2010 V8 Engine Swap

[Farquhars12]

Hi everyone, long story but I am in the process of replacing my engine in my 2010 V8 Vantage Sportshift and obviously it would be good opportunity to replace the clutch, read hundreds of views on what is the best option and decided just to stick with a standard OEM single plate, also due to cost as I am going to be quite a bit out of pocket already. Just wondering what is the experts thoughts on replacing the slave cylinder as that’s another £600 plus and the car has done 36k miles. Thanks in advance

[LTP]

Farquhars12 said:

Hi everyone, long story but I am in the process of replacing my engine in my 2010 V8 Vantage Sportshift and obviously it would be good opportunity to replace the clutch, read hundreds of views on what is the best option and decided just to stick with a standard OEM single plate, also due to cost as I am going to be quite a bit out of pocket already. Just wondering what is the experts thoughts on replacing the slave cylinder as that’s another £600 plus and the car has done 36k miles. Thanks in advance

I can't help think that it's a missed opportunity, both on the twin-plate and on the master cylinder, as you've got to the position where the parts are ready to unbolt.

Obviously I have no idea of your financial position, but I've read that AML were selling the twin-plate clutch for the manual cheaper than the single-plate equivalent. AML would not offer the twin-plate for the SportShift, but independents do.

I also guess that if you had another failure you'd take out the engine (or gearbox and torque-tube) yourself, but that seems like a lot of effort that could be avoided for the price of a new master cylinder.

Some also say if you're replacing the clutch plate then replace the flywheel as well, in case it has blued or warped. And then there's the hydraulic hoses that can crack and perish. But you do you.

[embdenb]

You will be spending a lot of money on the engine replacement. For the price of only the parts my advice is to replace the clutch and flywheel with a double clutch unit.
Remember you have to purchase a replacement clutch anyway. Subtract that cost from the price of a double clutch unit. All installed at no labor cost. This is a no brainer if you can somehow handle it financially.

[Farquhars12]

Yes thanks, I guess that would be the best option although it was actually an article by McGurk that states not to fit a dual plate on an ASM car that put me off the idea, I am yet to be convinced and don’t really understand why a dual plate for sport shift is nearly double what a manual is. I would also require to set it up using the correct software at a dealer afterwards, which seems to be the case with either option. I will go ahead and do the clutch assembly and slave cylinder which is around have the cost of a dual plate unless someone convinces me otherwise, flywheel looks fine so may just a slight skim to ensure it’s 100% and should be good

[LTP]

Farquhars12 said:

Yes thanks, I guess that would be the best option although it was actually an article by McGurk that states not to fit a dual plate on an ASM car that put me off the idea, I am yet to be convinced and don’t really understand why a dual plate for sport shift is nearly double what a manual is. I would also require to set it up using the correct software at a dealer afterwards, which seems to be the case with either option. I will go ahead and do the clutch assembly and slave cylinder which is around have the cost of a dual plate unless someone convinces me otherwise, flywheel looks fine so may just a slight skim to ensure it’s 100% and should be good

Have a chat with the guys down at DAE, as they fit twin plates to SportShift.

I could have also said to speak to Mike at Bamford Rose, but you can never get hold of him. BR are probably the most technically proficient, offering different mass flywheels to suit the car and driver requirement, as well as a software mod to disable the insane max "clutch count" system that should never have been on the cars IMHO.

Another guy to talk to is Peter Martin at "Martins Aston Services" in Scotland. He reckons a SportShift Vantage with twin-plate can be better than a manual. I've spoken to him about me putting a twin-plate in my SSII (not by him, he's too far from me but he offered advice and opinion freely on the phone) and that's definitely on the 'to do' list over a winter once I have the funds.

He talks about it in this video he did for the AMOC - the clutch section starts at 11:00; the bit on the twin plate starts at 15:50 , but the whole video is worth a watch. You might want to skip the first 4 minutes as it was recorded on 11th November 2020 and there's a tribute to the fallen.



