FAO Alfanige - JTD clutch upgrade

[David T]

I have been looking to get a bravo JTD for a while now and get it tuned by angel tuning. After doing some research (multipla forum) I was put off because some people who have done this have had a problem with the clutch slipping and nobody makes a up-rated clutch for the JTD engines. So I e-mailed a company in Belgium and asked if they had anything suitable and this is their response:

(His English isn't great, but then again nor is mine).

Dear Sir,

This is question we asked already at Sachs sporting to make a reinforced clutch for all the 1.9 JTD 4 cylinders. But this is not ready for the moment. Originally it is a VALEO product. As long as we didn't have the upgraded sport clutch kit, I advice to take a replacement unit from Sachs the kit number is : 3000 951 306. This is certainly better from quality and also a bit stronger.

I than asked him how long before the sachs reinforced clutch kit will be available, and he said a few months.


Nigel you've probably researched into this but if your interested I can post their e-mail address and you can get in touch and express your interest and then maybe they can contact sachs and tell them to get their asses in gear.

 

[Tom]

Boge Sachs clutches are amazingly expensive They are good though.

You pay for the quality, an AP/Borg&Beck clutch is about £100, a Sachs one is £110+ for the 1.6. Compare that to £30-40 for a recon or budget clutch.

Its amazing that people actually think a cheap part is as good as the real thing, they just moan about being ripped off.

I'd ask AP/Borg&Beck/Delphi as well as Sachs about uprated clutches.

 

[Anonymous]

We have never found one beafier than the 230mm Ducato Motorhome clutch currently installed!

 

[Anonymous]

Oh and the Multipla issue with the clutch was on the 105JTD Euro 2 not the later ones for some reason. We had another one come come back and say there was an issue with oil dripping onto the clutch causing it to slip this week.

 

[Tom]

Oil on the clutch will make ANY car slip

 

[David T]

Tom as you say you get what you pay for and if the only clutch that's suitable for the job £150 sounds reasonable. I think this company in Belgium have ask a number of companies and sachs are the only ones who are developing one. Although I think I'll e-mail the others you mentioned.

I ask him if it was possible to but a new standard valeo clutch and modify it and he said:

"the fixation points must be planed a little bit deeper than normal against the contact surface of the clutch disc, so that the cover will press harder on the disc"

This probably wouldn't be enough and would cost a fortune as it would have to be done by a race engine specialist.

 

[Tom]

You'd have to take the flywheel off to have it skimmed. OR you get the pressureplate made thicker.

Either way you are looking at many hundreds for that sorta work.

The other option may be to talk to Ferodo about having harder friction material put on an existing clutch. I know they do specials but not sure about the price. That would be preferable to increasing the pressure as that will make the pedal heavier.

 

[David T]

Better get down the gym then and start building the muscles in these pipe cleaners I can legs.

 

[Anonymous]

uprated clutch

I approached AP to see if they could do a clutch for the JTD Bravo. No was the answer and they don't have any plans to do one either and also weren't willing to see if an existing AP clutch would be suitable irrespective of it's part number.

Reddot in London can do a Valeo for £85 plus VAT which they say is 15% uprated over the std anyway, but I don't think this is enough myself if you've had a remap. It will still not be strong enough.

I was told by the helpful chap at the Paxton garage that there's a website somewhere that lists all clutches and there interchangeability between engines. I haven't found it yet. I thought maybe the Croma turbo or Lancia Thema Turbo clutch would be a possibilty, but no one seems to know or particularly care. Afterall the driven plate has got to have the same splines as the input shaft of the gearbox and the cover plate the same mounting holes as the std. It can't be that hard.

Interesting about a previous post talking about the Ducato Motorhome 1.9JTD clutch. Perhaps that's an option. I can't believe there is no interchangeability in the whole Fiat group.....Alfa/Lancia/Fiat?

Anyway I'm up for an uprated clutch for my Bravo. If Sachs are making one it better be significantly uprated and bloody strong otherwise it will be a waste of time. Could the person of the previous post who contacted Sachs about making one put up a link so we can all contact Sachs.

I've a paddle clutch on my Beta Volumex handling 220bhp and it can take up to 258lbs torque. But cost.......£312!

Perhaps that could be adapted to fit the Bravo JTD as well?

If enough JTD owners want uprated clutches and pester Sachs to make one then maybe they just will. I would want one that could handle up to 200bhp and 300lbs of torque max. And I'd fit it myself to keep costs down.

Keep the posts coming.

Andy

 

[Tom]

Re: uprated clutch

Ring Ferodo!

 

[Anonymous]

uprated clutch

I think pester Sachs rather than Ferrodo to see what their uprated clutch is going to be able to take if indeed they are devloping one for the JTD. Surely they must take into account remapping of these engines and the extra power and torque that's generated. A top clutch for top power.

Andy

 

[Tom]

Re: uprated clutch

Ferodo are in West yorks, just give them a try! 01274 723481

 

[David T]

I've got a telephone number for sachs. Its 01788 822855

 

[Anonymous]

have you called them?

 

[Anonymous]

Anyone tried these?

AP Racing
Wheler Road
Seven Stars Industrial Estate
Coventry CV34LB
Tel: +44 (0) 24 7663 9595
Fax: +44 (0) 24 7663 9559

Daz

 

[Tom]

AP & AP racing are owned by Delphi/Borg&Beck.

 

[Anonymous]

Oh well, you learn something everyday

Daz

 

[Tom]

Yup

Ribzz has already asked them about a clutch for the 1.6 (given that AP make the clutch for Fiat) but they said no.

 

[Anonymous]

clutch uprade

The Uk Sachs number is just a number. They are a UK agent for the German Company and are not interested as a Bravo or even Fiat doesn't appear on their list of manufacturers they do clutches for. So tuff basically.

If anyone makes an uprated clutch or is planning to, I'll believe it when I see it.

Andy

 

[Anonymous]

uprated clutch

AP? Don't people read the earlier posts?