So I broke my spec clutch with 12k miles on it *pics*
 

Ive never tracked my car, launched it, auto-x'd it, nothing. Some spirited driving here and there, but nothing to really cause this. Installed to torque specifications and double-checked torque at 5k miles. Ive driven a variety of pucked clutchs. This was one of the worst. I like my friends solid 6 puck better than this. This thing moves the engagement point on the pedal up and down between 1-1.5" all the time.

Im driving from my new apt (which thankfully has an attached garage) to my old apartment and slow down for a truck in front of me making a turn. I downshift to 2nd like I would any other day, give it enough gas to build all of 5psi, and go to shift into 3rd at about 5k rpms. About halfway through the stroke the pedal crunches then drops flat to the floor, and locks me out of all the gears. Now, I’m not in a good situation here, cruising down a road with the only place I can fix this car about 10mins in the other direction. I coast to the intersection ahead pumping the clutch and trying to rev it to get it to go into 1st. I grind it, but manage to get it into gear while I’m waiting to make my turn. Coming out of 1st had to be the most difficult thing I’ve ever done. The clutch started to grab, then it totally let go, then it slipped horribly and let out this shrieky metallic noise. At that point I knew something was seriously wrong and I needed to get home ASAP. Sadly, I had to go through this ordeal of shifting again. Got up to about 6k in first and pushed the pedal again. This time it resisted, then dropped, then started pulsating (like I was pushing against crunching metal). I skipped 2nd and went strait for 3rd. I tried to just pop the clutch but it slipped again, this time worse than the first, the whole while giving me that wonderful metal shrieking noise. I drove the rest of the drive in 3rd, speeding and running a red light and a stop sign on the way. I got stopped by the gate at my apt complex and had to shift back into 1st. Same ordeal as before, except now my pedal was shaking as I pushed it in. I drove through the complex in 1st gear and killed it at my garage door, where I pushed it in. I hope the pics help. Im glad the spring fell to the pressure plate side and not the flywheel side. Obviously I glazed the hell out of the flywheel on my way to the garage though.


Cliffs - Spring fell out of clutch, jammed in pressure plate, I glazed the shit out of the clutch and drove the whole way back home in 3rd gear. 12k miles on an untracked clutch. Spec sucks.

Pressure plate side -

http://home.satx.rr.com/mr3plus1/Brokenspec3.jpg

Flywheel side -

http://home.satx.rr.com/mr3plus1/Brokenspec4.jpg

warranty?

Its not under the little warrenty it came with anymore, but its obvious its a manufactor flaw. Ive talked to several others who had it break the EXACT same way on a variety of different cars. Ive called spec, and emailed one of their tech guys, but have gotten no response. I had to call him back just to get him to look at the email. He said he'd call right back. That was a couple hours ago. I doubt Im gonna get anything out of it. I just want someone to bitch at.

What were the tq specs you were using and why did you check them at 5K miles? was there a problem?

I torqued it on to the specs that came with the clutch. You know, its funny now that I think about it. About 5k miles after I installed it I noticed that, on occasion, it would make a metalic squeek coming out of 1st gear. I thought I was hearing the clutch backing off the flywheel, so I got under it and checked the torque through the plate on the bottom. Everything was still on perfect and looked great. I wonder if I was hearing the spring loose inside its little holder.

I dont think my spec clutch came with tq specs....do you know how many ftlbs you tqed too?

Damn man that suckksssss.

Hrm...maybe my flywheel came with torque specs and not my clutch. If thats the case then I torqued it on at the torque specs the rx7 manual states. Overtorqueing it would lead to a glazed over clutch or pressure plate failure anyways, not this.

It also causes the clutch to sound bad. The glazing over it can cause is from rubbing which causes tons of heat and can cause the springs to collapse and fall out.

The reason I ask all this is because my first Spec was installed at a shop that just decided to tq the hell out of it and it ruined the clutch in a very similar way to yours. On my second one I installed it to mazda tq specs which is around 20-25lbs and it was find even with a lot of abuse.

and btw - my first one that got all screwed up, they replaced it for free. Dont know how old yours is though....might was only a few months before it broke down.

Stephen

I torqued it down to whatever specs where in the workshop manual I have download on my computer. It wasnt overtorqued for damn sure.

Do yourself a favor and buy an ACT street/strip setup. I've had 3 of the same setup on three of my cars. Best clutch I've ever felt or driven. Before I put the ACT street/strip in my old car, I had a Clutchmasters, and an ACT 6-puck. Clutchmasters was weak as hell and slipped, 6-puck was way to harsh and eventually destroyed the tranny in my old car from shock of shifting and trying to drive.

get a tow truck you dangerous fuck

lol serious

wow taht sucks.

You need to contact them and complain.. That should of never happened.. Damn!

I'm about to put spec stage 3 and I'm worried now!

It surely doesnt have anything to do with the way you put it on, the damn upper plate that holds the springs in broke, you can see it in the first picture. I don't see that happening unless there's a problem with the desgin/materials of that piece. I'd push them to give you your money back.

Spec Clutches have issues...Dont get me wrong...They are good clutches...But they still need some work...

I have delt with SOOOO many Spec clutches in the last couple of years...And They all seem to have the same problem with the springs...I see it almost everytime I pull a spec clutch out of something...be trashed due to spring failure...

I have personally went through 3 spec clutches in the past year and a half and all have had to be replaced due to spring failure..

But I love the clutch...I cant stop buying them...I guess I am just a sucker for spec clutches.. :MissileSm

Just my .02 cents...

Thanks,
Shawn

Ive called and emailed them the pictures. The guy Ive been dealing with has been less than helpful with the problem. He never responded to my email so I called him back. He said he had a tech looking at the pics and would call me back in 5mins. I waited all day...then the next...then today I called him 3 times and everytime its something new that prevents me from talking to him - he's not in his office, he's on the phone with another customer. And Ive left voicemails, but he never calls me back. I know he listens to them though, because I told him I was mike and he said "oh ya, with the broke clutch. your number is blah blah blah right?"

You're right, the Spec flywheels come with a torque spec. Clutches don't.

The spring issues aren't exclusive to Spec. We replace plenty of clutches at our shop on all types of cars and all types of clutches where the springs fall out.