All the conflicting opinions about the stock clutch problems(?) are confusing me.

Some people swear they don't abuse it, yet it failed after 5,000 miles.

Some say they abuse it now and then, yet it's still fine after 20,000 miles.

So what's going on?

I want to buy an Evo, but I can't afford $1,000 every year for a new clutch. Sure, I know it's a performance car and will wear parts quicker than usual, but 5-20K per clutch just ain't right.

If I never, ever launch it hard from a dead stop, will it last 50,000+ miles?

Edit: As for the poll itself, I'm more curious about your actual experiences than opinions (though I'd love to hear opinions as posts).

 

Its design to go before you break your transfer case. Simple as that. Dont like it? Put in one of them big boy twin plates and watch ur case take a dump after a few hard launches.

I still dont understand why so many people dragrace this car. A mustang would have been a better choice.

No its not going to last 50k miles its a cheap clutch. Prolly the cheapest part in the whole car.

 

its the driver (in my opinion) i do hard launches (time to time) i got 13k on mine, still fine (will see for how long) Siberian: IF you are not sure about buying the car? dont buy it.

 

yeah the stock clutch is good with STOCK power. Don't expect your clutch to last until 20k with 300+whp. Thats why I ordered a new clutch now so when my stock one takes a dump I can just put the new one in and keep on trucking!!!

 

Precisely.

It's purposely the weak link, because replacing a clutch is a lot cheaper than replacing a diff (or 3).

 

Put in an aftermarket clutch... no more issues.

 

Awl, come on, be fair. It's prudent and wise to ask questions before dropping 30K for a car. That's one helluva lotta money for me. How can I be sure if I DONT ask questions? I don't mean to sounds like I'm insulting the car by asking about possible problems. It's actually kinda nice you seem to be defensive about it - it means you LOVE your Evo, lol.

I can accept that the clutch is intentionally weak so that it breaks before the tranny. I can accept that it'll start slipping early if you're into stoplight racing.

But if I respect the car, don't dump the clutch from a stop, heel-and-toe every downshift... then I expect it to reward me by living a reasonably normal lifespan.

If some of you are getting 20K+, then I guess it is at least possible.

 

Yeah, the clutch is crap. I've done just a few (3-4) aggresive launches (maybe from 4-5K rpm) and at 16,000 miles, my clutch is getting pretty crappy. Its still holding, but its gotten real chattery when cold. It doesn't take much to kill it.

 

My car has been modded since 2k and i currently have 27,6xx miles on my stock clutch

Yes i do agree its a little weak feeling but the theres nothing wrong with it. If you dont launch the car then you dont have to worry about the clutch. If you do, bend over take it and shell the money

 

That's fine with me!

The reason I'm concerned... is during my first test drive, with a low-milage Evo, the clutch slipped (burned, stank!) every time I went WOT from a rolling start. I didn't stomp it, but I eased it to WOT... and it STANK. Then I joined some forums, and saw MANY people already complaining about it.

The dealer told me "all new cars do that while they break in." Well, I've owned a couple new cars now, and never had that happen.

But to be fair, he had a 2,000 mile used Evo on the lot. So I said "OK, let me drive the used one." He agreed. I repeated the test. And it was perfectly fine. Did many rolling start, WOT runs... and it held fine.

So I'm assuming the tester was just abused to heck, even though it only had 200 or so miles. And I guess the used one had a good owner

And I'd be a VERY good owner

 

Damn thats not normal at all

Yeah if it was a tester then that doesnt surprise me very much

There is nothing wrong with the stock clutch, its just a little weak but can easily handle the car's stock power given it's driven correctly


A clutch line will make it feel a little better

 

11k miles - one trip to the drap strip - it's good as new still.

Just depends on what you get I guess.

 

I've got a **** load of "launches" between street (by my self mostly... believe it or not), Auto X, and about 8 drag stip launches in less than a half hour (running the Works P1/P2 flash and a forge DV). I'm at about 22k now and the OE clutch is going strong (it's got all the shift bushings (now), fluids, and clutch line changed fairly early on... and it shifts "like butter" now). I'm more inclined to say that it is not driver error, but "driving style" that's killing these clutches. Barring the masses who's driving style fits the OE set up just fine, but removing the restrictor in the slave cylinder will either save your clutch, or could kill your drive train on an OE clutch (depending on your "driving style"). People get all up in arms when others say this, but the more you read, the more it seems true. I burned my clutch a little early on due to my driving style... so I adjusted it to fit ME with the restrictor removal, change to Syncroshift fluid, and braided line. Walla! Now the car fits ME.

PS don't forget that these "mods" will most likely void your warranty with ...

 

The clutches 99% failure rate is the driver. Buy a slushbox econo junker if you can't drive. All the whining in here about this topic is making me ill from the repeticious cry babies who believe they are racing Top Fuel dragsters.

 

Remove the restrictor and have fun. With the restrictor in the clutch will engage abnormally resulting in the clutch slipping and smelling. Without the restrictor the clutch engages like it should. Mine chatters a bit when it's cold, but it doesn't slip after 16.5k miles, 3 track days, 3 auto-x events, and 25+ dragstrip passes.