How long do OEM clutches with stock HP last?

[V10SpeedLuvr]

IIRC, the previous owner replaced the clutch in my car not long before he sold it to me (3-4k). I've since put 39k on it (hit 90k last weekend!). I don't race the car, and a lot of my driving is hwy miles, so how long can I expect to get out of the Gen 1 clutch? I did a search, but didn't see any answers. Car is mostly stock except the basics and headers.

 

[RobZ]

Honestly if you are not doing hard starts and don't slip the clutch excessively it should last a very long time. I'd say over 100,000 miles easily if treated right.


Rob

 

[RobZilla]

You can easily jack the car up and remove the inspection plate (4 bolts) and check out the clutch and flywheel.

You will know when it's time because it will start to slip. I know you don't ride your red one near as hard as I treat my baby so you should be good for a while.

 

[99 R/T 10]

Chuck has over 100K miles on his stock 98 I think. I could never get mine to last over 30-35K miles on any of my cars though. I guess I am doing something wrong.......................

 

[RobZilla]

If you're driving Ms Daisy around town every time you pull the car out, you can get a million miles out of a clutch. Start driving it like a man and you'll start shaving those miles off.

 

[plumcrazy]

obviously depends on driving style. i drive pretty hard and i think i got 42k miles out of the oem and a lot of them were with 856 ft lbs of torque at the wheels on nitrous

 

[VIPER BAZ UK]

Chad
Red cars always last a long time on OE clutches as they are down on power and torque....

 

[Jerry Colpitts]

Also remember that the yellow one,s are twice as slow as the red one,s Baz pointed out. He know,s firts hand how slow the yellow is......Ask him i think his 1/4 mile times are like in the high 18's....Which isn't to bad for the yellow car's...But he has beefed his up quite a bit......

 

[RedEnuf93]

I got around 40K, 2 years with 300 shot of nitrous, but 8lbs ROE killed it in one week...

New OEM clutch is in and so far over 10K, no problems.

 

[KNG SNKE]

Chad
Red cars always last a long time on OE clutches as they are down on power and torque....

+1

 

[DodgeViper01]

40K - 50K is the norm on these cars with stock horsepower.

I got 44K out of mine and Chuck told me I had about 5K miles left on it when replaced but we were already in for the slave cylinder so we replaced the clutch, flywheel, and slave.

 

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

Start driving it like a man and you'll start shaving those miles off.

LOL I'll have to remember that.

The driving Miss Daisy comment should apply to those of you who slip the clutch all the time for street smooth gear shifts or drag racers that slip the clutch at launch for better pedal modulation.

The secret to lasting clutch life is to engage it quickly and smoothly and then apply the gas. Miss Daisy wouldn't be a happy passenger with the way I drive my 118,000-mile stock clutch Viper.

BTW at 95,000 miles my 98 RT/10 stock clutch clicked a 12.0 "Miss Daisying" it down the dragstrip for the gazillionth time. I could have knocked off another 10th or so by slipping the clutch on the launch but then I'd be replacing it every 30,000 miles and it aint worth it to me.

 

[eucharistos]

LOL I'll have to remember that.

The driving Miss Daisy comment should apply to those of you who slip the clutch all the time for street smooth gear shifts or drag racers that slip the clutch at launch for better pedal modulation.

The secret to lasting clutch life is to engage it quickly and smoothly and then apply the gas.

chuck (or anyone)

i've heard this before but am having a difficult time visualizing exactly what/ how to "engage it quickly and smoothly". to me this is slipping the clutch quickly

can you describe the process in more detail, from a stop and btw gears, normal driving and spirited driving? how long clutching constitutes slipping the clutch?

hope my question makes sense,

i am world famous for my smooth shifting but am willing to change to world famous for technically correct shifting if i knew how

tia

peace

 

[1994viper]

If you rev match during shifting, and don’t ride the clutch at stoplights, it should lust a long time.

 

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

chuck (or anyone)

i've heard this before but am having a difficult time visualizing exactly what/ how to "engage it quickly and smoothly". to me this is slipping the clutch quickly

can you describe the process in more detail, from a stop and btw gears, normal driving and spirited driving? how long clutching constitutes slipping the clutch?

hope my question makes sense,

i am world famous for my smooth shifting but am willing to change to world famous for technically correct shifting if i knew how

tia

peace

Most people think they need to release the clutch while giving it gas equally. This is not the case and it leads to shorter clutch life. My best advice is to go to an empty parking lot and practice moving the car with only the clutch. Don't use the gas at all. Just put your right foot flat on the floor so you're not even tempted, don't even put it on the gas pedal. Once the clutch is completely engaged then apply the gas. If done correctly it can still be smooth.

I taught a kid this method and he was amazed afterwards because he said nobody before was able to teach him to drive a stick. Within a 30 minutes he was a pro...well, confident anyway.

