Car info:
1997 Civic DX (D16A)

My clutch is starting to get some chatter and I was wondering if my next clutch should be a Exedy OEM or Stage 1, I do time to time drive hard but I've read up on this subject and some are saying to get the stage 1 cause it can take more harsh play I just wanted to get some opinions on this what do you guys think?

 

Just get the OEM kit. You have said nothing that would give you any reason to spend three times as much money on their stage 1.

 

I just don't wanna drive my car hard and have the clutch get messed up you know?

 

As long as you're shifting properly, I reiterate, there is no reason for you to get anything more than their OEM clutch kit.

 

For sure the main reason why I'm wondering is because someone made a thread on here awhile ago and a member stated that the OEM Exedy Clutches come with a "Unsealed" bearing and that it doesn't like to be pounded on

 

your car doesn't make enough hp or tq anywhere near stock form to fry a good aftermarket oem clutch. have your flywheel resurfaced (or order oem civic vx, it is a little lighter), and follow proper break in procedure. you should easily clear 100k miles. my civic is on its second clutch at 299k miles.

 

I went with Exedy stage 1. The Exedy OEM replacement has a really really soft pedal feel, which I didn't like.
The stage 1 actually feels like there is a pedal there, not just mush.

 

Either one will work fine. My OEM replacement took millions of 7K RPM launches on snow tires, landing jumps at full throttle, lightning upshifts, and more than its fair share of 8K RPM downshifts.

 

Go ahead, get that stage 3 instead and be like my friend who straight the **** up destroyed the disk while riding the clutch in traffic or city driving.

 

Exactly why you shouldn't buy more clutch than you need. The closer to OEM, the longer it'll last. The closer to OEM, the easier it'll be to drive on. The closer to OEM, the more affordable it'll be. Clutches are rated for torque handling. You should always buy the closest to OEM that'll handle your anticipated torque. Driving habits don't matter - only torque load does. I still have yet to hear any reason why you would need any more than OEM, OP.

That being said, I have a Competition Clutch 1620 and Fidanza flywheel for D series, if you really want to go overkill. Information in the FS/WTB sticky.

 

I never understood why people put stage 5 clutches on stock engines.

 

Where's everyone getting stage 3 or 5 or 800 from? OP asked (in kind of a vague way, as his name implies), about using a street performance clutch.

People use exedy stage 1's for the same reason as using lowering springs and sport shocks on their DD. Because it adds a certain feel and makes the car perform marginally better, and has room for growth in case the car becomes anything besides a DD.

Nothing wrong with a stage 1 exedy. The OEM will work fine as well.

 

I recall a member stating a clutch that provides more bite will give additional torque, don't know how but thats what he stated.

If the car is stock, stick to oem replacements. If you're about to boost get one that will provide more bite for the power you're going to make. End of story.

 

go oem! ive seen them take upto 300bhp and last a decent amount of time...

 

The person who said that was a (now ex) resident mouth breather. A stiffer clutch isn't going to magically produce more torque. The only way that happens is if the old clutch is slipping to begin with.

The fact that you think clutches have anything to do with horsepower tells me you need to read more into clutches. Horsepower doesn't matter. Only torque matters to a clutch. Anyone who tells you their company's clutch can hold a certain amount of horsepower is to be avoided at all costs.

 

higher hp generally means higher torque... i was just saying i know guys running oem clutches on boosted b series, and they can handle the power

 

IIRC, the only difference between OEM and Stage 1 is the pressure plate. They both use the same disk. The pressure plate will provide a harsher pedal feel and engagement. This may make you want to beat on the car more and then shorten the life of the said clutch.

They both work well on a stock engine, but is it really worth the extra investment?

 

Unless they've changed, that isn't the only difference. The OEM clutch has the metal plate, a cushion, and then the contact material. The Exedy stage 1 disc doesn't have the cushion.