james81

I would like this thread to become a place for FD owners to publicise their broken stock parts due to too much power so that other owners know for the future.

What parts are weak, and what parts are strong? What to replace and at what power?

>>Hi guys, my FD is goin 2 be making around the 300hp mark, busy building the motor now. I am at the stage where I need to decide what I am going to do clutch and flywheel wise, and whether to get aftermarket heavy duty clutch and light flywheel or not.

How much HP can the stock clutch take?
What other parts give in and at what HP?



PLEASE, ARGUMENTS ARE NOT TO LAST LONGER THAN 4 POSTS FROM EACH PARTY.
THANK YOU,
FROM THE PEOPLE SEEKING INFO, NOT ENTERTAINMENT

ArmenMAxx

iTrader: (21)

most people experience stock clutch failure around 260whp. I have 300whp with a stock clutch and its holding up...barely. It dosnet slip during WOT in any gear, but the feel isnt to nice. I do have 40K miles of my chassis, and 3K of those was with 300whp.

Honestly, nothing is really going to break, ur y-pipe my start leaking with more boost. And with more boost its not healthy to use the stock intercooler. Higher intake temps and raise the chance of detonation.

papsmagu

iTrader: (19)

i would change out your clutch now that you have everything out. ACT Street/Strip with a lightened Flywheel would be my suggestion.

james81

Thanx, thats what i had in mind, an ACT clutch and Spec Street lightflywheel-13lbs.

Thanks for posting guys, i would like for this to become good reference for people upgrading motors, and are unaware of other weaknesses in the drivetrain, etc.

RX7LINK

iTrader: (3)

300 HP isn't too high for your stock parts to break. If they're worned out.. it'll break anyways even if ur only making 280.

ArmenMAxx

iTrader: (21)

things that may break is either ur radiator, coolant hoses may rupture, and ast. These are all things you should change.
With 450whp, their are other things you ahve to worry about such as you drivetrain, diff, and other things.

GoodfellaFD3S

iTrader: (213)

A lot of drivetrain failures will happen when launching the car. If you don't launch (ie dragracing) then you dont have as much to worry about, but I do know of a few instances of stock torsen diffs breaking on hard 1-2 shifts with 400+ rwhp street cars.

Stix37867

iTrader: (1)

While doing some searching last night, i read that the clutch fork tends to fail with aggresive pressure plates. Now this is one of those things i never hear about but when it's brought up, everyone has broken them.

Authentikdit

I've read a few times that the automatic tranny can only handle roughly 300-325rwhp,so if this is true,I will be adding my automatic transmission to this list very shortly.

jdhuegel1

Agree with Rich. Lots of broken crap is due to hard launch/drag racing. These cars weren't exactly designed to do straight line racing. Not that they can't... you just have to tuffen them up a tad.

I've hit 3rd at WOT before and swore my rearend exploded... but it's still there somehow.

Fsunoles06

Man that quote in your sig is hilarious^^

dgeesaman

iTrader: (7)

Nah, just the taco bell.

RTS3GEN

Broke Powerplant frame at 325whp and drag radials 12.00 at 114mph
Broke Mazdaspeed PPF at 342whp and drag radials 12.01 at 115mph
Broke Pass. Side axle at 357whp and ET Streets
Broke Tranny output shaft at 357whp and ET streets 11.77 at 117mph
Broke 2nd Tranny output shaft at 357whp and ET Streets 11.81 at 119mph
Broke 3rd tranny output shaft at same as above.... Threw helmet to the timing lights(okay, well almost)
Sheared idler shaft(the shaft with gears formed on it) at road course same as above.
Bought Banzai tranny and quit drag racing! You'll break driveline parts quickly with proper launching and sticky tires.
Art

A7X

i sheared my stock diff. brace in half.

VTECthis

iTrader: (4)

I've broken everything you can imagine during the span of a few FD's ive owned. Ask Ernie T, he's broken EVERYTHING......twice.

james81

So looks like over 350hp, and things need replacing to higher strength parts, and dropping the clutch at 6krpm with sticky M/T slicks isn't the best either.

How are drive shafts?

Another safety precaution - Street ported motor with good EFI and other bolt ons, where about should the rev limiter be set?

dgeesaman

iTrader: (7)

Same as stock. The apex seal springs and engine balancing I think are what set that limit, and most motors aren't set up for higher than stock revs.

Dave

fitzrx7

iTrader: (1)

Rev limiters are for women

james81

I agree with that, safer. I've seen a street ported FD without fancy seals go to 9krpm in short bursts, as in short bursts of acceleration to 9krpm, sounds absolutely great at over 8krpm.

What is the stock limiter set at, 8,000rpm?