clutch break-in

[ILikeMy240sx]

Ok i have a new ACT on its way and should have it installed in few weeks.

Just wondering how do I break-in the brand new clutch?

[Zydeco]

Just drive normal, dont beat it for the first 500 miles and were talking 500 city miles. So no burn outs, no drifting, no hard shifting for awile. Let me tell you it goin to be a long 500 miles, well at least it was for me when I did my clutch. In the end you'll be very happy when you spining you tires into 2nd.

[burnin240sx]

you could do what i did. change your clutch the night before you leave for a 1000mile trip. get stuck in NY for 5 o'clock rush hour for 3 hours then stuck for another 2 hours later in CT on the parkway cause of some acadent. by the time i got to MA my clutch was broken in. and it was onlt 24 hours later.

[PhaneSoul]

lol

[UTWarrenG]

oops, i just went like 100 miles with my new one and started beating the **** outta it

[SHIEF]

Haha....reminds me.Me and a buddy were changing to a ACT clutch on his transmission in his Accord w/ h22 and put a Quaife lsd in it at the same time. He read where it said the '500' mile rule for breaking in the clutch. We get out and go down the road nice and easy, then he stops the car in the middle of the road and says: "Everything seems fine to me." Then puts the car in 1st and says: "I don't like the 500 mile rule, hell I just did the 500ft rule back there." He then drops the clutch at 6,000 rpm and away we go, leaving 2 nice long black marks. Needless to say it made noise about 2 weeks later, and after taking it apart he cracked the disc in half. So yeah...go 500 easy miles

[ILikeMy240sx]

I see... well soon after I put my clutch in I will be driving to Michigan from NY (about 650 miles)...

Is there a certain speed that I should not go over while breaking in the clutch?

[PantherRacer]

loloololololllololool yep, take it easy bro....I need to keep dat in mind wen I get my car...and new clutch lol

[burnin240sx]

also keep in mind that shold be 500 miles of stop and go traffic. my stuck in rush hour in the holland tunnel helped me as well as the long trip. i realy should have waiting til i got back to TN before i droped the clutch but i took the chance at 900 miles. lucky it's is fine, I hope. it's only been 2 weeks since then.

[Zydeco]

you want to temper your clutch, just like when you do your brakes, you want to heat them up then cool, heat then cool.

[Phax]

When I was breaking in my clutch, I would totally let my foot off of the gas between shifts. Then after the shift, lightly give it more gas. Just take it easy, and don't rev the engine over 3500 RPM or so. Basically pretend like you're a grandma, and ignore everyone else on the road who looks at you funny because you're accelerating slower than a diesel Mercedes.

[Bryan Smith]

Ive never been so light on my shifting then when I was in the 500 mi break in period. After that its back to hell.

[240Knightrider]

well my break in period lasted for maybe 80 city miles MAX. the clutch stuck so well it would spin without me trying. Hell the thing chirped in 2nd the first time I drove it. It still runs fine, but im sure its still recommended to do the break in period, but if you dont I dont think it will hurt.

The guys that helped me put it in race cars all the time and they all say there is no need in breaking in a clutch. Most racing clutches you have to pop the clutch everytime or you WILL burn the clutch up.

[msaskin]

On race cars you're generally running a puck style (be it 6, 4, or 3) clutch. In general, you break in puck style clutches fairly hard too

I usually will break in a clutch for about 100 miles or so, then let her rip. Also, those 100 miles are hardly babying it. I'll avoid going WOT and hard acceleration, but I'll still let the car get into boost, etc.

Never had a problem so far...clutches have always held, etc...

~matt