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Breaking in a motor and a clutch at the same time

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Old 01-14-2014, 06:34 PM
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Default Breaking in a motor and a clutch at the same time

Once again, not talking about a Miata, apologies. BUT, you guys tend to have some of the better pools of hands on experience out of the forums i'm on. (Man, what's that smell?)

Ok so. I like to break in my motors how i'm going to drive them. So in this case, fairly hard.

Unfortunately, the clutch that should have been broken in on my last ill-fated engine, only got 1 mile of use. I was advised by the manufacturer that it needed 500-750 miles of mixed driving for break in before i was clear to give it the beans.

What do i do in this case? Break in motor by doing slow high load pulls at low boost levels? Then go back and hope i didn't **** up the clutch and resume clutch break in?
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Old 01-14-2014, 06:43 PM
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I've never broke in a clutch. Ever! 20+ years of high horsepower (relatively) rides.
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Old 01-14-2014, 06:46 PM
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Type of clutch?

I "broke in" my clutch and engine at the same way. Using your technique.

>get a few miles on it, make sure it's not going to **** oil or coolant once it warms up and vibrates a little.
>Find freeway onramp, datalog, and run her through the gears.
>Turn up boost eventually.

I remember doing a WOT pull within about 30 miles... I'm not saying i did any consistent pulls, launches, or flat foot shifting though. That came after about 300 miles.
This was on a FM clutch, so organic non pucked.

Working fine as of now.
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Old 01-14-2014, 06:46 PM
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Originally Posted by guttedmiata
I've never broke in a clutch. Ever! 20+ years of high horsepower (relatively) rides.


South Bend was pretty adamant that this clutch needed to be broken in, and i took them at their word considering they specifically told me that my prior clutch did NOT need to be broken in.

It's a 4 puck rated in the neighborhood of 550ftlbs. It's not going to be super fun to drive in the first place, i'd just as soon do everything i can to avoid screwing up the driveability further.

Originally Posted by Erat
Type of clutch?

I "broke in" my clutch and engine at the same way. Using your technique.

>get a few miles on it, make sure it's not going to **** oil or coolant once it warms up and vibrates a little.
>Find freeway onramp, datalog, and run her through the gears.
>Turn up boost eventually.

I remember doing a WOT pull within about 30 miles... I'm not saying i did any consistent pulls, launches, or flat foot shifting though. That came after about 300 miles.
This was on a FM clutch, so organic non pucked.

Working fine as of now.
It's a South Bend THOOPER STAGE 4 XXXXXXXXTREME EDITION QUAD PUCK MADNESS BRO clutch.
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Old 01-14-2014, 06:59 PM
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I had a pucked clutch once... It was the worst thing ever.
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Old 01-14-2014, 07:03 PM
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I'm not worried about it. Nor does it matter, since i don't really have a choice of a solid disc clutch that will hold this. Driveability didn't seem like it was going to suck horribly bad in the 1 mile i drove it on the old motor. Bear in mind this is a very front heavy car with no power steering or a/c in the first place.
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Old 01-14-2014, 11:00 PM
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How about giving it the beans with no boost to break in the engine, then low boost to break in the clutch?
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Old 01-14-2014, 11:03 PM
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the biggest thing teh engine needs during breakin is vacuum and varying rpm
the biggest thing a clutch needs during breakin is not to be burnt/glazed

both are fairly easy to accomplish together. I don't break in any of my motors by beating the crap out of them. Dont' care what anyone says

Last edited by 18psi; 01-14-2014 at 11:20 PM.
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Old 01-14-2014, 11:12 PM
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I dont see the problem. 3rd gear pulls to break in the engine dont do anything to the clutch. Dont do slipper launches, burnouts, or high rpm fast shifts when braking in the clutch.
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Old 01-14-2014, 11:29 PM
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Hold the waste gate completely open during motor break in. You will maybe still develop a little boost, ideally no more than 4 psi. 4th or 5th accelerating to what rpm you feel comfortable with (for pressure on top of the rings) then let off the gas engine de-cell (vacuum)back down to less than 2k rpm, repeat about 10-12 times. 90+% of the ring seating is done. you are loading the rings both ways. This shouldn't be any issues for the clutch disk material either. I recommend Brad Penn break in oil.
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Old 01-15-2014, 07:37 AM
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The least amount of boost I can run is 14psi. Just for whatever that's worth. That's my "almost no boost" amount. Which, I suppose is my problem. I'm not entirely sure i'm going to have traction for 3rd gear pulls in winter.
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Old 01-15-2014, 08:18 AM
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Originally Posted by concealer404
The least amount of boost I can run is 14psi. Just for whatever that's worth. That's my "almost no boost" amount. Which, I suppose is my problem. I'm not entirely sure i'm going to have traction for 3rd gear pulls in winter.
If your wired open wastegate pressure is 14psi, you're not going to be able to floor it during break in.
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Old 01-15-2014, 08:28 AM
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Sorry was on my phone earlier.

