Spec Stage 2+ clutch destroyed in 100 miles

[buzzdave]

Hi folks, I have extreme accelerated wear on my Spec clutch - not sure what I did wrong here.

SPEC Clutch | Mustang | 15-21+ | 2.3L | EcoBoost

- Add Billet Flywheel (Required for Clutch Kit Use): Yes - Billet Aluminu..

- Clutch Stage: Stage 2+

- Make | Model | Year | Engine: 2015 2L ecoboost, ma.. SFME11-15

I ordered this for a 2.3L EcoBoost, because it was going in front of a MT82 transmission, however the motor is a 2L Focus/Fusion block. 
I estimate that the Focus ST tune *might* have made about 240hp on otherwise stock motor & turbo.

I'd appreciate some help understanding what I might have done incorrectly with the setup.  I'm about to put this clutch/flywheel on a built
2L with a big turbo and 2.3L heads at a 450hp power level.  Ultimately this motor can be pushed over 600 hp, so obviously I need to set this
thing up correctly this time 

As you can see, the flywheel friction surface was getting metal on metal contact




FW surface is about gone... in less than 100 miles of abuse


Pressure plate side looks fine except for a chunk missing 


Pressure plate looks fine (?)

[Stinger]

This would likely be best to send to SPEC as they are the manufacturer and therefore have more knowledge about such things than we do.

I notice you said 100 miles of abuse. I assume that means you didn't break it in?

[buzzdave]

Jun 26, 2024 0:58:08 GMT -5 Stinger said:

This would likely be best to send to SPEC as they are the manufacturer and therefore have more knowledge about such things than we do.

I notice you said 100 miles of abuse. I assume that means you didn't break it in?

I'd say that's pretty true. This went into an ultra light drift car. After minimal (a few miles) of shakedown driving, the clutch kicks began.

[Stinger]

Well, that's certainly far from ideal. The paperwork that comes with the clutch describes a much different break-in procedure than that. Have you sent this info/pics to SPEC?

[buzzdave]

Jun 26, 2024 12:52:50 GMT -5 Stinger said:

Well, that's certainly far from ideal. The paperwork that comes with the clutch describes a much different break-in procedure than that. Have you sent this info/pics to SPEC?

Yeah - they think something got in there and got between the kevlar FW-side disc.  He said it takes something pretty serious to do damage like that.
I suspect a little washer or something got to bouncing around.  If you zoom in on the FW side pic you can really see the tiny hammer marks.

In any case - SPEC says super easy rebuild...

[Stinger]

Yeah, you can certainly see the hammer marks around the perimeter. Surprised it didn't make a ton of noise but I guess it may have but exhaust was louder?

[buzzdave]

Mystery solved. Upon further inspection on the motor I pulled this from, the pilot bearing is totally wasted. Only the thin outer skin remains. Everything else went through the clutch :/
Question is, why did the pilot bearing fail immediately. Maybe I didn't seat it square? Since this is a Fusion block w/MT-82 Mustang transmission (not a 2.3L block if they are even different), maybe there's some issue with clearance to the input shaft. For example if the splines were pressed into the pilot bearing, it would just ream it out.

[Stinger]

I'd guess either it wasn't in the crank square, it was damaged during installation, or the depth was incorrect.