Should a new clutch smell right after install?

CerberusM5 · 14 February 2005

Hi guys,

I just had my clutch and flywheel replaced last week and I can still smell that burning clutch odor when I come to a stop. I have driven maybe 100 miles since the replacement. My previous clutch started to slip very badly and would not hold while driving to launch the car quickly from a start.

Is this smell normal for a new clutch? The dealer said this was due to leftover residue from my previous clutch according to rep. If they changed the whole clutch assembly including the flywheel, would there be any residue from the previous clutch remaining? Also, is there any break in required on a new clutch? I wouldn't think so, since you don't break in the clutch on a car right off the showroom. Thanks for your help.

Sandy

NSXWIND · 14 February 2005

From FAQ section:

"Break-in
[A/H] New (stock) clutches do get better after about a weeks worth of gentle heating up, cooling down cycles.

[BMC] I had the same thing happen to mine 6 weeks ago. After about a week of driving normally, it bedded in just fine and now it's as smooth as the original one. Give it a little while, I think it's normal behavior for the new disks.

New Clutch Smell
[A/H] The OEM clutches do really smell for about the first 3-400 miles. The proper thing to do is to drive, heat up the clutch, then let it cool. Do this at least 4-5 times with out doing any really hard starts. Clutch material is similar to brake pad material and does need to gas when new. Stock clutchs smell like burned fish."

HTH

MJK · 14 February 2005

Do I understand correctly that you are on your second clutch on your 04 NSX and you are smelling burning again? Unless you are putting on WAY more miles than I think you are, you might want to consider driving technique as part of the solution.

ChopsJazz · 14 February 2005

New clutch already?

What's your left foot doing while you drive? Is it on the dead pedal, or 'lightly' touching the cluth pedal?

CerberusM5 · 14 February 2005

NSXWIND said:
From FAQ section:

"Break-in
[A/H] New (stock) clutches do get better after about a weeks worth of gentle heating up, cooling down cycles.

[BMC] I had the same thing happen to mine 6 weeks ago. After about a week of driving normally, it bedded in just fine and now it's as smooth as the original one. Give it a little while, I think it's normal behavior for the new disks.

New Clutch Smell
[A/H] The OEM clutches do really smell for about the first 3-400 miles. The proper thing to do is to drive, heat up the clutch, then let it cool. Do this at least 4-5 times with out doing any really hard starts. Clutch material is similar to brake pad material and does need to gas when new. Stock clutchs smell like burned fish."

HTH

HTH,
Thanks for the excerpts from the FAQ. I guess I should have looked there first. :redface:

The car has just over 5,000 miles on it. It sounds like the clutch smell I am experiencing is just the new one breaking in according to the above FAQ. For a moment I was worried. Also, my left foot is always on the dead rest if I am not changing gears. I never ride the clutch.

My original clutch just gave out a couple of weeks ago when I tried to briskly leave an intersection, but the tires never broke loose and the revs just shot up to redline, with lots of burned clutch smell. This happened another time, so I decided to take it in for replacement. I don't baby my car, but I do not abuse it either. I just drive it the way Honda designed the NSX to be driven.

Stunner · 15 February 2005

Just so I know, what did the factory clutch job run you? Labor/Parts.

CerberusM5 · 15 February 2005

Stunner said:
Just so I know, what did the factory clutch job run you? Labor/Parts.

The total cost for the clutch assembly, flywheel and labor was approximately $2900.

NSXWIND · 15 February 2005

Stunner said:
Just so I know, what did the factory clutch job run you? Labor/Parts.

91 to 96 clutch job should cost you somewhere around $2000

MJK · 15 February 2005

NSXWIND said:
91 to 96 clutch job should cost you somewhere around $2000

Yup. Parts are $1100-1200 (at discount), labor is the rest.

CerberusM5 · 15 February 2005

White94 said:
Yup. Parts are $1100-1200 (at discount), labor is the rest.

Just curious, does that include the flywheel?

MJK · 15 February 2005

Keep in mind my answer was for the 91-96 twin disk clutch.
For those, yes, the fly is included for $1100-1200.
Yours (97+) is more expensive.

awsomr1 · 15 February 2005

CerberusM5 said:
HTH,

The car has just over 5,000 miles on it. It sounds like the clutch smell I am experiencing is just the new one breaking in according to the above FAQ. For a moment I was worried. Also, my left foot is always on the dead rest if I am not changing gears. I never ride the clutch.

Damn Sandy, just over 5k and you are on 2nd set of clutch...
I'm on 26k going to 27k and still on my first set, and believe me, I don't baby my car either, I take good care of it, but not baby it.

ss_md · 15 February 2005

awsomr1 said:
Damn Sandy, just over 5k and you are on 2nd set of clutch...
I'm on 26k going to 27k and still on my first set, and believe me, I don't baby my car either, I take good care of it, but not baby it.

27K, man I only approaching 9K and I've had mine for 2 years. Wow

I just realized today is my 2nd anniversary as an NSX owner!! Time to go and pamper her with a coat of wax . . . :biggrin:

awsomr1 · 15 February 2005

ss_md said:
27K, man I only approaching 9K and I've had mine for 2 years. Wow I just realized today is my 2nd anniversary as an NSX owner!! Time to go and pamper her with a coat of wax . . . :biggrin:

Scott, you need to take her out more often. Like me everyday and everywhere :biggrin: :biggrin: :biggrin:

whiteNSXs · 15 February 2005

CerberusM5 said:
......Original clutch just gave out a couple of weeks ago when I tried to briskly leave an intersection, but the tires never broke loose and the revs just shot up to redline, with lots of burned clutch smell. This happened another time, so I decided to take it in for replacement. I don't baby my car, but I do not abuse it either. I just drive it the way Honda designed the NSX to be driven.