Originally Posted by thenuge26
How about giving it the beans with no boost to break in the engine, then low boost to break in the clutch?
"No boost" doesn't happen on the MX6.

Originally Posted by 18psi
the biggest thing teh engine needs during breakin is vacuum and varying rpm
the biggest thing a clutch needs during breakin is not to be burnt/glazed

both are fairly easy to accomplish together. I don't break in any of my motors by beating the crap out of them. Dont' care what anyone says
Yeah, thinking about breaking in on the dyno for this reason.

Originally Posted by Leafy
I dont see the problem. 3rd gear pulls to break in the engine dont do anything to the clutch. Dont do slipper launches, burnouts, or high rpm fast shifts when braking in the clutch.
Traction, etc. Might have to use the dyno.

Originally Posted by 2manyhobyz
Hold the waste gate completely open during motor break in. You will maybe still develop a little boost, ideally no more than 4 psi. 4th or 5th accelerating to what rpm you feel comfortable with (for pressure on top of the rings) then let off the gas engine de-cell (vacuum)back down to less than 2k rpm, repeat about 10-12 times. 90+% of the ring seating is done. you are loading the rings both ways. This shouldn't be any issues for the clutch disk material either. I recommend Brad Penn break in oil.
I usually try to run damn near to redline during break in. 4th gear would be about 120mph in this case, 5th gear around 160. EEK!

Originally Posted by Leafy
If your wired open wastegate pressure is 14psi, you're not going to be able to floor it during break in.

If someone could tell me how to wire open a Turbosmart Ultragate, that'd be awesome.
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Old 01-15-2014, 08:31 AM
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Originally Posted by concealer404
If someone could tell me how to wire open a Turbosmart Ultragate, that'd be awesome.
Remove the spring smartass.
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Old 01-15-2014, 08:33 AM
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Doesn't the spring limit the movement of the diaphragm to a degree? I'd prefer to not rip the innards of this thing.
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Old 01-15-2014, 08:35 AM
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Jesus, then just leave it off entirely The gaping hole in the manifold will certainly limit boost.

Or you could just not be lazy and use part throttle to hold the car at 0psi.
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Old 01-15-2014, 09:57 AM
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Originally Posted by concealer404
The least amount of boost I can run is 14psi. Just for whatever that's worth. That's my "almost no boost" amount. Which, I suppose is my problem. I'm not entirely sure i'm going to have traction for 3rd gear pulls in winter.
How difficult would it be to bolt something else to the hot side for break in? I know this would be a PITA but you still need 500-700 on the clutch.


Thread drift: Do you have a build thread on this beast?
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Old 01-15-2014, 10:03 AM
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Originally Posted by Leafy
Jesus, then just leave it off entirely The gaping hole in the manifold will certainly limit boost.

Or you could just not be lazy and use part throttle to hold the car at 0psi.
Alright let me ask a question, then: How do you break in a motor on a new turbo car?

Originally Posted by 2manyhobyz
How difficult would it be to bolt something else to the hot side for break in? I know this would be a PITA but you still need 500-700 on the clutch.


Thread drift: Do you have a build thread on this beast?
There's really nothing else that can bolt to it. Factory turbo car.


Don't know if i have a full up to date build thread anywhere. Like i said, it's not a Miata and the mx6/probe forums blow entire herds of chimp, so i tend to not bother telling the plebs what i'm doing.
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Old 01-15-2014, 10:11 AM
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Originally Posted by concealer404
Alright let me ask a question, then: How do you break in a motor on a new turbo car?
Dont buy new cars? The normal instructions written by lawyers for the lowest common denominator is to drive it like a grandmother for 1500 miles.
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Old 01-15-2014, 10:12 AM
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Does your EWG point up like it does on the black car? Remove hood, remove EWG, break in engine with low boost.

I'm guessing 'part throttle for low boost' isn't going to happen anymore now that you have the TB with the single plate, right?
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