Clutch Break-in [Merged 5-8]

[GSX_RCR]

Since it won't ever see the streets, how do you suppose I break it in? Dyno? Do a few "easy" 1/4 passes? Chance it and run it on the streets for a few short bursts around the block? *Oh yea, there's no exhaust*

 

[talonTSIDriver]

Just installed my new Exedy Stage 3 six puck clutch, pressure plate and Fidanza 9lb flywheel. What is the correct way to break in my new clutch/flywheel?

 

[nukefission]

Just drive it like normal. Six pucks don't need much of a break-in. Avoid going full throttle or launching for a couple hundred miles and it should be fine.

 

[prettyblue6bolt]

I recently put in an ACT clutch kit and flywheel. I haven't driven it yet and I didn't see anything in the directions about breaking it in or how to break it in, but I have read in a couple threads that you should break them in to prevent the disk from busting. Please let me know what applications this is true for and if so how to do it. Thanks

 

[blackGSX2g]

You are going to want to put about 500 city driving miles on the clutch before you do any hardcore launches or high RPM shifts.

 

[Oneavenger]

I did mine 500 miles and now im at 3k and it holds like no other.

 

[Dragon TalonTsi]

Yeah, about 500 miles sounds right.... and you got both the ACT Xact Flywheel and the ACT clutch kit... yeah, those two work together like no other... and your right, they hold and grab like no other..... just be safe to do right leg workouts too, otherwise you will be walking in circles... with that huge leg...

 

[hyokilee]

500 miles and no clutch slipping (if you overheat a new clutch, it will spot heat and warp flywheel/pressure plate, this includes WOT, because clutch isn't making full contact so full power may make clutch slip and spot heat stuff), so 500 city mileage without heavy loads.

good luck!

 

[tsiawd1995]

200 to 300 city miles is all you need on a street disk.

 

[prettyblue6bolt]

Alright thanks a lot. I appreciate it, basically treat her nicely for 500 miles.

 

[domenico_169]

K so i got my clutch installed about a week ago. and ive so far only put on about 175 miles. im going to be on the highway for the next two days and im kinda worried because i was told to break it in for 500 miles. Im gonna go driving around as much as i can today and try and hit over 300 miles. But do you guys think that 300 will be enough? also sometimes it feels like my clutch pedal gets stiff just out of random...?

 

[flinguist]

It's not just a 500 mile break in period, it's 500 miles of city (stop and go) driving. Disconnect the waste gate actuator from the turbo so you don't build any boost until the clutch is broken in. This method seems to have worked for me.

 

[steve-o_95_GST]

I just drove mine "normally" around town for 500 miles and ive been abusing it ever since and its holding up fine. By normally, I mean dont go wot beat on it, I built some boost but i didnt hammer on it or go above 4-4.5k. I broke my clutch and motor in at the same time and Ive got about 4k on both and they are both as strong as they can be. Also with the CFDF dont do repeated drag launches with it, you should allow about a 10 min cool off period or you may damage the clutch.

 

[ivj]

So today I'm putting in my Autozone's Duralast clutch and pressure plate (should hold ~250 hp) along with an ACT flywheel (nicely machined to proper step). I'm excited about the setup, but I've never put in a clutch before, and I don't know how to properly break it in.

Am I supposed to just drive really gently for the first ~500 miles, hardly slipping it at all? Or am I supposed to slip the shit out of it and do some hard launches to let it settle in just right?

Any advice is welcome!

THanks!

 

[JayRolla]

I was told when I did mine to go easy on it for the initial 500 miles.

 

[jongreene]

Easy as in, no shifting over 3k, little to no boosting ,and preferably all city driving. Then you are good to go.

 

[ivj]

THat's gonna be really hard to do considering all the extra power I have...

 

[JayRolla]

THat's gonna be really hard to do considering all the extra power I have... I hear going from a stock flywheel to a 13 lb one should give me ~20 whp with a mostly stock setup...

Very unlikely. You lose some weight so the motor can spin a little quicker and thats about it. You wont notice much of a difference. You want to keep it easy or you can glaze over the clutch and it wont work that great. Just keep it easy.

 

[99gst_racer]

THat's gonna be really hard to do considering all the extra power I have...

With your mod list, it won't be difficult at all. Just drive like your grandma for 500 miles, and you'll be fine.

