Clutch, low compression, losing power

['93PreludeVTEC]

first of all i think my clutch is about to burn out... i really dont know wut the symptoms are of the clutch goin bad... i feel it getting alittle firmer and its smoking at times... plus when i try to take off quik, it slips alot.. i wanna know wut brand of clutch cuz i want a stage 1... i know a place where they said $100 for a exedy stage 1... plus what do shops usually charge to put it on... my second concern is i didnt pass smog cuz my compression is low on two cylinders...the first is at 180psi...the second is at 145...third at 145...the fourth at 190... i dont know where the numbers should be where its safe... because of that im sure is why my car is running sluggish and doesnt run as strong as it did before...my guess as to why i lost compression is bad piston rings?.. does the clutch being bad have an effect on the engine not running strong? also my car vibrates alittle too much when its at normal operating temperature... the idle is at 600 or so... where should the idle be at?

[absntmnd69]

700-900 is ideal for the idle. i say that the exedy stage 1 will suffice. if u want another brand thats cool. but low compression could be caused by a stuck valve, burnt valve, bad head, piston rings.....really anything not right with the head or the pistons can cause bad compression

[Prelude13]

Yes, slipping clutch=clutch about to die
Smoking? whoa!

Stage 1 clutch is fine, Excedy is a good brand i would go with.
Shops usually will charge a little under $200 for the labor. . . depending...

Those compression numbers, they aren't so good.
They should be even across each cylinder from an average of 170PSI - 200+
It could be your rings, it could be other things too.
Do you burn a lot of oil? Do you have carbon buildup on your muffler tip(s) and on the bumper?

And no, a bad clutch doesn't really correlate to a bad motor.
One creates power and the other transfers power.

As for your idle, it should be at proper operating temperature, idle should be around 750-800+/-
It's also indicated on your hood, one of those stickers should say the idle RPM.

The vibration, well, that could be your car about to shut off from the low idling(clean your IAC valve, rid of it of carbon and let the coolant flow better, that could be your idle problem right there) OR your motor mount(s) could be broken/bad/kaput.

Good luck Luder, let us know!

['93PreludeVTEC]

thanks for the help guys.. yea my car does burn a little oil and the carbon buildup on the exhaust pipe is thick. nothing got on the bumper tho..do you guys think i should do a full engine rebuild now or should i just fix the problem?.. because eventually i want to rebuild it and upgrade components..im not sure if i want to wait till i got enough to do it and fix the problem or save up now and run my car in the condition its in.. also do you think $100 is good for a exedy stage 1? i kno a shop in LA dat sells them like that.