Spec clutch problems..

[o.g.sk8er]

Has anyone had any problems with Spec clutches? I have had one in for about 2000 miles and something is very wrong.
At first the clutch seemed o.k. Then everyday, a little less grabbing, alot more smell. Like a metallic sulpher smell, and no it's not the exhaust. I definetly know the difference between clutch and exhaust smell.
The clutch slips very badly in first gear, emits this god-awful smell, reverse is a joke. It just shakes violently. The wheel hop I, and alot of others have experienced, is minor compaired to what this clutch does. The whole car shakes like I have never seen before. You cannot let the clutch out in second gear, without heal-toeing or it chatters real bad. This car is one big POS now, and I'am thinking selling it because I cant go ANYWHERE without this crap clutch slipping, smelling, chattering and such. I absolutly hate my car now. I dred even looking at it. I have talked to alot of people and no one seems to know what is causing this.

Now, the company who installed the clutch is VERY well know, and they do clutches, turbos, all kinds of stuff for a P-5, so I know they know what they are doing. No question on their reputation.

Please, if anyone can give me any helpful ideas, you just might save me from selling my once beloved, now total POS, P-5.

Thanks!

 

[wannabe]

did you install it yourself or did a shop do it?
its possible the clutch was a defect?

i would definetly say to get a new clutch (maybe ACT) before selling your car...thats kinda drastic...

 

[melbourne_mp5]

Hey, sorry to hear about that. I just had a spec clutch installed a few weeks ago and its pretty grabby so far. When you had your clutch changed, what did you do with your flywheel? Did you get it resurfaced or did you put in a new one?

Has anyone had any problems with Spec clutches? I have had one in for about 2000 miles and something is very wrong.
At first the clutch seemed o.k. Then everyday, a little less grabbing, alot more smell. Like a metallic sulpher smell, and no it's not the exhaust. I definetly know the difference between clutch and exhaust smell.
The clutch slips very badly in first gear, emits this god-awful smell, reverse is a joke. It just shakes violently. The wheel hop I, and alot of others have experienced, is minor compaired to what this clutch does. The whole car shakes like I have never seen before. You cannot let the clutch out in second gear, without heal-toeing or it chatters real bad. This car is one big POS now, and I'am thinking selling it because I cant go ANYWHERE without this crap clutch slipping, smelling, chattering and such. I absolutly hate my car now. I dred even looking at it. I have talked to alot of people and no one seems to know what is causing this.

Now, the company who installed the clutch is VERY well know, and they do clutches, turbos, all kinds of stuff for a P-5, so I know they know what they are doing. No question on their reputation.

Please, if anyone can give me any helpful ideas, you just might save me from selling my once beloved, now total POS, P-5.

Thanks!

 

[CustomMSP]

Not really a suggestion, but my Newly installed spec stage 2 clutch also doesn't want to grab, only when taking off from a stop though. It seems to hold OK while in gear, atleast so far. If I shift fast and hard it'll slip a little. I broke my clutch in for 1k miles actually. Maybe we need to contact Spec and ask them what's up? I was told that they're built to order, not sure if that make a difference. In my case it could also be a mess up from installing, but I hope not.

I'm with ya brother! hehe

 

[KzA]

yea I have a Spec and I love it..everyone I know with one has never had problems..maybe your just has a defect or there was in install issue..


Dont give up on your car man...It only a clutch problem...a few hundred bucks and it will be perfect again

 

[o.g.sk8er]

Hey, sorry to hear about that. I just had a spec clutch installed a few weeks ago and its pretty grabby so far. When you had your clutch changed, what did you do with your flywheel? Did you get it resurfaced or did you put in a new one?

Thanks for the replys.

I also had new a J-spec flywheel installed at the same time.

I had a good shop install all of this so I dont know whats up. I would rather not buy a whole new clutch again because funds are scarce these days. lol

 

[CustomMSP]

Which flywheel is the J-spec? From the Familia?

