[hotredturbo]

I was told to break my new clutch in for 500miles before riding hard on it. I'm planning to install it this week and I wanted to go to the local track on Sunday.
1. How many miles would you guys say would be the minimum before I take it to the track?
2. Would highway mile differ from city miles?
(Ie: city involves more engagement and disengagement.)
3. Can I hear some opinions on why exactly this part needs to be broken in?
4. If minimum miles not achieved before Sunday, how would you resist from taking it to the track after somebody challenged you, and temptations are high? (Make it good, my temptations are very high :evillaugh )

 

[J450N]

I dont know exactly why, but I think if you dont break it in before you ride it hard you can damage it. Someone correct me

 

[infinitezero]

Yah, unless you want to swap the clutch again prematurely......I'd properly break it in. I'm assuming that you've changed a clutch in an mr2 before? If so, then I would think that you would already know that you dont want to do that many times. lol. Wait for mister3 or someone to chime in on proper break in. My spec clutch only said "city driving for 450 miles, no launches, no quick shifts, no full throttle pulls" So that is what it'll be for a week or so of driving.

Andrew

 

[Spooling Dreams]

hotred, dont be such a puzzy.

you'll break it in on our way to the track.

oh yeah,. do you have AAA?

 

[jvillain]

There are at least 2 reasons. The first is to give the surfaces time to mate to each other. When they first come together they may not have a lot of surface area in common. As they wear they start to match each other and have more contact surface in common.

Second the binding materials need to heat cycle a few times.

 

[SpeedyCorky]

yea city and highway miles differ. they are talking 500 street, city miles. ie. shifting "a lot". and yea dont shift fast, dont gun it, dont launch hard, keep RPM's low.... breaking in a clutch is pretty boring, but very neccessary. i'd stay away from the track this sunday

 

[toyotaluver]

what if you just rebuilt your motor? and new clutch? you need to break in the motor at high speeds and like your driving hard. will this affect clutch break in?

 

[8J2_93T]

I was told to break my new clutch in for 500miles before riding hard on it. I'm planning to install it this week and I wanted to go to the local track on Sunday.
1. How many miles would you guys say would be the minimum before I take it to the track?
2. Would highway mile differ from city miles?
(Ie: city involves more engagement and disengagement.)
3. Can I hear some opinions on why exactly this part needs to be broken in?
4. If minimum miles not achieved before Sunday, how would you resist from taking it to the track after somebody challenged you, and temptations are high? (Make it good, my temptations are very high :evillaugh )

First, I would stay away from the track. You should give that clutch more break-in than that. Couple hundred miles is a good estimate assuming you don't go drive on the freeway in circles! Grin ...

The clutch has to "mate" with the flywheel. These surfaces, are never quite "flat" or flush with each other. (New, resurfaced or otherwise) Given some time and proper break-in, your new clutch "mate" well.

Hard driving without proper break-in may result in the clutch glazing and hot spots to develop on either of the 2 surfaces. Blah blah blah ... you shorten the life of the clutch and may necessitate more resurfacing of the flywheel.

I guess it is also like breaking-in new brake pads ... same concept.

Cheers,
8J2_93T

 

[mr2biker91]

Well ____!, I thought for my spec stage 3 all i had to do was no hard shifts, no launches, and no full boost in high gears on highway. I came from the na to the 3sgte, and just got to happy with the boost

 

[lDeeZ lNuTz]

300-500 city miles, no full throttle runs, keep it under 4k rpms, and try not to slip it at all. how you break in your clutch will affect it in the long run.

 

[hotredturbo]

hotred, dont be such a puzzy.

you'll break it in on our way to the track.

oh yeah,. do you have AAA?

LMAO. Good one.

Oh, would type of clutch change the break-in period? For instance, would a stock clutch require more time to break-in than a race clutch?

 

[kameleon]

I also would like to know about what if you rebuild your motor and put in a new clutch at the same time? I don't want to have to break in my motor on the old clutch and then drop it again to replace the clutch. Any info?

 

[velandia]

What kind of track? if its a dragstrip - definitely break in before going. If its a roadrace track, I wouldn't feel to bad about using it there after 100mi of city driving - you can ease onto the track, use full throtle only when the clutch is fully engaged - you dont need to shift fast on a roadrace track - use rpm matching to downshift.

Thats just me - I take zero responsibility for use of the above advice - only intended to convey what I would do.

 

[hotredturbo]

It was a dragstrip. Thanks for your roadracing input.

I just finished speaking with my cousin and he can't lend me his garage this weekend to do the tranny swap. It will have to waite until Tuesday!

 

[Spooling Dreams]

ahhhhhhh thats sucks,..... oh well.

 

[toyotaluver]

I also would like to know about what if you rebuild your motor and put in a new clutch at the same time? I don't want to have to break in my motor on the old clutch and then drop it again to replace the clutch. Any info?

good question, as i asked already, still no response, i asked the guys at alltrac.net and said you break in the motor with old clutch and swap it out :thumbdown

 

[kameleon]

good question, as i asked already, still no response, i asked the guys at alltrac.net and said you break in the motor with old clutch and swap it out :thumbdown

Not good. I don't really want to have to pull it again. Oh well.

 

[fawker]

engine break in shouldn't take long at all with modern piston ring technology. my current instructor worked for the department of roads in NE as their engine machinist/builder for 20+ years. he breaks engines in by running them about 10 minutes at a high idle (1500-2000rpm), then driving out on the road and doing 45-65-45 runs for about 10 miles. after this, he's done. this shouldn't affect clutch break in since you keep it in gear for those runs.

after your engine is broken in, then drive easy on your new clutch for 500 miles (or whatever is specified by the clutch manufacturer). HTH.

-Mike

PS - this is how i will be breaking in my engine and clutch once they are in my car.