SREETRACEGUY

iTrader: (13)

i have a 2002 formula NHRA edition with a cam and exhaust 4.10 gears and want not it dynoed 378rwhp car has about 55000 miles on it when i switched to the SPEC 3+ clutch and SPEC flywheel i gave the clutch 700 good town and highway miles to break in and with the low gears never had to slip it in town as if you could clutch felt great when to the track and got 5 passes off worst 60 foot of 1.64 the other 4 were 1.50 to 1.53s ran 7.6s and drove home were the car stayed for 2 months (i work offshore so) while i was driving my camaro ..... well decided to give the formula a little love so i broke it out cleaned it up and drove a little clutch still felt good drove it 600 miles to houston tx no problem but as i was going into galveston it started to slip well needless to say by time i got home it was toast

SPEC wasn't any help at all i mean why ahould they be they already got my money 590 + the 200 something for the flywheel
basicly 190 days i think is what he said was the warrenty and since this limited car isn't my daily driver that is **** so no help there and now the car is on the lift waiting for the ls7 one to get here ......

i know spec has clutches out there that work cause i have seen them hold however i have seen more fail so i couldn't be anymore UNHAPPY with spec and will never own a nother if i have to buy it anyways i mean i 800+ dollars for 5 passes and maybe 2000 miles before it first started slipping

THANKS SPEC

Joey@Tick

iTrader: (20)

Who are you dealing with at SPEC? They're usually very helpful. We've installed tons of SPEC clutches and had VERY few problems, and we're proud to be running a SPEC 5 in our shop car.

Keep in contact with SPEC-01 here on LS1tech, Jeremy is very helpful.

SREETRACEGUY

iTrader: (13)

Jonathan@Tick

iTrader: (5)

Check to make sure that the slave cylinder is returning all the way before you install another clutch. We just had a problem with a slipping spec 3 with only 2000 miles on it. After checking EVERYTHING, we determined the tob/slave wasn't returning all the way causing the bearing to press against the pressure plate all the time.

You can tell if its returning all the way bay removing the spring under the tob and simply pushing the tob down in an attempt to bottom it against the cylinders base. If it doesn't go all the way down and bottom out, loosen the bleeder and try again. If it still doesn't go all the way down you've got a problem with the slave and that toasted you clutch.

With a few measurements, you can determine if the shim is needed also. I've seen a couple that didn't need to be shimmed so I check them all. If you shim and it doesn't need it, you will also be "riding" the clutch which reduces the clamping ability of the pressure plate and will soon have a slipping clutch.

SREETRACEGUY

iTrader: (13)

Joey and Jonathan THANKS i will check that out asap the slave wasn't shimmed i can't say i wasn't happy with the clutch till it got to galveston and started slipping i just want to get this solved ....... i wish i could put my video of my car on here them 1.50s were great ok i'll check the slave tonight then ...... i do wish spec would of acted like they care and maybe tried to trouble shoot it but thats done now

brad8266

iTrader: (23)

If its gone after 2500 miles I doubt it has anything to do with the clutch itself.

SREETRACEGUY

iTrader: (13)

your suggesting a slave cylinder problem or master ???

odd but i've done ran up on about 5 cases were the 3+ didn't make it long at all under 400hp cars ....... weird

brad8266

iTrader: (23)

Well your flywheel and disc look like they were overheated first off based on those hot spots and it also appears glazed which comes from too much feathering of the clutch. If anyone breaks a 3+ on a 400HP car they dont know how to drive with an aggressive clutch or dont know how to properly setup a clutch such as improperly torqued PP or flywheel bolts or a not refinished flat flywheel.

Ive never seen a properly installed, propely driven clutch that doesnt last. My first spec 3+ lasted a long time and then I let some girl drive it when I was drunk and she slipped and revved it to all hell and it was slipping the next day so i had to buy a new one. That was the last time someone other than I drives the car and as long as I drive the clutches hold up fine. My current one has been just fine. I setup all my clutches myself and I am precise on everything so I know mine are done right and I have the results to show. I beat the crap out my car and my clutch always holds.

I had buddys with 600+ hp turbo cars that were running the spec 3 pucked clutches and they held up fine being beat to hell.

PewterScreaminMach

iTrader: (7)

That's good info on how to check if the slave cylinder is working properly.

badblkz

well now you have i don't feather the clutch and it was put in according to SPEC so i guess there is a first for everything and i know the clutch was drivin right cause i let no one else drive it ........ thats another reason that i broke in to it this time cause the guy that did it does great work and never had problems with him before on high performance cars but i figure if its gonna be a problem i would save a load of money doing it my self i do all the other work to the car so why not ...... are you currently running a SPEC ???

see they are so many varibles that could toast a perfectly good clutch errrrr lol

what master cylinder do you run ??? i just don't see how going down the interstate at a steady speed could do that to the clutch unless like we had talked about hte slave cylinder maybe

badblkz

sorry this is SREETRACEGUY dude must of logged in after i left

brad8266

iTrader: (23)

Yes I run a 3+.