 

[eucharistos]

thanks chuck,

going out to give it a try.

guess the problem i was having is when i learned to shift, you could stall a car that way (float valved carbs).

just recently learned these cars can creep without stalling (new fangled computer controlled injection and all)

if i can master it it'll be my teaching method too

peace

 

[Billy Coons]

Most people think they need to release the clutch while giving it gas equally. This is not the case and it leads to shorter clutch life. My best advice is to go to an empty parking lot and practice moving the car with only the clutch. Don't use the gas at all. Just put your right foot flat on the floor so you're not even tempted, don't even put it on the gas pedal. Once the clutch is completely engaged then apply the gas. If done correctly it can still be smooth.QUOTE]

Works good on the Viper....not on my Yaris!

 

[Disturbed]

Most people think they need to release the clutch while giving it gas equally. This is not the case and it leads to shorter clutch life. My best advice is to go to an empty parking lot and practice moving the car with only the clutch. Don't use the gas at all. Just put your right foot flat on the floor so you're not even tempted, don't even put it on the gas pedal. Once the clutch is completely engaged then apply the gas. If done correctly it can still be smooth.

I taught a kid this method and he was amazed afterwards because he said nobody before was able to teach him to drive a stick. Within a 30 minutes he was a pro...well, confident anyway.

My dad taught me the same way...but I was in '84 zuki SJ410 (pre-samuari) It had the huge 998cc motor I must have killed that thing about 500 times before getting it right.

 

[Peter Nielsen]

Most people think they need to release the clutch while giving it gas equally. This is not the case and it leads to shorter clutch life. My best advice is to go to an empty parking lot and practice moving the car with only the clutch. Don't use the gas at all. Just put your right foot flat on the floor so you're not even tempted, don't even put it on the gas pedal. Once the clutch is completely engaged then apply the gas. If done correctly it can still be smooth.

Good advice and is easy to do with a high-torque car like the Viper.

However, try this on a heavy foreign car with a small 1.5 liter engine and you will be out of luck (the engine will stall if you don't push the gas )

 

[CitySnake]

When I traded in my '01, I had reached just over 45,000 miles. Chuck Tator checked and mentioned that I had a good 350,000 miles left on the clutch.

Hey, I got an extra $150 in trade just for the clutch condition alone!

 

[VIPER BAZ UK]

When I traded in my '01, I had reached just over 45,000 miles. Chuck Tator checked and mentioned that I had a good 350,000 miles left on the clutch.

Hey, I got an extra $150 in trade just for the clutch condition alone!

And on the Ty(i)res

 

[KNG SNKE]

Most people think they need to release the clutch while giving it gas equally. This is not the case and it leads to shorter clutch life. My best advice is to go to an empty parking lot and practice moving the car with only the clutch. Don't use the gas at all. Just put your right foot flat on the floor so you're not even tempted, don't even put it on the gas pedal. Once the clutch is completely engaged then apply the gas. If done correctly it can still be smooth.QUOTE]

Works good on the Viper....not on my Yaris!

No Torque for the Yaris!

 

[Chuck 98 RT/10]

Good advice and is easy to do with a high-torque car like the Viper.

However, try this on a heavy foreign car with a small 1.5 liter engine and you will be out of luck (the engine will stall if you don't push the gas )

Not on a four cylinder Chevy S10. I taught a bud's kid on my old clunker truck.

 

[Mopar Boy]

Can I tell you how many times I stalled my sisters VDub Golf when she had it when I tried to do Viper style clutch work? Go from Viper, get into Golf.....Oh cr_p, not again!

Good idea with learning the clutch, Yaris well, no worky! Even the SRT 4 at VOI seemed underpowered! (That really was a great idea! Wonder how many times those cars were stalled in those 3 days! Take 600 people driving Vipers for a week and put them in a SRT 4! Can anyone say lack of torque!)

Was also taught on a old clunker at age 10. 1972 John Deere Diesel with a no syncro trans!

Robert

 

[AFL in NJ]

Mopar Boy,

I agree with you, I had a horribly embarrasing time at VOI X with the SRT4 in the figure 8 event....the car stalled twice for a HUGE loss.....I figured since the team mates before me had revved the engine high and slid the clutch in that it'd be really hot, so I tried to be a little gentler on it.....obviously the wrong plan.

My Viper has 53k miles on it and had a new clutch put in by the previous owner at 30k and I'm starting to get the shifter slipping out of reverse and 1st gears, so I'll have to get it looked at.

Regards,
Aaron

 

[Mopar Boy]

Glad I am not the only one who stalled it, twice!


Robert

 

[got one]

Got over 40k out of mine....

 

[white out]

If you rev match during shifting, and don’t ride the clutch at stoplights, it should lust a long time.

Exactly.

Nick