I've only put maybe 650 miles on my car, since I bought her a couple months ago. Haven't been able to drive her due to some problems. This is my first manual car and it kinda scares me on breaking in the new clutch.

I understand a lot of the ways to break it in. Keep it under 4000rpms, don't race it, don't vtec, etc. I can do that. Though, I've heard I just need to keep it under 4000 rpms only when shifting and not when I'm in 5th gear for instance. Unless they are wrong? One problem is while I do live in an area that has streets. Pretty much nothing is accessible without getting on the freeway. I know I need to do it in everyday traffic, stop and go traffic, etc. How can I do that when I pretty much gotta go the freeway to get to the store, restaurants, etc.

My engagement point on my bad clutch is pretty much near the freeplay area. That's how bad my old clutch was. Where should I expect the engagement point on a new OEM Flywheel and Clutch (Exedy)?

 

i just replaced my clutch 2 weeks ago, first time ever tackling a job that big, it actually was easier than i thought, next time i wont even need to look at any books

ive kept it under 4000, pretty easy, im sure on the highway it stays under 4 as well as long as im not speeding, guys pull up on me and want to race, and they assume they beat me off the line, but im breaking in my new Clutch, leave me be, lol

as for the engagement point, im not that experienced with where it SHOULD be, but when i bought the car 8 months ago, id have to lift up about half way to engage the clutch, i let it go out completely, then, like i said, replaced it 2 weeks ago with no problems, but nervous as hell, lol during and after doing the job lol

I installed the same Clutch Exedy, heard you really cant go wrong, especially for a DD, now when i go, i barely have to let off the pedal for it to engage, i actually stalled a few times not used to how soon it catches, and i didnt have to adjust anything

 

but i used a light flywheel, but not that light (11 lbs) not sure if theres a difference as far as engagement, i doubt it

 

I noticed with the light weight flywheel the engagement is alittle diffrent

Just break it in on stop and go traffic, just dont redline it for the first 500 miles

 

i just replaced my clutch (oem) and it engages near the top, about the same as before. unfortunately i had to sham hard on this task and didnt resurface the flywheel but i needed the car running that morning, im not sure if that makes much a difference for the engagement. btw the disk didnt exactly wear out, one of the springs popped out and lodged in the pressure plate.

 

The biggest two things to think about when breaking in a new clutch are slipping and load.
You want to try to avoid slipping the clutch, or riding it so that you are partially engaged, so that you don't create excess heat on certain areas of the clutch.

For load, that is where you don't wan't to be driving at high rpms, where the clutch has to handle more power, or lugging along at really low speed and higher gears, so that the clutch is working hard to put the torque from the engine down.

I have found that a lightweight flywheel makes it a bit tougher, since it takes a bit more slipping to drive smoothly.

 

same this happend in my prelude, but You can get away w/o resurface but you should break up the glaze as best you can. I use rolock disks if there is no major flaws or bumps or not warped

 

i doubt there's rule of thumb for breaking in a clutch,just driving with sense,don slip the clutch and you'll be fine,if u slip it once a while and it last a few seconds you'll be fine too.