I've seen several different answers and debates and some of the conflicting threads can get confusing.

I installed the Valeo SMF kit in my 2003 MCS w/ approximately 110K miles. It seems to be work very well but did take a while to get used to the difference in feel. You can also feel every little fluctuation in the throttle.

My question is about the break in period. Several times the car has felt like it is slipping just enough to be noticeable. Doesn't seem to be any particular time or place it does it. Hot / Cold / From a start / Accelerating/ Etc. Nothing huge like before the replacement but enough to get questions from the wife/boss lady. I probably only have about 300 miles since replacement. The slipping doesn't inspire a lot of confidence for longer trips and I only work about 5 miles from my house. I've kept the RPM under 4K since the replacement and haven't driven anywhere near as aggressively as I have in the past.

Thoughts? Do I just need to be more patient with it?

Thank you.

 

Did You do the replacement yourself? Did you replace the rear main seal, could be leaking on the new clutch? Maybe a little to much of that white grease that comes with it on your input shaft that got on the clutch?

 

Google break in time for a new clutch.

Could be something else but it sounds like you might have glazed the clutch.

Had a friend do it in his twin turbo car. You are supposed to not launch your car at high rpms for the first few hundred miles. If you do there is a chance you can glaze the clutch and the only fix is a new clutch.

Doesn't seem to happen to everyone but I babied mine for the first 500 miles.

 

usual clutch break in is 500 city miles with no launches or aggressive driving ant not using all available torque. then you slowly bring it up after that to help bed the material in. racing cars have a different type of break in

 

Did you clean the mating surfaces of the clutch & flywheel prior to installation?

The Valeo has a "different" feel to it during break in, but no you shouldn't be able to feel it slipping. We tell people 500 miles of city driving on the organics and 1000 on ceramics is about what you'll be looking at for break in time.

 

Did the work myself.

Replaced the rear main seal while in there. No oil leaking from bottom at tranny housing right now. Actually, did oil pan gasket, dipstick tube, and crank sensor at some time so no oil at all right now.

Cleaned the heck out of the mating surfaces w/ brake cleaner and lint free rags. But, if I got assembly lube or other contaminates on the disc will they eventually burn off?

No hard launches since install and w/ exception of one highway onramp nothing over about 3K RPM so far.

I only live less then 5 miles from my office and have about 4-5 stop signs or lights.

This is not a constant thing, and no constant time, temp, locations, etc that I can attribute it to to. Glazed would be more often or all the time slippage, correct?

I'll baby her for a while longer and see how it goes.

 

Just floating some random thoughts here.

Any other issues that would cause the car to feel like it was slipping like fuel or spark issues?

 

Drove my car Mini with a slipping clutch for months. Can't think of anything else that would feel like a slipping clutch. Mine slipped the worst while in 6th gear. I learned not to give it too much gas.

You would hear it if the engine was sputtering or having a lack of power due to fuel or spark. When a clutch slips the engine revs higher and you don't really go anywhere.

If you know anyone that drives a manual a second opinion couldn't hurt.

 

How many miles do you have on the clutch as of right now?

 

Think I'm about 300-350 on it so far.

For the input about the engine reving while experiencing slip, I'm not hearing any high revs or noticeable twitches on the tach.

Before the replacement I would get a definite slip over 4K RPM and pulling hard.

I'm going to have someone else drive it or take it by my dealer to check it out.

 

Start driving the car more often, even if it's just for a leisurely drive to nowhere. Once you have effectively passed the "break in" period then reevaluate what is happening. The Valeo can feel weird until it's broken in, a few of the cars we've done them on have had a stiffer pedal develop as well as a more pronounced engagement point.

Give it some time and check back in.

 

Well the car threw a fit weekend before last right before I had to leave town for work. Threw in the towel and limped it to the dealership w/ several warning lights, severe lack of power, and bucking the whole way. Dealership is saying it's all due to a bad ignition coil. Should be ready for pickup on Friday. If all goes well I can second guess my decision to replace the clutch for the next 50K miles.