Engine Drivetrain 1st Gen Cooper S Most liked posts in thread: Clutch Options

If you are in there...

...you might as well replace the clutch and install the LSD. It pretty much all has to come apart anyway.

 

opcorn:opcorn:opcorn:
Me Too!
Jason

 

The dual mass OEM replacement made by Valeo has an organic disk compound just like OEM, in fact the OEM disk and pressure plate are made by Valeo. OS Giken's clutch disk has a metallic friction material. I do not know if Valeo's pressure plate and flywheel have been case hardened or received any other treatments (no coating for sure), but OS Giken's components have been chemically heat treated, and materials are high quality alloyed steels. There are significant differences in how the two kits are constructed, free floating pressure plate in the STR OS, pressure plate attached to the cover on the Valeo; aluminum cover on the OS, stamped steel on the Valeo.

For the usage you have described, and no mention of increased power levels, the Valeo is better suited for you. However, no clutch lasts forever, and "better performance" can be subjective when the environment is street only. I've installed and driven both kits, pedal feel is similar, click over is short & crisp for the OS, engagement is relaxed for the Valeo, the OS requires deft use of both feet to launch smoothly from a stop, but launching and backing up with the Valeo is a piece of cake. The OS STR makes metal ringing noises at idle, the Valeo has a muted rattle. One can become used to the OS STR's characteristics over time.

There is a new OS Giken model on the horizon designed to behave more civilly on the street, I just can't provide first hand experience with it.

 

Thanks Keith.Good enough for me.
Jason

 

Another difference is the clutch release bearing. Valeo's release bearing housing is plastic and stamped steel, OS Giken is all steel. The OS STR release bearing is the same one used on very high horsepower, high revving engines, it is very long lived, the Valeo's (same as OEM) has been known to fail early.

Below are comparison photos of a stock clutch release bearing for an R56 (Valeo) and OS Giken. The stock R53 release bearing is larger than the R56, so these photos are not size accurate for R53 comparisons, and the OS release bearing has a different release arm mounting method on the R53 version; it is representative for materials.





OS Giken R53 clutch release bearing below.

 

The ticking may be the dual mass flywheel.

If you are in there to replace the throw out bearing it makes sense to replace the clutch. The level of work is the same and it's no small feat. Not a DIY Day job at the next MM.org DIY Day.

Since you picked up those two flywheels from me, I'd use the OEM one if I was you. The lighter one I gave you will rattle and be a little harder to drive from light to light.

 

Making a prediction of how long a clutch will last on the street is not possible. I have a customer I told the demise of his OE clutch was eminent, 30k miles ago . Now at 150k miles it sounds worse, but hasn't failed yet.

Much depends on your ability to absorb replacement cost, if the OE clutch and flywheel are healthy, the release bearing isn't, and spending an extra $500 for a clutch kit means no heat this week, I'd take heat this week.

You're right about long distance diagnosis, more details are needed.

 

Does anybody know anything about the Spec clutches ?

 

Throw out bearings

Keith,

Late night research -- thanks for being out here for us -- I'm in the midst of clutch flywheel replacement ( 04 MCS w/85K) -- I will choose OEM style clutch and DM flywheel -- can I use the OS release bearing? OEM bearing failure is what started my trip down this road -- would like to avoid repeating, if possible, while staying cost effective with the remainder of the parts.

Thanks so much!!

 

I have the ticking sound MINIPucker mentions in post #6. It's been there quite a while, so I have kind of been preparing myself for a possible clutch replacement. My use of the car is about the same as MINIPuckers, so (since I missed something somewhere), why not oem?

 

I replaced my OEM after the T/O bearing disintegrated with the Valeo single mass unit. Ir has a more robust bearing and is less than $500. I've had mine in for almost a year with no issues. Just my ¢2.

Motor On!
Chris

 

I'm sorry I missed this question terry. The OS release bearing is only compatible with OS Giken clutch kits.

It is the same release bearing as OEM.

 

Any experience with the ACT Clutch flywheel combo?

I want something for a daily driver that would do away with the notorious wear items (throwout bearing and dual mass) and could hold more power if i see a need for it in the future :biggrin5: but i don't want to drop OS giken money on my dd.

What can the Vealo single mass hold HP wise?

What is the driveablility of the ACT? (i live in pittsburgh do steep hills and traffic are a regular occurrence.)

The act throwout bearing is all metal in the images i wonder if it is actually an upgrade? it is available for $50. Maby, that plus a Vealo kit would suffuse.

Thanks,
Jonathan

 

I wondered about the ACT too, and it is not an all metal throwout / release bearing.

ACT was very helpful and answered all my questions. Here's a run-down of what I found:

1) Their Mini Cooper clutch kits are designed to work with OEM components, including the OEM throwout bearing and throwout bearing guide. This means that you can mix-and-match ACT parts with the OEM parts, for the most part (some ACT clutches do require an ACT flywheel).

2) They include an OEM throwout bearing "as a convenience to the purchaser" with their clutch kits and do not manufacture the throwout bearing themselves. In this case, the part number in question is RB131.

3) The representative who answered my questions went back to the warehouse and physically inspected an RB131 and confirmed that it is partially plastic and not all metal, which supports ACT's claim that it is an OEM part (either Valeo or LuK, from what I understand).

Soooo, for those of us with OEM R53/R52 throwout bearings that failed prematurely, ACT doesn't currently offer us a longer-lived solution. That said, their clutches seem to be preferred by many Mini owners over the Clutch Master clutches, and they do offer a nice StreetLite single-mass flywheel which should neatly solve the "Chewbacca moan" sound that glazed OEM dual-mass flywheels emit.

I personally plan on getting the ACT HDSS clutch kit with 600315 StreetLite lightened steel single-mass flywheel. This combo has been tried and reported on by a handful of Mini owners. Most really like the setup but report some light to moderate chatter, with only one or two reports of very loud chatter, and in those cases, it sounds as if something was clearly wrong with their installations.

 

FINALLY, someone nicely explained the issue I'm hearing from my 2006 R52S with only ~50k on it. Please explain: is a glazed OEM dual-mass flywheel a fatal condition? Can you replace the flywheel with less effort than replacing the entire clutch setup, or is that an example of "you might as well replace the clutch while you're..."? I'm trying to learn all I can about this, including the efficiency/fiscal prudence of installing the LSD while it's in for clutch work.
Cheers.

 

Is a glazed flywheel immediately fatal, imminently fatal or live-with-it-until-you-have-major-clutch-work?
Thanks.

 

I've been living with mine for 60k+ miles. It went away after a while, and now it only comes back on the occasional cold morning.