I know it depends heavily on the driving style of owner but does anyone have some rough idea how long is clutch life of the average RX-8?

 

Honestly it all depends on how good you are to it. I've had clutches last me 1000 miles from being beaten on hard. My daily driver's clutch lasted until the motor was changed at 183,000 and was still going. Other people's experiences aren't really going to help you much here.

 

Keep your foot off the clutch unless you're actively changing gears and your clutch will last you a good long time. Provided you aren't doing stupid stuff like dropping the clutch from a stand still while at 4-8K RPM.

I have a coworker who had a family member who burned out the clutch in a BMW in 350 miles. She gets to drive an automatic all the time now.

 

there is no dropping the clutch here (the occasional burnout ) I am just noticing a change in the feel of the clutch and the engagement point. I have had other cars with manual tranies and they have lasted into the upper 60,000's. So mostly I was just checking if anyone know of any issues to be looking for with the clutch.

Thanks all for the response

 

I swapped my clutch at 55K due to engine replacement and the dealer said it had another 50k on it. Highway driving will obviously make it last more miles than city driving. What is your driving style and commute like? Are you sitting in traffic a lot always starting in first or are you mostly highway?

 

Thanks for the heads up on the clutch pedal bracket failure issue Charles.

shaunv74,

Commute is a mix of both but more in traffic (Houston TX) with is stop and go a lot. I'm at 32,000 now so I should be good for a while. What was the engine replacement for? That begs the question of what is average engine life for the RX-8?

 

That's a can o worms. There have been some replacements of the early engines due to not injecting enough oil. That's why they have extended the warranty to 100K miles on the motor. It's all covered under warrantly. If you're lucky you'll get a replacement just before your warranty is up. Who doesn't want a new engine just before you go out of warranty?

There's a bunch about it on the forum here. Search around and you'll see more info. Mazda has released updated PCM flashes that now inject more oil. The idea is that should take care of the problem. We'll have to see.

As far as how long an engine lasts...there are some folks that have over 100K already, many over 70K. Mine was replaced at 55K and others at less.

 

from what I've seen the disc lasts a lot longer than the center hub spring pack assembly

 

Yeah I've seen a few of those. That's definitely not a wear item!

 

My clutch was about 50% worn (as per tech) after 70K miles, mostly highway. I measured and I had 1.8mm of clutch material left, where the minimum thickness is 0.3mm. I don't know what they start out at stock, so I can't derive an exact percentage from here.

 

Is that total clutch thickness or 1/2 thickness (to midpoint of disk)?

0.3mm seems thin if it's total thickness. Mine had 0.309" on it (total thickness) left at 55K miles or 7.725mm. If the remaining is measured as 1/2 the total thickness then I had about 3.375mm left which sounds in line with your 1.8mm and 0.3mm min.

 

That's thickness on the flywheel side from the material edge to the top of the rivet. The rivet sticks out some from the base of the disk, so the total thickness on one side w/o the rivet is greater. I haven't measured the total thickness including both sides.

 

Yup. That makes sense. Thanks for clarifying.Yes you definitely don't want the rivets to start engaging on the flywheel.

 

After four hours and fifteen minutes of stop and go traffic in the snowstorm from the previous week (just trying to get home from work), I managed to glaze the clutch (to my great shame). The car only has 41K miles on it. I've been quoted $930 from AAMCO to replace the clutch and am waiting for a call back from the one dealer I could find that has an open service department today. Is that price on par, or am I being ripped off?

Disclaimer: I do not have the necessary tools to swap a clutch and have never done so, so doing this myself isn't an option.

 

you glazed a clutch at that temp.. i doubt it... stop an go? try 4500rpm clutch feathers..

and still was fine..

the prices charles gives are good..

beers

 

I was feathering the clutch for four hours because of the snow and having to repeatedly stop because of the backed up traffic. I never had any trouble with the clutch until after that, and when I finally got home, the car stank of burned friction material. I'd originally thought it was the brakes, from the traction control; but the first time the clutch slipped in 6th gear the following Monday, I realised I wasn't that lucky.

 

wow,

sucks to be you.. i cant say how much bad stuff i did to my stock clutch.. and it worked..

and the other stuff i did to my 85 subaru 4wd wagon.. 330k miles.. go figure..

it really does not add up.. if the tc works and you are not riding the clutch? if you are riding the clutch what is the point of the tc?

sorry, you move forward when traffic will allow..

so you are saying you inched forward the whole time? that could do it, but i doubt id happened that way..

i find this very, very odd..

sorry, just a guy that has spent lots of time is snow and black ice..

beers