 

[Matthew]

i got a spec stage 3 hybrid, no sweat. sure you didnt beat on it?

 

[o.g.sk8er]

Which flywheel is the J-spec? From the Familia?

Yea..thats the one...

 

[o.g.sk8er]

i got a spec stage 3 hybrid, no sweat. sure you didnt beat on it?

I dont think I did....No launching or high revving until about 1000 mile or so....

 

[CustomMSP]

Even if you beat on it from the get go...it should still grab, but the life of the clutch would be reduced in the long run no?

 

[BOOSTR]

I run a spec stage two in my Probe and will put one in the MSP(the one for the MSP) when its time. I broke it in for 400 miles as called for and then proceeded to subject it to daily torture at 10 & 15 psi of boost. It still grabs like it is new and has over 20,000 miles on it. Perhaps its your transaxle, although that would not cause the distinct smell of burning clutch. Chattering can be caused by oil getting on the flywheel, did you have a new rear main seal put in when you had the clutch changed?

I'd take it back to the shop that did the work for inspection. Good luck.

 

[Super Matty P]

I live 10 miles from SPEC. I'm going over there today. I will mention to them that you're having a problem. There are very well known for handling problems like this. I personally have never had a problem with them. I'm also running the stage 3 with no problems....well I need a new flywheel but thats not SPEC's problem.

 

[o.g.sk8er]

I live 10 miles from SPEC. I'm going over there today. I will mention to them that you're having a problem. There are very well known for handling problems like this. I personally have never had a problem with them. I'm also running the stage 3 with no problems....well I need a new flywheel but thats not SPEC's problem.

Thank you very much Super Matty P. (rockon)

 

[CustomMSP]

I live 10 miles from SPEC. I'm going over there today. I will mention to them that you're having a problem. There are very well known for handling problems like this. I personally have never had a problem with them. I'm also running the stage 3 with no problems....well I need a new flywheel but thats not SPEC's problem.

Please let us know what they say!

Thanks.

 

[Super Matty P]

I spoke with their salesmanager David who came to the same conclusion I did.

Stage 2 clutches (I'm assuming this is what you got, correct me if I'm wrong) are a Kevlar surface and are the most susecptable to improper seating/break-in/heat cycling. Also if the flywheel is not machined 100% perfect it will chatter and have irregularities (like what I'm having right now). I wish I could help you out more but it souinds to us like it wasn't broken in correctly. This is a common problem though. You could try re-surfacing the flywheel and starting over....see if that helps.

 

[o.g.sk8er]

I spoke with their salesmanager David who came to the same conclusion I did.

Stage 2 clutches (I'm assuming this is what you got, correct me if I'm wrong) are a Kevlar surface and are the most susecptable to improper seating/break-in/heat cycling. Also if the flywheel is not machined 100% perfect it will chatter and have irregularities (like what I'm having right now). I wish I could help you out more but it souinds to us like it wasn't broken in correctly. This is a common problem though. You could try re-surfacing the flywheel and starting over....see if that helps.

Actually, I have the stage 1 clutch. The flywheel was brand new, does it need to be machined when new? It was not machined, I'm sure.

So, basically, I need another new clutch and have the flywheel re-sufaced? Great. Another $600.00 down the drain.......

Thanks for the info Matty P.

 

[Dimitrios]

Did you buy the clutch through the shop that installed it? Did they offer you a warranty on the labor? Parts?

They may have damaged the throw-out bearing or gotten oil on the flywheel surface (new or not, it needs to be relatively spotless when going on. Some stuff will burn off, but not everything....)

Personally, I'd be ranting at them as opposed to pursuing SPEC or searching on here...

Good luck!

 

[Super Matty P]

yeah, when I spoke with SPEC they said they get a lot of complaints from people who ether didn't install them correctly or seat them correctly. I'm not saying this is you but he told me if the clutch was a defect it still would've seated correctly just not held the torque...thats what they would replace.