XClutch 14-16 Kia Forte Koup SX 1.6L Stage 1 Solid Organic Clutch Kit

The XClutch XKHD24012-1G is a Stage 1 clutch for the 2014-2016 Kia Forte Koup SX, the turbocharged 1.6L coupe with the six-speed manual. Owners usually go looking for it when the factory clutch starts to slip in third or fourth once the turbo comes on boost, when the engagement point has crept to the top of the pedal, or after a tune or intake has pushed more torque through a clutch that was sized for stock power. It is a street clutch: an organic disc with a firmer pressure plate, not a race part. XClutch points out that organic facings drive best on the street but have limited heat capacity on a track.

What this clutch does in a Forte Koup SX

The Koup SX mounts its engine sideways, so the clutch sits between the engine and a front-drive transaxle. Turbo torque arrives low in the rev range, which is exactly where a worn disc gives up first. XClutch's specification sheet for XKHD24012-1G:

• Torque capacity: 270 ft-lb, including XClutch's factor of safety
• Clamping force: 20 percent over the factory plate
• Disc: 9 7/16 in organic facing on a solid (rigid) hub
• Input shaft: 7/8 in with 20 splines
• Flywheel step: -0.583 in
• Recommended use: street

A solid hub has no damper springs. XClutch says that keeps the disc light for less inertia on the input shaft and quicker shifts. The trade is a little more gear rattle and vibration at idle than a sprung factory disc, and XClutch notes that changed noise and vibration in the cabin is normal for this style of upgrade and is not a warranty issue.

Symptoms that point to the clutch

• Rpm rises in a high gear under boost while road speed stays flat
• Slip that started after a tune, intake or other power add
• Engagement high in the pedal travel, or a pedal that changed feel
• Judder pulling away in first or reverse, often from a glazed disc or hot-spotted flywheel
• Burning smell after a hill start or a hard pull

How to confirm before you buy

Rule out the hydraulics and the tune first. Look for fluid loss at the clutch reservoir and check that the pedal returns fully. Then do a slip test: third or fourth gear at low rpm, full throttle, and watch whether the tach jumps ahead of road speed as boost builds. Our clutch slipping symptoms and fixes page walks through that test, and the slipping diagnosis guide helps you separate a worn clutch from other drivetrain problems.

Fitment

Our listing is for the 2014-2016 Kia Forte Koup SX 1.6L. XClutch's own compatibility table shows the same part number on other turbocharged 1.6L cars in the Hyundai-Kia family, including the 2013-2017 and 2019-2021 Hyundai Veloster Turbo, the 2017-2019 Elantra Sport, the 2018-2020 Elantra GT Sport and N Line, and the 2020-2024 Kia Forte GT. It is a manual-transmission part only, and it does not fit the non-turbo Forte or Koup. Because these cars shared engines but not every clutch detail, send us your year and VIN if your car is not the Koup SX and we will check it before you order. Other clutch kits and flywheels are in our rebuild kits collection.

What is in the box

This kit is the pressure plate and disc. XClutch lists the flywheel, release bearing, pilot bearing and alignment tool as not included, so plan for those before the car is apart.

Install notes

• The transaxle has to come out. A low scissor jack such as our 450 lb scissor transmission jack makes lowering and lining it back up much safer than a floor jack.
• No alignment tool comes with the kit. Use one sized to the 7/8 in, 20-spline input, such as the 11-piece universal clutch alignment kit, and tighten the plate bolts evenly in a cross pattern.
• Have the flywheel resurfaced or replaced. A heat-checked face will chatter on a fresh organic disc.
• Replace the release bearing and inspect the fork and pivot. XClutch recommends renewing the release bearing, forks, pilot bearing and bolts with any new clutch, and notes that worn actuation parts hurt clutch feel and life.
• Break it in gently. Our clutch break-in guide covers the first few hundred miles.

Does XKHD24012-1G fit my 2014-2016 Forte Koup SX?

Yes. That is the application we list, and XClutch's compatibility table includes the 2014, 2015 and 2016 Forte Koup SX 1.6L. It is for the manual transmission only.

Will it fit a Veloster Turbo or Forte GT?

XClutch lists the same part number for the 2013-2017 and 2019-2021 Veloster Turbo, 2017-2019 Elantra Sport, 2018-2020 Elantra GT Sport and N Line and 2020-2024 Forte GT. Send us your year and VIN and we will confirm before you order.

How much torque will it hold?

XClutch rates it at 270 ft-lb including its safety factor, with 20 percent more clamping force than the factory plate. It is meant for stock or lightly modified street cars.

Does the kit include a release bearing or flywheel?

No. XClutch lists the flywheel, release bearing, pilot bearing and alignment tool as not included. You get the pressure plate and the disc.

Will it be noisier than the stock clutch?

It can be. The disc has a solid hub with no damper springs, so some extra gear rattle or vibration at idle is normal for this type of upgrade.

What should I replace while the transaxle is out?

Resurface or replace the flywheel, check the release bearing, fork and pivot for wear, and look for leaks in the clutch hydraulics.

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