I run a McLeod master and a new stock slave.

SREETRACEGUY

iTrader: (13)

well then i ordered a LS7 set up i'll let ya know how its holding and next i'll probably do a twin disc

Shockwave179

iTrader: (7)

LS7 won't take kindly to many launches just a forewarning.

SREETRACEGUY

iTrader: (13)

spent to much money doing the spec setup right with there flywheel and all so had to get a budget setup this time need the car back on the road and off the lift

Braunbeck

iTrader: (4)

Awe man, you're **** out of luck with the LS7. It doesn't like being warm at all, mine isn't slipping per-say, but it stinks awful on launches and when I grab the line lock.

I may be misunderstanding, but slipping the clutch when taking off and not just dropping it seems to be common practice. I used an ACT 6 puck unsprung in my Honda with Extreme pressure plate. I taught my wife to drive that car, I drove it for 40k plus with that clutch, I was also making well into the 400 whp range and over 300 on a daily pump gas basis. I guess I don't understand why you can't drive a car normal with a couple blips of the throttle and then go, I understand not riding the **** out of it, but not being able to slip it sounds odd.

js2fst

iTrader: (12)

My spec 3+ as wore out at less than 3k Jeremy is a liar and full of crap the pressure plate failed. He said it was because car had stock gears, then next time drag radials, next time my p1 on stock motor spikes too over 1000 rwhp (I wish) then he told me the plate was fine and rebuilt it and turned my almost new flywheel and said nothing would be done with the pressure plate because it tested fine, after me paying to rebuild it, I ended up with a new pressure plate because it was no good. New one is fine. But as far returning calls Jeremy avoided my calls like a weasel. Next clutch won't be a spec.

SPEC-01

iTrader: (2)

Street, I don't think that you and I talked...that being said I am happy to speak with you if you would like to give me a call. Keep in mind that you outline your issue. The clutch slipped and you continued to drive it...which caused excessive wear. It is very likely that the slippage resulted from a bearing that was riding the diaphragm fingers leading the clutch to sit partially released. This isn't the fault of the clutch kit but rather is related to a slave or mater cylinder problem. We can very likely rebuild your kit for a reduced cost which will save you some dough! Just call me and we can discuss this further. 800-828-4379 x.109.

Guys, I have done all I can to assist each and eveyone of our customers with an issue (whether it was caused buy, driver, install or manufacturing). I return phone calls (in fact I am known for returning the calls that no one else wants to deal with-one of the responsibilities of being a manager) and if I you didn't feel that I helped you accordingly then maybe, just maybe the issue was your fault (js2fst). I have never blamed a clutch issues on stock gears. Tires can make a difference...anyone here knows that. So too does break-in and driving style.

js2fst, your argument doesn't make since...if you paid to rebuild the assembly and you got a new plate as part of the deal then why are you upset. If you slip a clutch to hell and back the plate and flywheel are going to be affected. A flywheel can be resurfaced. A pressure-plate would need to be replaced (this is the way it works). I would think that getting a new plate would be an added bonus. You mention that the car is now fine...if so, then why are you so upset. That makes since...damn them and their clutches that hold...lol!

ScreaminRedZ

iTrader: (3)

I went through a Spec 3 in 10K miles, a Spec 3+ in 5K miles and a Ram Powergrip HD in 1K miles. The problem ended up being a POS McLoud master cylinder and I am running a Spec 3 again with no problem so far. I can say that Spec offered no help whatsoever in trying to diagnose the problem and pretty much didn't want to deal with me. The only reason I got another is because I found a real good deal, but for customer service I would go with any other company. Just my personal experience.

SPEC-01

iTrader: (2)

Perhaps the issue is that by "help" people frequently mean free parts (I am not inidicating that this was your deal but it is very common amongst anyone with an issue that is "the clutch" whether that is the real cause or not). What good would throwing clutch parts a problem like this do? None! If you spoke with me then I am confident that I mentioned the excessively common issues associated with hydraulics on F-body cars.

Despite knowing this, one thing that we face in providing tech support is that despite our years of experience and understanding of the way that clutches function...many consumers do not understand the affect that hydraulic issues can have and most simply assume that by suggesting that their problem is anything other than the clutch (frequently their assumption) that we are dodging responsibility. We walk a delicate line...one that is both missunderstood and often assumed to be ambiguous. It seems that many people view us as this massive business that can eat clutch kits left and right with no effect.

The reality is that we, like most manufactures, do all we can to make the product as reliable and user friendly as possible. When there are legitimate issues with the parts we help each customer to the best of our ability. But, it is ridiculous to assume that we should take responsibility for issues that are not our fault.

Ironically...it wasn't the clutch yet we are still somehow at fault (damned if you do damned if you don't much)! That being said, I am glad that you found the issue and that you have seen good results with your new assembly. Please let me know if you need anything else.