Did you guys miss the REDLINE part?!

Steve

CerberusM5 · 15 February 2005

awsomr1 said:
Damn Sandy, just over 5k and you are on 2nd set of clutch...
I'm on 26k going to 27k and still on my first set, and believe me, I don't baby my car either, I take good care of it, but not baby it.

Hey James,
It is a mystery to me why the clutch gave up so early. I drive my car aggressively, but I don't abuse the machinery. I hope I don't need a new one until at least 50k miles.

ss_md said:
27K, man I only approaching 9K and I've had mine for 2 years. Wow I just realized today is my 2nd anniversary as an NSX owner!! Time to go and pamper her with a coat of wax . . . :biggrin:

Happy Anniversary!! :biggrin:

awsomr1 said:
Scott, you need to take her out more often. Like me everyday and everywhere :biggrin: :biggrin: :biggrin:

I agree with you. I would prefer driving her daily versus staring at her in the garage (which I do occasionally).

whiteNSXs said:
Did you guys miss the REDLINE part?!
Steve

At least it felt like it went close to redline, but with no forward motion. I sure hope I don't experience that again.

awsomr1 · 16 February 2005

Didn't the dealer try to warranty the service???

awsomr1 · 16 February 2005

Didn't the dealer try to warranty the service???
5K sounds like a REALLY SHORT time unless you track the car all the time.
I hope you got them to repair it under warranty, $3000 every 5000 miles sounds like the Ferrari's maintainess bill

ChopsJazz · 16 February 2005

I'm curious if a determination has been made as to the failure of the first and, now the second clutch. Were there faulty springs? Was the friction material gone?

I don't baby mine either, but I've got about 70K miles on this, the car's second clutch. It's an OEM unit, and I drive the car hard, but I use the clutch properly. RPM from a standing start are about 1500, I always heel and toe to match revs on downshifts (Yes, always. It's good practice.) And I never balance the clutch on hills. On steep San Francisco hills I use the parking brake.

CerberusM5 · 16 February 2005

awsomr1 said:
Didn't the dealer try to warranty the service???
5K sounds like a REALLY SHORT time unless you track the car all the time.
I hope you got them to repair it under warranty, $3000 every 5000 miles sounds like the Ferrari's maintainess bill

James,
The dealer did cover the clutch under warranty, but they originally did not want to repair the clutch under warranty. I had to explain over and over that I did not abuse the clutch. Finally, they received approval from a regional service rep who drove my car and approved the repair. If the Acura rep was not there, I don't know what the outcome would have been. I am glad that Acura stood behind their product.

CerberusM5 · 16 February 2005

ChopsJazz said:
I'm curious if a determination has been made as to the failure of the first and, now the second clutch. Were there faulty springs? Was the friction material gone?

I never saw the bad clutch they removed . I was just told that the disc was worn out and burned, as well as the flywheel. Also, my clutch was only replaced once. Thankfully.

NetViper · 16 February 2005

Glad to hear they replaced that under warranty. Now slap the turbo on there

CerberusM5 · 16 February 2005

NetViper said:
Glad to hear they replaced that under warranty. Now slap the turbo on there

Me too!

I'm kind of leaning towards the 9 lb CTSC, but I am waiting to see how the FX400 performs. It would be nice to see an overlay of the two dyno charts.

apapada · 16 February 2005

CerberusM5 said:
At least it felt like it went close to redline, but with no forward motion. I sure hope I don't experience that again.

The only time I fried a clutch, it was in a turbo car while trying to launch it during a drag run. My goal was to launch the car without making the rear wheels loose any grip. Everyone who has tried to launch a 18psi blown turbocharged car making over 330 RWHP on street tires knows it's a very tricky job. Anyway, on my 3rd run, I had the "great idea" to modulate the clutch instead of the throttle in order to keep the turbo as much spooled up and keep the boost up. Big mistake. Once the clutch gave in, there was no turning back. Everything lasted maybe 2 seconds, $1200 and 20 hours of my time replacing the clutch and flywheel. From then on I swore I'd rather loose a few 1/10 of seconds and maybe a couple of $100 in rubber instead.

CerberusM5 · 16 February 2005

apapada said:
The only time I fried a clutch, it was in a turbo car while trying to launch it during a drag run. My goal was to launch the car without making the rear wheels loose any grip. Everyone who has tried to launch a 18psi blown turbocharged car making over 330 RWHP on street tires knows it's a very tricky job. Anyway, on my 3rd run, I had the "great idea" to modulate the clutch instead of the throttle in order to keep the turbo as much spooled up and keep the boost up. Big mistake. Once the clutch gave in, there was no turning back. Everything lasted maybe 2 seconds, $1200 and 20 hours of my time replacing the clutch and flywheel. From then on I swore I'd rather loose a few 1/10 of seconds and maybe a couple of $100 in rubber instead.

That definitely is a lesson learned. I can imagine how that happened within a couple of seconds, with a high boost turbo car.

My situation was different in that I didn't realize my clutch was slipping until I noticed I was not making forward progress. Also, the NSX's relatively low torque in the lower revs shouldn't have slipped my clutch in first place in my opinion. I think the clutch was going before this event.

Should a new clutch smell right after install?

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