


....and I just turned 93k miles.

[thenorm]

you will probably need a new flywheel too. i dont think the OEM dual mass flywheel takes too well to resurfacing, and if its the old pre-TSB flywheel, you will have a hard time finding a clutch to fit it.
I think Luk makes OEM replacements. C-F-M.com has lots of clutch kits for sale. have a look there.

[pelotonracer2]

I have 98,000 miles on my original clutch in my 2003 SVT. No slippage at all.

[mcrcracer]

I bought the LUK, very pricey at $700 shipped to my door, but I was desperate. I would highly recomend this clutch though!

[blkSVTfocus]

Luk Rep Set kit.... $425.00 shipped to my house. Some dealer on Ebay.. Gripforce?? I'm not really all that happy with it. I wish I would have spent the money on the dual-mass delete. My flywheel still makes a lot of rattling noise. No slippage.. but noise from the flywheel.

[kamann]

I got the Ford OEM replacement Luk kit at my local Ford dealer. My clutch started slipping in 3rd and 4th under accelaration. How long do you have? I don't know, but I think the rule of thumb is to start looking now 'cause it won't get any better. The new OEM Luk kit is a good kit, and Randy from Focus Sport once posted on the Jet that thats all they use in their SVT's.

[lildudeinacar]

some guy at my school said that hes the origanl owner... and has 250,000 miles on his zx3.. says that he has the orginal clutch... i smell bs on that

[WRCwannabe]

just get a southbend clutch kit.

i love mine and i think a lot of people like them and run them
get a light weight flywheel, gives the car more pep and revs awesome.

[apagios]

Originally Posted by DOLadd69

... I see 9" and larger clutches that call for an upgraded pressure plate and/or flywheel. local parts stores are not much help.

Honestly you are going to want to replace the entire clutch, I find very few mechanics or clutch companies will recommend keeping the pressure plate and just replacing the disc. There is wear on the pressure plate as well, you won't get a very good or reliable engagement by just replacing the disc.

Check around now, but the first time I replaced the stock clutch that failed due to the dual mass flywheel fiasco, the OEM replacement was actually slightly more then just buying a Spec Stage 2 clutch and flywheel kit (i chose to go performance clutch after finding out i wasn't going to save any money by staying with a OEM style replacement).

Once you upgrade the flywheel (OEM or lighter weight aftermarket AL whichever) then the next clutch replacement won't be as bad, but if you still have the stock original dual mass flywheel, you are going to need to get that replaced.

Count on very roughly $600-800 in parts for a full clutch/flywheel kit and roughly the same in labor to have a mechanic put it in.


Also lildudeinacar, the base ZX3 has a very different clutch and flywheel then the SVT, 250k miles is a lot, but a base zx3 driven easily might make that.