Clutch break in

[LeGweg]

Hi, I bought a TU 4 puck with blue pressure plate some time ago, and installed it yesterday (I know...I'm lazy). The car is a '88 Daytona C/S (guessing somewhere around 3000lbs with me in it), running 20psi, I trap 102mph with it (average, best is 104mph). Now I lowered the boost for the new clutch break in period. How many miles should I drive with the new clutch before raising the boost back to 20psi and floor it?

Hope this clutch will hold, the 2 other clutches I had before would not hold 20psi. The first one was a Centerforce II (started slipping at 18psi) and the other one was a stock PP with 4 puck disc and would slip at 20psi.

[Chris W]

Hi, I bought a TU 4 puck with blue pressure plate some time ago, and installed it yesterday (I know...I'm lazy). The car is a '88 Daytona C/S (guessing somewhere around 3000lbs with me in it), running 20psi, I trap 102mph with it (average, best is 104mph). Now I lowered the boost for the new clutch break in period. How many miles should I drive with the new clutch before raising the boost back to 20psi and floor it?

Hope this clutch will hold, the 2 other clutches I had before would not hold 20psi. The first one was a Centerforce II (started slipping at 18psi) and the other one was a stock PP with 4 puck disc and would slip at 20psi.

Five thousand cycles (clutch disengagement/engagement) are required for 100% break in. In most cases your clutch will be 90% broken in after apporoximately 150 miles of normal city driving (not highway driving).

Chris-TU

[Mopar318]

Five thousand cycles (clutch disengagement/engagement) are required for 100% break in. In most cases your clutch will be 90% broken in after apporoximately 150 miles of normal city driving (not highway driving).

Chris-TU

5k cycles???? Damn, in my neck of the woods thats going to take a couple years.

PS...Im gonna order some parts today.

[LeGweg]

Thanks for replying Chris.

I love the clutch so far, I have a good feeling this one will hold, I feel the blue PP is stronger than the one I had before.

[Reaper1]

Your CS shouldn't be 3000#'s, even with you in it and a full tank fo gas! My '88 Shelby Z is 3115# in that state, fully loaded. I would hope that a CS is 115# lighter than a Z...at LEAST! LOL

The TU clutch should hold you fine! I run 22#'s of boost(all stock engine set-up with bolt-on stuff), it puts down 291ft-lbs at the wheels, I've gotten 100mph out of it at the strip.

I personally have a TU 6-puck with a purple plate and a competition lightened flywheel...all I can say is so far it's been the best clutch that's been in the car since it was stock! (Thanks again, Chris!!) I waited about 500 miles before I tried a launch on it. It seemed to have worked becuase it's NEVER slipped on me. I've yet to take it to the drag strip, but I did have it on a road course and it was great!

Anyways, I just wanted to relay my experience and suggestion. I know it's hard to wait that amount of time to be able to have "fun" again, but it sure is a lot better than having to pull the d@mn tranny...AGAIN!! (ask how I know! LOL)

[1966 dart wagon]

Roughly 150 in town miles dang...I drove around almost 500 before being really hard on my 6puc blue pp clutch....I waisted that much time not having fun I've also had good luck with my clutch from Chris too

[moparzrule]

I usually recommend 300 miles for organic clutches, 200 for ceramic puck clutches. So Chris and I think pretty much alike there...and yes thats NOT highway miles LOL.
And always have your flywheel surfaced when installing a fresh clutch, especially when going to a different disc material.

Your TU 4 puck with blue plate will hold without blinking, it's what I had in my 88' shadow ES which weighed 3000 pounds with me in it. 6000 RPM launches on slicks and 112 MPH average trap speed, highest trap speed of 115, best ET of 12.37, never a thought of slipping. Feel better now?

[LeGweg]

And always have your flywheel surfaced when installing a fresh clutch

I did have the flywheel surfaced

Your TU 4 puck with blue plate will hold without blinking, it's what I had in my 88' shadow ES which weighed 3000 pounds with me in it. 6000 RPM launches on slicks and 112 MPH average trap speed, highest trap speed of 115, best ET of 12.37, never a thought of slipping. Feel better now?

Yes I do feel better!

One last question, this doesn't apply to me but I was just wondering what about those with dragrace only cars? (please don't tell me they baby it on the quarter mile for 200 miles )

[t3rse]

they run automatics

[86turboz]

I was actually going to make my own thread to ask this, but since there is already one here....

How am I suppose to break-in the motor and the clutch at the same time? I want to break the motor in at boost, but I wont have a used clutch that will be able to handle it... will I ruine a new one if I break in my motor without regard to clutch break-in?

[Reaper1]

Wow...what a can of worms you just opened! LOL

For the first 500 miles of an engine's life it should NOT see boost anyways! After that you need to change the oil and filter and then do whatever break-in method you desire. The first 500 miles needs to be reserved for clearance break-in and general observation of the engine's operation.

[moparzrule]

I was actually going to make my own thread to ask this, but since there is already one here....

How am I suppose to break-in the motor and the clutch at the same time? I want to break the motor in at boost, but I wont have a used clutch that will be able to handle it... will I ruine a new one if I break in my motor without regard to clutch break-in?

You run the wastegate line directly to the manifold vacuum port, this way you will only see 5-7 PSI boost, and at that power level you won't slip a new clutch and you can properly break in a new engine at the same time.
Second of all, the thing that hurts a new clutch the most is harsh engagement. So once you got the pedal already out, flooring it is OK. Just take it easy on the launches for awhile.

[moparzrule]

One last question, this doesn't apply to me but I was just wondering what about those with dragrace only cars? (please don't tell me they baby it on the quarter mile for 200 miles )

Like T3rse said 99% of drag race only cars run automatics. But for the super occasional 5 speed....Typically you will see dual diaphram pressure plates, and typically a 3 puck solid hub ceramic disc or a sintered iron disc like the rev-lok. But the key here is the pressure plate. With that kind of insane clamping force, it makes the clutch dig in more and break in much faster, just a few engagements/disengangements just driving around the pit area is probably good enough. And also the first few passes are typically taken easy, not ''babying'', I'm talking like 4-5K launches instead of off the rev limiter type of thing.

[fleckster]

Reeves, who has one of the quickest 5 speed cars, is running a 4 puck ceramic with a dual diaphram pressure plate. Lucky, his car is 2400lbs plus his weight. (slightly lightened L-Body)

Oh and thanks for this info as I have a new clutch on the way and will try and use this info to break it in. It will be tough to get it done before SDAC-19!