I'd ignore McGurk's on this issue - sounds like they're just parroting the "official" line because they can't or won't do it. There are owners on here with twin-plates in their SS transmissions. As for the price difference? I think it depends what's in the kit: some include new flywheel, clutch, thrust bearing and gaskets; others it's just a clutch

[macdeb]

Advising not to fit twin plate to SS cars sounds like cobblers to me. The only reason from memory that Aston didn't supply them was that the Vantage was coming to end of life and had only just started on the manual cars and so it went no further. Anyone with any mechanical understanding could see the benefit of twin plate in SS cars.

[macdeb]

LTP said:

Have a chat with the guys down at DAE, as they fit twin plates to SportShift.

I could have also said to speak to Mike at Bamford Rose, but you can never get hold of him. BR are probably the most technically proficient, offering different mass flywheels to suit the car and driver requirement, as well as a software mod to disable the insane max "clutch count" system that should never have been on the cars IMHO.

Another guy to talk to is Peter Martin at "Martins Aston Services" in Scotland. He reckons a SportShift Vantage with twin-plate can be better than a manual. I've spoken to him about me putting a twin-plate in my SSII (not by him, he's too far from me but he offered advice and opinion freely on the phone) and that's definitely on the 'to do' list over a winter once I have the funds.

He talks about it in this video he did for the AMOC - the clutch section starts at 11:00; the bit on the twin plate starts at 15:50 , but the whole video is worth a watch. You might want to skip the first 4 minutes as it was recorded on 11th November 2020 and there's a tribute to the fallen.



I'd ignore McGurk's on this issue - sounds like they're just parroting the "official" line because they can't or won't do it. There are owners on here with twin-plates in their SS transmissions. As for the price difference? I think it depends what's in the kit: some include new flywheel, clutch, thrust bearing and gaskets; others it's just a clutch

^^^^ This,

[Farquhars12]

Great info, I phoned Martins Aston Services today actually for some advice as to what to do after I fit the clutch whichever one I go with so looks like I would need to trailer the car to them which is about 180 miles south from me, just waiting for Pete to call me back.

[LTP]

macdeb said:

Advising not to fit twin plate to SS cars sounds like cobblers to me. The only reason from memory that Aston didn't supply them was that the Vantage was coming to end of life and had only just started on the manual cars and so it went no further. Anyone with any mechanical understanding could see the benefit of twin plate in SS cars.

And the fact that the SSIII transmission in the V12 Vantage is mechanically-identical to the SSII, and the SSIII used a twin-plate clutch as standard to handle the extra torque of the V12.

Mike at BR talks about the SS in the Vantage being originally destined to receive a twin-plate, but the the AML accountants demanded some cost savings so a marginal single-plate was fitted. I can't confirm if this is true (but sounds credible).

[Dewi 2]

LTP said:

macdeb said:

Advising not to fit twin plate to SS cars sounds like cobblers to me. The only reason from memory that Aston didn't supply them was that the Vantage was coming to end of life and had only just started on the manual cars and so it went no further. Anyone with any mechanical understanding could see the benefit of twin plate in SS cars.

And the fact that the SSIII transmission in the V12 Vantage is mechanically-identical to the SSII, and the SSIII used a twin-plate clutch as standard to handle the extra torque of the V12.

Mike at BR talks about the SS in the Vantage being originally destined to receive a twin-plate, but the the AML accountants demanded some cost savings so a marginal single-plate was fitted. I can't confirm if this is true (but sounds credible).

V12 engines are one of the most balanced configurations. Remember the coin placed on edge on a running engine.
The fitment of an after market twin plate clutch to a V8V is often accompanied by a lighter flywheel. That can result in increased gear chatter, which would not occur on a V12 engine.

In practice, gear chatter is variable between individual cars, so if it is worse than average with a single plate, it is probably wise to stay with a standard weight flywheel.

Edited by Dewi 2 on Friday 25th April 22:16