Spec 16-18 Chevrolet Camaro 2.0T & 3.6L/15-19 Cadillac ATS Stage 1 Clutch Kit

The SPEC SC201-2 is a Stage 1 clutch kit for the sixth-generation Chevrolet Camaro with the 2.0L turbo four or the 3.6L V6 and the 6-speed manual, and for the Cadillac ATS manual. Our listing covers the 2016-2018 Camaro and the 2015-2019 ATS. It is the kit for owners whose factory clutch has started to slip at higher mileage, smells hot after a hill start, or engages near the top of the pedal, and who want a little more grip than stock without a heavy pedal or grabby engagement.

What a Stage 1 clutch does in a Camaro 2.0T or 3.6L

The clutch sits between the engine flywheel and the 6-speed gearbox. When you release the pedal, the pressure plate diaphragm clamps the disc against the flywheel and engine torque passes into the input shaft. On these cars the release side is hydraulic: a concentric slave cylinder with a built-in release bearing rides on the transmission input shaft inside the bellhousing. The 2.0T makes its torque low in the rev range under boost, so a worn disc on a turbo car tends to show itself first as slip in the middle gears when the turbo comes on.

SPEC's Stage 1 uses a molded, high-performance organic lining that SPEC describes as offering smooth engagement and excellent life. It is the closest of SPEC's stages to the factory feel, which makes it the sensible pick for a daily driver, a commuter with a tune, or a car that sees occasional autocross. SPEC lists the kit at about 18 lb. SPEC does not publish a torque rating on the SC201-2 page, so we do not quote one here; if your car makes big power, look at SPEC's Stage 2 or Stage 3 for this platform instead.

Symptoms of a worn clutch on these cars

• Revs climbing faster than road speed in third or fourth under full throttle or boost
• Engagement point creeping toward the top of the pedal
• Burning friction smell after a steep hill start or a few hard launches
• Shudder or chatter pulling away from a stop, often a glazed disc or a hot-spotted flywheel
• Grinding into first or reverse, or a pedal that sinks, which usually points to the hydraulics or slave cylinder rather than the disc

How to confirm before you buy

With the engine warm, roll into fourth at about 2,000 rpm and go to full throttle. If the tach jumps ahead while the car barely gains speed, the disc is slipping. Our slipping diagnosis guide walks through the load test, and the clutch slipping causes page covers oil contamination and hydraulic problems that can mimic a worn disc. A soft or sinking pedal is a different problem: check fluid level and look for fluid at the bellhousing, because the concentric slave can leak internally.

Fitment

Our listing covers the 2016-2018 Chevrolet Camaro 2.0T and 3.6L V6 with the manual transmission and the 2015-2019 Cadillac ATS manual. SPEC's own SC201-2 page lists the Camaro 2.0T for 2016-2023, the Camaro 3.6L V6 for 2016-2024, the ATS for 2015-2019, and the 2015-2019 Colorado and Canyon manual. It does not fit the Camaro SS, ZL1 or 1LE V8 cars, the ATS-V, or the 2010-2015 fifth-generation Camaro. Automatic cars have no clutch. If you have a 2013-2014 ATS, a later Camaro, a swapped engine or an aftermarket flywheel, send us the year and full VIN and we will confirm before it ships. More kits are on our rebuild kits page.

Install notes

• The transmission has to come out, so replace the concentric slave cylinder now. The GM 24251196 slave and release bearing fits these manual Camaro and ATS cars, and a slave that starts leaking after a clutch job means pulling the gearbox twice.
• Have the flywheel resurfaced or replace it. On a 2.0T car, the SPEC SC20TA aluminum flywheel is built for this clutch family; SPEC does not list it for the V6.
• Center the disc with an alignment tool, then torque the pressure plate bolts evenly in a crisscross pattern, a few turns at a time.
• Bleed the clutch hydraulics with the brake fluid grade printed on the master cylinder cap until the pedal is firm and returns fully.
• Drive gently for the first few hundred miles with smooth engagements and no launches so the disc beds in.

Will the SC201-2 fit a Camaro SS?

No. The SS, 1LE V8 and ZL1 use a larger V8 clutch. This kit is for the 2.0T four-cylinder and 3.6L V6 manual cars, plus the Cadillac ATS manual.

Does it come with a flywheel?

SPEC sells flywheels separately. Have your factory flywheel resurfaced, or on a 2.0T car add the SPEC SC20TA aluminum flywheel. If the factory flywheel is cracked or deeply heat checked, replace it.

Is a Stage 1 strong enough for a tuned 2.0T?

For a mild tune it is a reasonable street choice, and it is the smoothest SPEC stage. SPEC does not list a torque rating for this kit, so if you have a larger turbo or heavy launches, SPEC's Stage 2 or Stage 3 for this platform is the safer pick.

Should I replace the slave cylinder at the same time?

Yes. It is a concentric unit inside the bellhousing with the release bearing built in, so it is only reachable with the transmission out. Replacing it with the clutch avoids doing the labor twice.

What fluid does the clutch hydraulic system use?

It shares the brake-type fluid called out on the master cylinder cap. Use the grade printed there and bleed until the pedal is firm.

• How to Diagnose Transmission Slipping
• Shift Flare vs. Slip: How to Tell Them Apart
• Automatic vs. Manual Transmission Repair Cost