SPEC stage III issues! are these things CRAP?
10-03-2003, 11:06 AM
#1
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Join Date: May 2000
Location: Sturtevant, WI
Posts: 633
SPEC stage III issues! are these things CRAP?
I dropped a fresh 383 with all the goodies on it in my car this spring (6,000 miles ago) along with a resurfaced flywheel and a SPEC stage III carbon setup. so then two weeks ago the pedal goes completely mushy and the clutch was totally whacked. I'm thinking it's the stock master and slave cylinder. So i bought parts from Summit. Well i climbed under my car two days ago, and pulled the slave only to have 3 small pieces of metal fall into my hand from the slave housing adapter. They look like 3 pieces of some sort of retaining ring, but i can't go pointing fingers yet until i take the splash pan off and the tranny and take a real look around. Anybody wanna make some predictions about this before I rip it apart? Are there any known weak parts in the SPEC clutches i should be aware of?? I did a lot of research on it before i bought it and i thought the Star brand were pretty good for our cars. I don't want to get into a BRAND debate here i just want some advice. By the way, i went ahead and put the new hydraulics in and there's still no pedal. However i'm pretty sure the system is not completely bled all the way. Still i might as well not bother putting it back together until i figure out where these 3 pieces of mystery metal came from
10-03-2003, 12:02 PM
#2
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Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: Bay Area, CA, USA
Posts: 1,967
I knew this guy with an 11 second MR2 and he did not tighten his flywheel bolts enough and two of them back out and messed **** up. I would just take the tranny out if you can't find anything conclusive in the pan.
10-03-2003, 12:58 PM
#3
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Join Date: May 2002
Posts: 1,475
I've heard a lot of problem's about them in the past. I have a Stage III that I got like 3 month's ago and I LOVE IT. It's their NEWER one that their putting out now, it's a 4 puck sprung disc with creamic and kevlar mix. Been pulling 1.4's and 1.5's at the track with it and it's holding like a beauty 
Their service is EXCELLENT, if it is the clutch, just give them a call and they will take car of you
Their service is EXCELLENT, if it is the clutch, just give them a call and they will take car of you
10-03-2003, 01:07 PM
#4
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Join Date: Oct 2001
Location: newton, kansas, USA
Posts: 6,070
i have always heard bad things about their clutches on here especially the stage III. I have also heard they have great customer service too and will alway fix your old clutch if it goes to he!!. Only thing is who likes pulling their tranny that much.
10-03-2003, 01:56 PM
#6
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Join Date: May 2002
Location: Saskatchewan, Canada
Posts: 1,025
Well since the clutch pedal went mushy I'm going to guess it has nothing to do with the pressure plate or clutch disc. If you put the car in gear and start it does the car pull forward?
Its either the Throwout bearing came apart, or you broke/bent your clutch fork. One thing you have to watch on these clutches is the springs popping out of the disc. Happened to me
So SPEC replaced it free. My advice, get a new bushing that goes in the middle of the flywheel while its out.
Oh my clutch is a SPEC Stage III ceramic. 6 puck design, awesome clutch i luv it!
Its either the Throwout bearing came apart, or you broke/bent your clutch fork. One thing you have to watch on these clutches is the springs popping out of the disc. Happened to me
So SPEC replaced it free. My advice, get a new bushing that goes in the middle of the flywheel while its out. Oh my clutch is a SPEC Stage III ceramic. 6 puck design, awesome clutch i luv it!
10-03-2003, 02:00 PM
#7
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Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Toledo, OH
Posts: 1,639
Sounds like if theres no pedal it might have been part of the throw out bearing on the pressure plate. Just a guess. Also I had a stage 3 kevlar in my car for about 15k and I pulled it out and it was almost gone, actually grinding into my billet flywheel with the rivets, called spec they sent me a brand new ceramic unit, disk, pressure plate, and the tool for $100 since i had used it.
10-05-2003, 08:44 PM
#8
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Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Glendale, AZ USA
Posts: 56
hey hsyr......how long did it take to break in your Stage III?
I have one with their new X-pad and I've got about 260 miles
on it so far. It still chatters quite a bit, especially if I have to
downshift. It will usually set off the ABS light. I'm not griping, since the sheet that comes with it says it takes about 450-500 mi to break it in. I was just curious as to how much yours settled down after it broke in.
