I installed my ACT XTMM kit this weekend. It was a bitch to get it done, but it's in.

It smells like something is burning under the hood. I don't smell it inside, only under the hood after a drive. It isn't strong or anything, but it's there. The first start I couldn't shift into any gear. I adjusted the clutch pedal and it works just fine. I have read the threads about adjusting the free play and such, but I don't fully understand what I'm measuring. The clutch engages 1/2" off the floor, as I have read ACT kits do. When driving I have at least an inch or two of travel before the clutch disengages. I don't feel any slipping at all. Is this normal during break in?

Also, I couldn't have my flywheel resurfaced. The local place had their machine break down the night before I went in (figures). This is my DD so I had no choice but to use some emery cloth and do it by hand. When the clutch is cold I get some noticeable shudder in 1st gear. Once it's warm everything is nice and smooth. I didn't think a full face disk would shudder?

It took some getting used to, but it's not too bad. The pedal is about twice as stiff as stock. The hardest thing to get used to is the engagement point.

 

I know it's not much help, and I'm asking a question more than answering one, but... I know in the DSM world, you need to have the flywheel stepped differently when you use an ACT clutch - could this be the case with Miatas as well?

I'd like to know, since I'll be installing the same clutch on my car soon.

 

as you know you are supposed to have your flywheel resurfaced...gsx1992 brings up an interesting point, when i had my flywheel out i called the shop we used at work to see what he was gonna charge me, told me like $40 or something like that, they picked it up, did the work and delivered it back to me, the bill was $75 so i called the shop and he told me it was a stepped flywheel so he had to charge me more. didn't think much of it, maybe it's important, so then stripes and i installed the flywheel and my act clutch and fought like hell to get my trans back on, never adjusted anything and it's been fine with quite a bit of abuse after taking it easy for a block for a couple years now. it did loosen up and become a little easier after a few hundred miles or so

 

Yeah I was pretty mad I couldn't. I will pull the trans back out at work when I get the chance to have it done.

My biggest worry is if adjusting the pedal can cause the TOB to move too far. I read in a post that their pedal was too far out and caused the TOB to ride the clutch. I don't think the XT PP is weak enough for that. I turned the adjuster by hand, so I don't think it would be moving the PP. It's just the burning clutch smell that has me worried.

 

TOB always rides the diaphragm.

 

Yeah, but I read it could be adjusted far enough to ride the clutch. With the XT pp I doubt it could. Oh well, I guess I'll just see what happens.

 

When i installed my ACT XT, i also had to adjust the pedal like you did because i couldn't get it into gear. I also did not resurface my flywheel, i just hit it with a block and sand paper quickly.. but I'm not worried about it. All good so far.

I say you just drive it for a few hundred miles and if it stops smelling than don't worry about it.

 

My clutchnet organic clutch used to shudder as well and I did have the flywheel resurfaced. A couple thousand miles of abuse with the turbo and it releases perfectly now. I'm one of the lucky ones I guess. The smell you have would concern me though.

 

I have about 175 miles on it now.Driving everywhere I can think of. Without boost it's boring as hell. Came home and popped the hood, the smell is very faint almost not there. I guess it was just breaking in.

Also it is much easier to drive now. I can actually easy onto the pedal without lurching. The 1-2 shift is still fairly jerky, but I'm getting used to it. Overall I'm really satisfied.

 

why was it a bitch? i'm doing mine once it gets too cold out to drive. think its possible to do in a standard 2 car garage without a lift?

 

clutch job can be done in two hours with the proper tools on jackstands.

 

That ain't the norm.
My first and only time doing it by myself on jackstands took me all day.

 

first time took 3 hours iirc, then 2.5, then 2.

impact wrench with various extensions, tall jackstands, and a tranny lift.

 

I did my clutch job in a dirt parking lot with a jack, jackstands, and a bag of tools.





It took about 3 hours, and only took that long because i didn't have any ******* room to move under the car, and getting the trannys splines to line up was a bitch.

In other words: In a garage, with the correct tools, i don't see it taking over 3-4 hours even if it was your first time(was mine).

 

I guess I'm a retard then.

 

Well for one I had no room to really move. EVERY damn time I needed a tool I had to contort to get to it. My arms and back were so sore from it, but I was laying on a rough concrete driveway. Two, everything was just annoying. The PPF kept getting wedged against the trans, the shifter kept hitting the body, the trans didn't want to slide off. The job is actually really easy. Nothing complicated, it's just a pain in the ***. You can easily do it in a garage. If I had the car on a hoist I think it could be done easily in 2 hours.

It took me about 6 hours, but I did everything by myself. That means I pulled the trans off, then had to get up, lower the jack a bit, go back under and move the trans a bit, get up and lower it etc. With help would have been 3 hours tops.

 

spend 40 bucks on a nice creeper, you will not be disappointed. I can't imagine workign on my back in a garage w/o one anymore, let alone in a driveway.