buying clutch on a celica

Didnt you ask this last week?

Well, as i mentioned last week the exedy clutch is well rated but you cant abuse any clutch without problems. If you buy a ceramic paddle clutch you will begin to lose drivability in favour of launching ability, paddles dont like being used normally during normal driving. If you stick with a more stock type you'll gain drivability and can drive normally but cant launch too well. My stock toyota clutch has lasting damage from two decent launches and i wouldnt expect it to hold more than 5 or 6 but then i like driving normally most of the time.

The 5sfe is not a performance engine so you're unlikely to find much in the way of aftermarket choice TBH.

Tip - dont buy from anyone selling a clutch that claims its capable of X bhp. Its aimed at boy racers who know a little but not enough. Clutches dont deal with bhp as a general rule, they deal with torque - it is more detailed than that but I have seen people fit clutches rated to 350hp and 200lbft on cars with 250hp and 250lbft and wonder why it slips when its rated for higher power.

Where are you? CarQuest. I got the cheapest clutch I could for an old Tercel, and it was GREAT!!!!!!! LOOK AT IT BEFORE YOU PAY FOR IT!!!!!!!!!!

move?

No CarQuest? ANYWHERE?!?!?!

NAPA is a good company to deal with, they usually handle a lot of commercial accounts - the auto repair shops. They sell good stuff. (As long as you aren't hammering them for the cheapest possible price and they give you the garbage brand to save you $10.)

And check with the area and internet Toyota dealers for clutch parts, they might surprise you and be competitive on prices.

A pro remembers when he gets sold a bad part for a long time, because even if the vendor swaps the part under warranty he still has to eat the labor time to do the work over.

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But mine was the Garbage brand and it was GREAT! It looked just like a new one from Toyota! That's why I said look. The one I got was mint!

Try Jaffarian's in Haverhill, Mass ('Haavrrill', pronounced on The West Wing as Have her hill) or Champion Toyota in um, Texas... They have GREAT prices. Look around on line for GENUINE Toyota parts, and they will match or beat the best price.

Might look good but the end result may be slightly less capable of full-bore launches than a stock item. Seen some very pretty anodised ceramic paddle clutches (at 3x Mr T prices) for the celica ripped to shreds on the track and been replaced with stock toyota items with no further problems.

LOL! Full Bore launches in an '83 Tercel AWD Wagon?!?!?

I'll tell you what. I went ploughing through snow drifts in that car that were up to the hood. That clutch never smoked a bit!

:-)

Impressive. Mind you, dont want to know what the bodywork looked like. Having run into a 1ft drift with my old peugeot and removed the front valance from the bumper I try to avoid snow >3 inches these days lol.

LOL! The car was a rust box I sanded and bondo'd and painted BRIGHT YELLOW.

And, IIRC, I think I took the soft rubber valence off myself.

Took about 3 ft of snow to do it!