After yesterday's discussion about ignition advance curves I decided to go educate myself a bit because I was convinced that the vacuum advance curve I'd programmed into my ECU was not right. WOT performance was perfect, but below 3,000rpm at part throttle there was a dead spot and sometimes a little bucking that was driving me nuts. So I went to shoptalkforums and read all the threads about advance curves and vacuum advance. As I suspected. I needed to extend my vacuum advance to include manifold pressures closer to atmospheric (I was only using vacuum advance at high vacuum). Wow. What a difference in drivability. Much better.

Less than 5 minutes later as I pulled up to a stop sign in a happy blissful state I dissengaged the clutch and there was a loud SNAP! as a pressure plate spring(s) broke. GGRRRRRrrrrrr! Some days I just want to throw a match on it and walk away.

Mike, don't feel bad that you're pulling your motor this weekend. We'll be doing it together. (sigh)

-Ben M. (with a new KEP StageII paperweight)

Sounds like it's time for a hydraulic clutch. Or maybe get in touch with Terry Cable and see if they can make a clutch cable with a higher strength wire.

Higher strength wire? THAT'LL do a number on the clutch cable tube. It's marginal, at best, with a stock clutch and cable! The Cap'n

He said a pressure plate spring broke, not the cable. Or did I miss something?

Andrew

Andrew got it. I wish it was just a clutch cable! The pressure plate failed. The pressure plate with about 3,000 miles on it. I already have a hydraulic clutch.

-Ben M.

That seems quite unusual.. sure it isn't a broken clutch fork or something?

yes, I think he's got bigger problems than a clutch cable.

I thought the KEP PP were supposed to be the best.

you forgot that he is running a squirrel on steriods
(1.7 with a hairdryer/turbo....vrooommmmm...whhhhoosssshhhh)

I'm going to "attempt" my motor drop at about 6am on Sat...that ought to help me make friends with the neighbors, LOL

When I bought my stage I KEP clutch, the guy tole me to use my stock 6 spring disc......after I had asked about all the trickshit I had heard about.....OK, I dodit. No problems.

Ben:
These are really pretty simple cars and can be made more simple in the interest of both power and longevity.
I'm a firm beliver in KISS.

I'm using a KEP stage II plate and a standard 6-spring disk. I fabbed my own hydraulic actuator assembly. Is it possible that I've been 'overextending' the springs on the pressure-plate by having too much fork travel?
I was just guessing it's the pressure plate springs. Here are the symptoms.
Depress clutch pedal
Heard loud SNAP! Felt it in the chassis (ie in my seat, and the steering wheel)
Car was in gear but did not lurch (ie, clutch remained dis-engaged)
Clutch still works but pedal is EXTREMELY light
(Note to self: check the roll-pin in the clutch pedal)
Drove home. Didn't hear any unusual noises. Clutch seems to still hold - couldn't get it to slip, but pedal is so light a child could push it. No grinding when shifting. Clutch seems to fully disengage when pedal is depressed. Got home and put the car up in the air and looked around. No visible signs of mechanical failure. Gave up for the night. Drove the Honda today.

-Ben M.

Possibly need to bleed and adjust your hydraulic system? Just a guess.