clutch lifespan?

FALCO · Oct 22, 2009, 04:19 PM

Hi Guys,

Just sold my S2000 and am considering an Evo X. After viewing many posts it appears that the clutches in these cars are inadeqate. Can anyone speculate on projected (or documented) lifespan for the EVO GSR clutch with agressive street driving (no high RPM launches)? I am used to getting 100K out a clutch. Thanks!

Ltdanish07 · Oct 22, 2009, 04:37 PM

i cant speak for others. But the evo was my first stick car. Ive smoked the **** out of it on a few bad launches and i dont baby the car at all. 16k and seems fine to me. Im not making big power either. Just exhaust and cat delete.

UT_EvoX · Oct 22, 2009, 05:30 PM

I had really bad luck with my stock clutch, and I have reason to believe it was abused during test drives @ the dealership. i.e. really BAD launches by morons who have no clue how to drive.

I bought a used stock clutch/flywheel with 7000 miles, put them on at under 5000 miles and I now have 13500 miles on the car. Same driving style, lots of 2-step launches, quick-shifting, general huge amounts of abuse. The clutch is still holding fine, with almost 16000 miles on it. It doesn't burn and stink like my original stock one did, in fact I just smelt it today a little after slipping from 4500 rpm, and just for a small bit. The other one would stink for hours; I think it was just a defective clutch or it was abused early on in its life.

*knocks on wood* but I think I'll get many thousand more miles out of my current stocker - it's treating me pretty well.

BTW, this is with full exhaust, intake, UICP, methanol injection, and tune @ 28 psi with a 3-port EBCS so ~ 360-375 lb-ft to the wheels.

Guru · Oct 22, 2009, 05:40 PM

22,000 miles on mine before started slipping badly. I have an FP Red running 24 PSI. Stock cat back though so wasn't that much power. Spirited driving but only a few launches. was nothing left of the disc when I removed it.

blk-majik · Oct 22, 2009, 06:35 PM

it's REALLY variable. Some die in 1200 miles, some go over 40k miles. ymmv... literally.

my first clutch died at 3800 miles, thanks to the flywheel being hotspotted to hell before I bought the car =/ I don't think the problem is the clutch disc, but the flywheel. EVERY ONE i've seen has been hotspotted like nothing I've seen come out of other cars.

murlo26 · Oct 22, 2009, 10:05 PM

If you launch it, which is not what the stocker was meant for it will die very soon even if you do it right, however if you dont launch it will last you a good while.

I am running 31 psi (i feel like i type this daily, lol) and making 400wtq on the stock turbo, at 17k now and no problems yet. It's all how you drive it. I drive it hard daily too, only get like 14mpg at most usually.

finnns2000 · Oct 22, 2009, 11:25 PM

32k miles and mine is still going strong. I don't launch at all though...

I want an Exedy soon though.

delkat · Oct 22, 2009, 11:49 PM

32K miles on a tune and some bolt-ons (300whp Mustang). No problems with the stock clutch and I don't launch it.

evofan_08 · Oct 23, 2009, 02:13 AM

I almost have 17k miles and I'm on my second exedy stage 2 clutch!

DirtyCookieX · Oct 23, 2009, 02:49 AM

I'd say 6 autoXs and about 30~ street races

FALCO · Oct 23, 2009, 05:56 AM

Thanks for your responses! Unfortunately this is not giving me a warm fuzzy feeling.
I think the stock clutch should be able to last 100K miles with agreesive street driving and no mods. Sounds like most of you have turned up the boost and do some hard launching.

Under these conditions I think it is reasonable to expect accelerated wear and reduced lifespan. Perhaps the EVO 10 has not collectively accumulated enough miles to get a meaningful response to this question. Are there any street driven EVO 10's out there with high miles to respond?

If the stock clutch fails at under 50K this is a design problem. I understand why
Mitsubishi designed the car with a small diameter flywheel and this would certainly limit the surface area for the disc. Does the MR use the same flywheel? Thanks!

murlo26 · Oct 23, 2009, 07:23 AM

Everyone here who doesn't launch is still on the stock clutch. The X is still new man, you aren't going to find too many high miled ones.

The stock clutch is fine.

DaveGSR · Oct 23, 2009, 07:26 AM

8k, stage 1 since 1k...no issues. no launching though...just my daily driver that gets turned fast.

blk-majik · Oct 23, 2009, 08:14 AM

coming from an s2k, you might be expecting a bit much. I mean, you went from a super low torque, light weight car with crap mechanical grip, to a heavy torque monster with more mechanical grip than sports cars 3x it's price. it's a perfect storm for dead clutches. I don't think a top of the line aftermarket clutch can make it 100k miles in an evo x. Clutches dieing before 15k are a problem, but 100k is much. remember, the clutch is a wear part that serves as protection for the engine. it made to wear over time

rancornthree · Oct 23, 2009, 08:28 AM

13K miles works as new. Mine's a DD so I'm not launching it. An S2k clutch won't stand up for repeated launches either fwiw. Coming fron an S2k myself, I'm thrilled with the all the mid range torque and don't feel the need to jump off the line like I have something to prove.