 

[Blueiii]

About six months ago I bought my first DSM, a 91 TSI (fwd). The body was beat and after someone broke into it and ripped up the interior I decided to start looking for an awd shell.

Finally found one and the motor is being swapped into the new shell. When we pulled the FWD transmission the clutch as gone and I decided to go with the ACT 2600, however here's my concern.

The shop is going to tune the car so I get a baseline tune and make sure everything is running correctly. Normally when installing a new clutch it was my understanding you want to stay out of boost and have sufficient warm up / cool down time for about 500 miles? Obviously its not going to get much of a tune without boost, though thet tune is going to be on stock boost. (Alas, I have too many other mods to be able to simply run the car at stock boost untuned.)

Any suggestions on getting around this? Should I tell them I want the car untuned and drive it for 500 miles without a tune, or trash a clutch and be re-doing it in 3 months because it was glazed immediately?

 

[andymoraitis]

The problem you'll face is that the motor needs some boost coupled with hard acceleration and deceleration for the first 30 miles to be broken in properly and seat the rings which is exactly the opposite of what the clutch wants. If I had a choice, I'd set a fairly moderate boost level (around 10 psi) and break the motor in properly. The clutch may protest for a bit but after those first 30 hard miles it should still be OK. I think a lot of it depends on how much is being done to the motor and how large the turbo is. If you have a choice, break it in on something small like a 14B or 16G and then step up after the clutch is broken in.

I faced something similar to this and elected not to change the clutch and break the motor in properly. There's much more money in the bottom end than there'll ever be in my clutch so I think I chose well although I don't relish the thought of tearing everything apart to get a fresh clutch in it.

Another thing to consider is that you CAN break a motor in on the dyno without causing the clutch too much grief. The amount of stress on a clutch is VERY different when you're moving rollers as opposed to what it is on the street. If this is an option for you I'd recommend it. You can find plenty of break-in information here:

http://www.mototuneusa.com/break_in_secrets.htm

The good thing is that you can run low boost to help seat the rings without stressing the clutch as much as you would on the street.

Let us know how it all works out and good luck with your new ride,

Andy

 

[Blueiii]

The motor is actually broken in, just not tuned at all. (The motor was built and driven in another shell. The 30+ dents and massive Ohio cancer led me to decide to swap it out to a new shell.) After looking around for a few months I found an AWD shell w/ a transmission, sourced a t-case, etc.

Since the transmission was already off and the clutch from the FWD (and 2100 lbs. pressure plate) were both questionable at best I decided that I didn't want to be re-doing the same work in 2 months.

The motor is already broken in, however when it was broken into they stole my SAFC-II and UEGO and the car needs to be re-tuned. (Otherwise I hit fuel cut constantly).

I'm having the car tuned while its at the shop to make sure everything is inline before I take it back. (I had my local DSM shop perform the install for me, along with Dana High Performance Axles, prothane mounts, 4 new awd spindles, etc.) Since the shell was purchased without a motor I had no clue what other gremlins might pop up, so I wanted someone with a bit more knowledge to perform the swap and return the car in what I deem "proper running condition."

So, it definitely needs a tune before it comes back. Its going to be tuned for stock boost levels, but my question is whether tuning the car at very low boost or stock boost will keep from glazing the clutch, or if I should just assume that I'm going to toast the new clutch almost immediately.

This also makes me wonder if this is the very reason some people complain about the ACT 2600 / Spec / etc. disintegrating 5k after install!

 

[silverbullett]

Moderators; I wans't sure where to post this so feel free to move it.

I'm currently building a 7-bolt motor for a friend. It's basically a stock rebuild with the exception of 1g rods and JE pistons. My question was whether or not to break in the engine and new clutch at the same time. I looked at the merged break-in thread but my question was not answered there. I'm sure many other DSMers have done this before but, I just wanted to make sure. Thanks for any help you could give me.

 

[iziegsx]

Far from being a moderator but i can say this much. It is not a problem to do such a break in. An engine break does not have to be your standard 500 miles which everyone speaks of. Your clutch wont hinder anything as long as you perform proper maintenance on your vehicle yada yada your in the clear. Good luck man

 

[stockfornow]

Well, what about breakin-in the engine by being hard on it for its first 20 miles, but the clutch would slip, if you're hard on it...

 

[silverbullett]

The only reason I asked was because I read in one of the threads that it isn't a good idea to do them both. That shook my confidence a little so I decided to ask. Thanks for the feedback guys.