KG

I had a new clutch installed on my GT500 a while ago. (The original began slipping badly at 12k miles.) After the repairs, the car went straight into the garage. So the clutch isn't broken in yet.

The replacement was an SS-Trim SPEC clutch kit (including the flywheel) and a new OEM slave cylinder.

So now that the summer is approaching, I want to start riding this car hard as soon as possible. But the manufacturer stated that I need to break in the clutch for the first 500 miles of city traffic, which sucks.

After reading a few articles here and there I learned that two things must happen for a clutch get broken in. It needs to go through several heat cycles and some adhesive material needs to be transferred from the disk onto the flywheel and the pressure plate.

Does anyone know if simulating stop and go traffic would do the trick? Instead of doing 500 miles of daily driving, I want to do 5 or so sessions of soft launches.

Basically, I would take off gently, then would stop immediately, then would take off again and stop again. After 10-20 such takeoffs I would let the car cool down for a few hours and then repeat.

Theoretically, this should be like putting in miles in the city traffic as far as using the clutch goes. So it should get broken in in a matter of days.

But I'm not sure if this is actually a good idea. Any thoughts?

snowbear

Hmmm . . . I could take photos of the clutch, but that's about all. :D

Wabbit Loc: Arizona Desert

Hey Doc .... looks like you've been reading too much into this. Most of what your hearing is a lot of whoey.

Just drive normally for a few hundred miles.

That means no burnouts, keep your shifts under 4,000. If it was done right with quality parts it'll be fine.

I'd be more concerned why yours was slipping at 12,000 miles

What was wrong with the flywheel?

BigBear Loc: Northern CT

I had the same questions before I read yours. :thumbup:

KG

The whole point is that I don't want to have to drive it normally for a few hundred miles. That's why I'm looking for a way to break it in quicker.



Faulty engineering. Ford issued a TSB for it, but since I'm going with a non-OEM clutch it's of no use to me.



The kit came with a lighter flywheel. And even if it didn't I would still change it. Apparently, the original flywheel wasn't constructed properly so it didn't dissipate the heat well enough which caused the flywheel to warp... hence the TSB thing.

Wabbit Loc: Arizona Desert

Well then Doc ....... have fun breaking it ...... in

ward5311 Loc: Georgia

I have a friend who bought a new car back in the 70's and he told me he wasn't supposed to drive it much for the first 500 miles... :?:

Pepper Loc: Planet Earth Country USA

No offense intended but you sound a little like the guy who buys a new camera and says "but I don't want to read the manual I just want to take pictures".

Wabbit Loc: Arizona Desert

Ha,ha,ha,ha

Nikon_DonB Loc: Chicago

Don't let it "slip" in between gears. Mostly you should only clutch at a stop. When you shift gears, learn to "powershift" The clutch will last forever if you do it right.

Nikon_DonB Loc: Chicago

Sorry, as far as breaking in a new clutch, just drive it
normal.....don't "smoke" it(slip it) You don't want to glaze the disc. A couple hi-rev dumps will true it up and make it grab like a bi**h.

MT Shooter Loc: Montana

I suggest using your left foot, to kick this question into a proper forum. This ain't it.

wrr Loc: SEK

breaking it in is over rated, give er hell right from the get go...it'll be fine.

MadMike Loc: SALT LAKE

I disagree, new clutches need to be broke in and fitted to the flywheel, Any slight misalignment in production could cause problems, causing the clutch to slip or burn. After 500 miles or regular driving it is matched, and all slick faces are gone. Then give it hell, and most cars need you to use the clutch, jamming gears can mess up the transmission. I owned a salvage yard, and worked on cars, it's worth doing right.

wrr Loc: SEK

Oh I agree completely, I was just stating what the OP was wanting to hear.