Clutch Masters 91-96 Acura NSX 3.0L/97-02 3.2L 850 Series Street Clutch Kit w/Aluminum Flywheel

The first-generation Acura NSX is one of the few road cars that left the factory with a twin-disc clutch, and that original small-diameter unit is now three decades old on most 1991-1996 cars. If your NSX slips when you hold full throttle in fourth, engages high in the pedal, or now has a supercharger or turbo that needs more holding power than a stock-style rebuild can give, Clutch Masters part number 08035-TD8S-AW is a street-focused twin-disc kit for the C30A 3.0L car, packaged with an aluminum flywheel.

What a twin-disc clutch does in an NSX

Acura chose a compact twin-plate clutch for the 1991-1996 five-speed because the mid-engine layout leaves little room for a large-diameter single disc. Two friction discs separated by an intermediate plate give more friction area in a smaller package, and the small diameter keeps rotating inertia low so the high-revving V6 spins up freely. When the 3.2L C32B and six-speed arrived for 1997, Acura switched to a dual-mass, single-disc design to handle the extra torque. This kit keeps the twin-disc idea and upgrades every piece of it. Clutch Masters machines its twin-disc covers from billet aluminum with a Type 3 hard anodize, and its strapped 850 design uses drive straps between the pressure plate and the mid-plate to cut the chatter older twin-disc clutches were known for. The aluminum flywheel takes weight off the crank so throttle response stays sharp.

Symptoms that point to a worn or overmatched NSX clutch

• Engine speed climbs without the car accelerating in third, fourth or fifth at high load
• The engagement point sits near the top of the pedal stroke
• Shudder pulling away from a stop, especially once the car is warm
• A hot friction smell after spirited driving or a track session
• Slip that started after forced induction or a tune was added
• Grinding into gear because the clutch is not fully releasing (often hydraulic, see below)

How to confirm the clutch is the problem

Rule out the hydraulics first. A weeping slave cylinder, a tired master cylinder or old fluid can leave the clutch partly applied or partly released, and either one feels like a clutch fault. Bleed the system with fresh fluid and check that the pedal returns fully. Then do a high-gear, low-rpm, full-throttle pull and watch whether the tach rises faster than road speed. If it does, the discs are done. Our guide to manual vs automatic repair cost explains why labor is the part of a clutch job to plan around, and on a mid-engine NSX that labor is significant, so it pays to do the job once with the right parts.

Fitment

The catalog fitment data for this kit lists the 1991-1996 Acura NSX with the 3.0L V6 and five-speed manual. The product title also mentions 1997-2002 3.2L cars, but those came with the six-speed and a single-disc, dual-mass clutch from the factory, so do not assume a direct swap on a later car. Send us your year and VIN before ordering if your NSX is a 1997 or newer, has had a transmission swap, or is a Japanese-market import. If you want something closer to stock for street use, compare the Exedy Hyper Single HH04SD for the 1991-1996 NSX. Other clutch and rebuild parts are in our rebuild kits department.

Install notes

• Use the supplied aluminum flywheel. The discs are matched to it, and the factory flywheel is not part of this stack.
• Replace the release bearing and pilot bearing while the transaxle is out. The Exedy HCAK102 NSX accessory kit covers both for 1991-1996 cars, and a pilot bearing puller gets the old one out cleanly.
• Stack the discs and intermediate plate in the exact order and orientation the instructions show. A reversed disc will not release.
• Check the rear main seal and transaxle input seal before closing it up. Oil on new discs causes chatter and slip.
• Bleed the hydraulics with fresh fluid of the type Acura specifies for the clutch system.
• Break it in. Clutch Masters asks for at least 500 miles of normal stop-and-go driving, with no full-throttle shifts or compression braking, before hard use.

A light rattle from the intermediate plate with the pedal down is normal for a twin-disc clutch and does not mean anything is wrong.

Will this clutch kit fit my 1997-2002 NSX with the 3.2L?

The confirmed fitment is 1991-1996 with the 3.0L and five-speed. The 1997 and later cars use a six-speed and a single-disc dual-mass clutch from the factory, so send us your year and VIN before ordering for a 3.2L car.

Can I reuse my factory NSX flywheel?

No. This kit ships with its own aluminum flywheel and the discs are designed to work with it. Install the supplied flywheel as part of the job.

Is the 850 series too aggressive for a street NSX?

Clutch Masters built the strapped 850 design to reduce the chatter older twin-disc clutches had on the street while keeping pedal effort manageable. It is still a performance clutch, so expect a firmer, quicker engagement than the original.

What else should I replace with it?

Replace the release bearing and pilot bearing, and fix any rear main or input seal leak. Fresh clutch fluid and a full bleed finish the job.

Why does my twin-disc clutch rattle with the pedal pressed?

The floating intermediate plate can make a light rattle when the clutch is released. It is a normal trait of twin-disc designs, not a failure.

• Automatic vs Manual Transmission Repair Cost