I’ve got a 99 Honda Civic with a b18c1 swap with turbo. The head is built, block is stock, I'm pushing 15psi, and the gsr tranny has a hand cuff, carbon syncros, and Quaife LSD. The clutch is twin disc. I don’t know the brand but it chatters when it’s in gear and the clutch is pushed in. The slicks are 23”. It’s tuned with Motec and I’d estimate it at about 300hp. I launch at about 6500-7500rpm depending which track I’m at. My quickest ET in the ¼ mile was in San Antonio at 11.92 @ 124.86mph.

The first time I broke it, I was going down the ¼ in Ennis, I went to shift into 4th and it wouldn’t shift. Took it apart to find the teeth busted off 4th gear. Replaced 4th gear, put in the hand cuff, and carbon syncros. A few months later I’m going down the 1/8 in Navasota (small track near my house), went to shift into 2nd and it was like I put it in neutral. This time the teeth were broke off 2nd gear and the shaft.

Although I’m a novice, I consider myself to be an ok driver. I mean, I don’t dog it, I don’t show off, and I rarely drive it on the street. And obviously I never try to shift without pushing in the clutch or anything stupid like that.

I’ve been told that breaking trannys can be affected by driving style, slick size, clutch type, and tuning. Does anyone know what I might be doing wrong in my driving? Any input on my slick size or clutch type? How does tuning affect this issue?

(Note: I’ve also snapped a few stock axles on the driver side before upgrading to DSS.)

Please help before I build my block, turn up the boost, and really destroy my transmission! Thanks in advance for your advice!

 

11.9 on stock gsr block without boost or spray?

What exactly are you breaking on the transmission?

 

Sorry green, I edited my post and answered your questions... 15psi boost...

 

Sounds like you're a bit hard with that left foot. If dead set on keeping the twin disk, consider using a clutch delay valve for the slave cylinder? For under 550whp, I'd just put a Competition Clutch Stage 4 in there and be done with it. I run 11.30s with 380 whp on stock trans and haven't broken one yet.

 

Thanks for your advice Bull. I'm definately not dead set on anything. If a different clutch will help, I'm willing to change. As a side note though, I'm in the process of buying a built block. Once I get it installed, turn up the boost, and re-tune, I might be looking at 550+ hp. What clutch would you (or anyone else) recommend at that point?

Also, I have a clutch delay valve on the slave cylinder but I don't know much about it. Can it be adjusted? Thanks again!

 

Yes your left foot seams to be an issue here considering your power level. You can learn to bring the clutch out slightly slower and save a lot, but in the heat of the race, its a hard thing to think about. Get a flow control valve and just run with the twin disk, especially since you mentioned building the block and going for more power. Heres a link for your viewing.

http://www.tiltonracing.com/content....st2&id=436&m=b

 

I take it your not pre-loading the car at all?

 

Yea my husband told me I need to let the clutch out slower but thanks for understanding that that's easier said than done! So I looked up the tilton flow control valve, which I already have. It was on the car when I bought it. I took it off and it's got the .040 orifice in it. I'll contact tilton to see about getting the .028 and .021 so I can try that. Sure will be nice if an adjustment that simple can save my tranny!

 

I'm still trying to learn how to do that. Must master the use of the park brake!

 

Well thats nice that you already have it, saves you a few pennies. I need to get one in my car as well, but I havnt really had an issue yet. My problem is that 4th gear kept coming apart, so I just handcuffed it as well. Good luck hothondagirl

 

maybe you should find a hothondaboi to help you?

 

Thanks!!

 

All my husband's experience was with domestics before he met me. So he's still learning just like me!

 

I have never heard of this issue. You learn something new everyday. Good info...

 

Well, it will definitly help to pre-load. Just practice. Its pretty easy to learn. After you get it down once you'll never forget, kind of like riding a bike. Lol

I know of a few 400whp plus guys running stock axles and stock transmissions that rarely break parts. They all get a nice preload on the car and don't have that snap of launching at 7000 rpms or so because they have no slack in the drivetrain components.

Best of luck to you.

 

Cindy, you have too much clutch for your setup.

Instead of smooth engagement on the shifts you are SHOCKING the teeth and breaking them.

Tell your hubby to think of Top Fuel cars. They slip the clutch A LOT, if not they'd break A LOT of parts. Controlled slippage, but it is not as easy to adjust pressure plate weights and fingers on a FWD car.

Adjustable twin disc for RWD setups

 

Thanks for the encouragement! I'll be practicing! Do you know of any really good videos that teach you how to do it?

 

Thanks for the advice. I'm sure you are right about the clutch being too much for what I have currently. We bought this car pretty much the way it is. The previous owner had it fully built on 30psi before he blew out the block, put in a stock one, turned down the boost, and sold it to us. The clutch is what he had for the big boost setup. That being said, we just bought a built motor and will be installing it and having it tuned and turning the boost back up (I'm not sure exactly to what yet). Should I keep the clutch or is there one that will still handle 400-600hp but not be as hard on the tranny?