I have one with their new X-pad and I've got about 260 miles
on it so far. It still chatters quite a bit, especially if I have to
downshift. It will usually set off the ABS light. I'm not griping, since the sheet that comes with it says it takes about 450-500 mi to break it in. I was just curious as to how much yours settled down after it broke in.
10-05-2003, 09:16 PM
#9
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Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Toledo, OH
Posts: 1,639
Mine was pretty bad for about 600 miles, you just have to suck it up, it sucks, it smooths way out after that though, you still cant slip it like you can a stocker, you have to kind of just drop it and get movin.
10-05-2003, 09:33 PM
#10
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Join Date: May 2002
Location: Saskatchewan, Canada
Posts: 1,025
Mine chattered pretty good for the first 500-700 miles. After that it 'seemed' to go away. Personally, the chatter never really goes away, you just learn how to slip it. One thing I hate about these clutches though is that when you goto another vehicle with a stock clutch it is very akward driving it. Just give it time and it will get better. 
10-05-2003, 10:51 PM
#11
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Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Glendale, AZ USA
Posts: 56
Oh, I know it will get better. I have a Centerforce in my Trans
Am that chattered a bit when I first got it, even though it's not very aggressive. The break in period is sort of like a 'driver needs to get used to a performance clutch' period too. If it gets to where downshifts aren't quite as traumatic I'll be happy.
Am that chattered a bit when I first got it, even though it's not very aggressive. The break in period is sort of like a 'driver needs to get used to a performance clutch' period too. If it gets to where downshifts aren't quite as traumatic I'll be happy.
10-06-2003, 12:13 AM
#12
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Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Louisville KY
Posts: 1,332
Spec uses very tiny springs in their clutches, at least in their 6-puck Stage 3. Went through 1 from Sept to Jan (caused by bad pilot bearing and tranny) rebuilt everything with pilot bushing instead of bearing so less play, then in July went through another one, both times blowing the springs. Had the transmission checked for excessive play or runout, was still within specs, did some research, made some calls, turns out, Spec uses the SAME spring center hubs from their 4-cyl clutches as on their LT1 clutches. Didn't believe local clutch shop till he showed me them side by side. Made in China part also.
No more Spec for me, going to get something that holds up next time. This was on a basically stock daily driven car with only intake and catback mods and NO track time or racing.
No more Spec for me, going to get something that holds up next time. This was on a basically stock daily driven car with only intake and catback mods and NO track time or racing.
10-06-2003, 03:07 AM
#13
Originally posted by Chad96SS
The break in period is sort of like a 'driver needs to get used to a performance clutch' period too.
The break in period is sort of like a 'driver needs to get used to a performance clutch' period too.
I barely have 25 Miles on my ENTIRE drivetrain and I couldn't agree with you more. I just love the feeling of the SPEC grab smoother and smoother with each cruise.
Lovin' it.
Ruben F.
10-08-2003, 11:37 AM
#15
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Join Date: Mar 1999
Location: Berkeley Spgs, WVA
Posts: 245
dbusch22,
When you replaced your clutch, did you use the Pilot bearing or brass bushing? Also was the clutch disk the New design or the old design?
Last year I had the same issue with My SPEC3 Carbon and what I found was I had clutch pucks come apart as well as the Pilot Bearing was disintegrated. Which came first or was the root cause, I don't know, but both of these pieces have proved to be
weak links.
SPEC replaced my clutch setup with a NEW styled design, and I went back to the OEM Brass Bushing. Several thousand miles later, no issues and it still grabs bigtime.
When you replaced your clutch, did you use the Pilot bearing or brass bushing? Also was the clutch disk the New design or the old design?
Last year I had the same issue with My SPEC3 Carbon and what I found was I had clutch pucks come apart as well as the Pilot Bearing was disintegrated. Which came first or was the root cause, I don't know, but both of these pieces have proved to be
weak links.
SPEC replaced my clutch setup with a NEW styled design, and I went back to the OEM Brass Bushing. Several thousand miles later, no issues and it still grabs bigtime.