The Installation
James referred us to D Revolution Motorsports in Davie, Florida, near Fort Lauderdale for the installation. Shop owner Johnny Ramirez walked us through the procedure for installing a clutch and provided us with some insight on some of the new parts.
Light Flywheel Versus Heavy Flywheel
These are general points that apply but aren't specific to late-model GTOs or the clutch/flywheel combo in this story, as any heavy or light flywheel that is mismatched to the drivetrain combo and vehicle weight will nullify the advantages listed. In short, a heavier or lighter flywheel is not a fix-all. Depending on your combination, you may already have the flywheel weight that you need. For the GTO in this story, the lighter flywheel was better than the stock one. -Thomas A. DeMauro
Light Flywheel: Lower rotating mass due to lighter weight
Heavy Flywheel: Higher rotating mass due to heavier weight
Light Flywheel Advantages
• Quicker rate of rev due to lower rotating mass
• Slightly more horsepower due to lower rotating mass
• Can sometimes reduce 1/4-mile e.t.'s in modified cars
• Less drivetrain shock on launch, good for a lightweight, traction-challenged car
• Less drivetrain shock on gear shifts because less energy is stored in the flywheel
• Engine revs quicker, allowing for easier matching of engine rpm to drivetrain rpm for downshifting on a road course
Light Flywheel Disadvantages
• Requires more rpm to move from a stop because less energy is stored
in the flywheel
• Possible clutch chatter when leaving from a stop
• Can be trickier to launch on the dragstrip
• Can increase 60-ft times on a heavier car that already has good traction
Here we see the signs of a...
Here we see the signs of a clutch gone bad. The pressure plate on the right has hundreds of hot spots and some bluing where the surfaces were super heated. Also notice that the factory clutch only has 12 fingers and the Monster has 18 fingers. Johnny says "more fingers are needed so less pedal effort is required, since the pressure plate is designed to have more clamping force. This, as well as having the pressure-plate pivot points in moved from where they are located on stock clutch provides a good balance between clamping force and pedal pressure for the Monster clutches."
Johnny removes the factory...
Johnny removes the factory flywheel's six 15mm M11x1.50 bolts.
Just like the pressure plate,...
Just like the pressure plate, the factory flywheel is marred with hot spots. Overheating the clutch from drag racing, road racing, poor driving, or all of the above can cause this. (This author concedes to the latter.) When the flywheel is overheated like this, it can warp and cause vibration. Luckily, there were no vibrations from ours. (Note: Since it's exposed for the clutch replacement, this is an excellent time to replace the old pilot bearing in the crankshaft of a high-mile car with a new and properly greased one.)
Heavy Flywheel Advantages
• Requires less throttle to leave from a stop due to more energy stored as a result of the higher rotating mass
• Hits the drivetrain harder on launch, which can reduce 60-ft times on a heavier car with good traction
• Slower engine acceleration and deceleration rates contribute to smoother throttle transitions
Heavy Flywheel Disadvantages
• Slightly less horsepower due to more energy being stored in the flywheel
• Slower rate of rev due to higher rotating mass
• More drivetrain shock on gear shifts
• Engine revs more slowly, making it more difficult to match engine rpm to drivetrain rpm for downshifting on a road course
• Hits the drivetrain harder on launch, may induce wheelspin
| PARTS AND PRICES |
| Item |
Part No. |
Price |
| Monster Clutch Level 3 Premium Package |
MCL3PLWB |
$849 |
| GM Flywheel bolts |
GMBOLTKIT |
$20 |
| GM Threadlocker |
$7 |
| Shifter |
RIPSHIFT |
$350 |
Conclusion
Monster and Johnny agree that proper break-in should be performed under regular stop-and-go driving conditions for the first 500 miles before actually beating on the car. Once our break-in was complete, we were surprised at how the clutch felt on the street. With our low power level, we were expecting more chatter until we added more torque, but the Level 3 has been fairly smooth. It took one trip to the dragstrip for it to finally bed-in. Now, we have a clutch that will stand up to future engine mods.
Johnny installs the Monster...
Johnny installs the Monster lightweight flywheel. He adds GM threadlocker (PN 12345382) to the new GM flywheel bolts, numbering each one so they provide a crisscross tightening sequence that is easy to follow for the multiple passes with the torque wrench. "The first pass I tighten them to 15 ft-lbs each, then 37, and finally 74 ft-lb," Johnny says. The bolts can be ordered directly through Monster.
Another great item that comes...
Another great item that comes with the Monster clutch is this alignment tool. Without it, aligning the clutch disc, flywheel, and pressure plate is not a simple task.
With the alignment tool in...
With the alignment tool in place, Johnny installs the pressure plate and clutch cover assembly. He bolts it on with the six M-10x1.50 hex bolts with more GM threadlocker. They are torqued in increments in a star pattern, 7 ft-lb each, then 18, 30, and finally 52 ft-lb.
This is the stock throw-out...
This is the stock throw-out bearing. When you press in your clutch pedal, hydraulic pressure is delivered to the bearing to make it disengage the clutch from the flywheel. You should replace it whenever you install a new clutch. Monster ships its clutches with a brand-new one. The old one, shown here, slides off the spring and input shaft, and the new one will replace it.
With the clutch secured, Johnny...
With the clutch secured, Johnny reinstalls the bellhousing next.
After the lifting the trans...
After the lifting the trans back into position, Johnny installs the bolts and torques them to 37 ft-lb. Then he and Jose bolt everything back together in the reverse order of removal. Once everything is buttoned up, we pumped the clutch pedal and added any hydraulic fluid that was required. Less than 12 ounces of brake fluid (hydraulic fluid) was needed to top off the reservoir. Our fluid was clean, but a pressureized flush is recommended.