Clutch Masters 01-06 Acura CL 3.2L / 03-06 Honda Accord 3.0L FX350 Clutch Kit w/Alum FW &...

The Clutch Masters FX350 kit with aluminum flywheel (08028-HDFF-A) is built for the J-series V6 manual cars: the Acura CL 3.2L, the 2004-2006 Acura TL 3.2L six-speed and the Honda Accord 3.0L V6 manual. If your stock clutch slips once the engine pulls past the midrange, smells hot after a hard pull, or gave up after a header, intake or tune, this is the heavy holding package for that drivetrain, and it arrives with the flywheel already in the box.

What the FX350 clutch does in a J-series V6 manual

The pressure plate clamps the disc against the flywheel so crank torque passes into the gearbox input shaft. Clutch Masters pairs a Power Plus I hi-leverage heavy-duty pressure plate with a segmented, steel-backed disc faced with its Fiber-Tough material on both sides, a Marcel spring wafer for some cushion, and a heavy-duty sprung hub where the application uses one. The company rates the FX350 at roughly 110 percent more holding capacity than stock and aims it at highly tuned naturally aspirated cars, medium-boost turbo or supercharger builds, or up to 100 hp of nitrous. The trade-off it states openly: engagement is more aggressive than the FX250 and the clutch will produce some chatter. The -A suffix means the aluminum flywheel is included, which cuts rotating mass so the V6 revs and drops rpm faster between shifts.

Symptoms that point to a worn or overpowered clutch

• Engine rpm climbs in third through sixth gear at wide-open throttle while road speed does not
• Engagement point creeping toward the top of the pedal travel
• Burnt friction smell after a launch, a hill start or a track session
• Shudder or chatter pulling away from a stop
• Chirp or growl that changes when the pedal is pressed (release bearing)
• Grinding into gears or the car creeping with the pedal on the floor, which can also be a hydraulic fault

How to confirm the clutch is the problem

Do a simple slip test: warm the car, select fourth gear around 2,500 rpm and roll into full throttle. If the tach jumps ahead of road speed, the disc is slipping. Before you order, look under the car at the seam between engine and transmission. Oil there means a rear main seal or input seal leak, and an oil-soaked disc will slip no matter how strong the replacement is, so fix the leak during the same job. A soft or sinking pedal points to the clutch master or slave cylinder instead of the friction parts. Our guide to transmission symptoms shops misdiagnose covers separating clutch, hydraulic and gearbox complaints, and manual transmission repair cost helps you budget the labor.

Fitment

Our listing covers the 2001-2006 Acura CL 3.2L and 2003-2006 Honda Accord 3.0L. The Clutch Masters application chart for 08028-HDFF-A lists the Acura CL 3.2L, the 2004-2006 Acura TL 3.2L and the 2003-2007 Honda Accord 3.0L. This kit is for manual-transmission cars only; automatic CL, TL and Accord models use a torque converter and do not take a clutch. Because Honda used more than one gearbox and flywheel setup across these V6 platforms, confirm the trans code on your case or send us your year and VIN before ordering. You can also compare the softer FX250 kit with aluminum flywheel or the six-puck FX400 kit for more aggressive builds, and browse all clutch and rebuild kits.

Install notes

• Clean the new flywheel face and pressure plate with brake cleaner; keep fingers and grease off the friction surfaces.
• Install the flywheel with new bolts torqued to the factory service manual value in a cross pattern. The manufacturer also offers a thin flywheel friction lock for owners worried about fretting at the crank flange.
• Center the disc with the supplied alignment tool so the input shaft slides in without hanging the transmission on the hub. A spare clutch alignment tool kit is handy if yours goes missing.
• Run the pressure plate bolts down evenly in a star pattern, then torque them.
• Lightly grease the input shaft splines and the release fork pivot points, then bleed the clutch hydraulics with fresh brake fluid of the type printed on the reservoir cap.
• Refill the gearbox with the manual transmission fluid your owner's manual specifies.
• Clutch Masters requires a minimum 500-mile break-in of normal stop-and-go driving, with no full-throttle shifts or compression braking, before hard use.

Expect a bit more gear rattle at idle with the lighter flywheel and some chatter on cold launches; that is normal for this friction package, not a defect.

Does 08028-HDFF-A come with the flywheel?

Yes. The -A version includes an aluminum flywheel along with the pressure plate, FX350 disc, release bearing, pilot bearing where the application uses one, and an alignment tool.

Will this fit an automatic Accord V6 or TL?

No. It is only for manual-transmission cars. Automatic models use a torque converter and flexplate instead of a clutch and flywheel.

Is the FX350 too grabby for a daily driver?

Clutch Masters states the FX350 engages more aggressively than the FX250 and will produce some chatter. If the car is mostly street driven with light bolt-ons, the FX250 is the more comfortable choice; pick the FX350 for heavier tuning, boost or nitrous.

How long is the break-in period?

Clutch Masters requires at least 500 miles of normal stop-and-go driving with no full-throttle shifting or compression braking before you drive it hard.

What fluid does the clutch hydraulic system use?

The clutch master and slave run on brake fluid. Use the grade printed on the reservoir cap and bleed the system after the install, since air in the line causes a high or soft engagement point.

What else should I replace while the transmission is out?

Fix any rear main seal or input seal leak, inspect the release fork and pivot, and replace a weeping slave cylinder. A new clutch contaminated by oil will slip.

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