I got a SPEC Stage 2+ clutch with aluminium flywhell installed about a thousand miles ago. Now I'm noticing that when I start out in first, I'm hearing a strange groaning/scraping sound coupled with a slight viberation in my clutch pedal when I'm engaging. This only happens if I give it a moderate amount of gas in first. If I give it a little, it doesn't happen at all. If I do a hole shot or give it a lot of gas, I can hear it only for an instant.

Also, not sure if it's related, but after I pull hard off the line or do a hole shot, the next time I start out in first, the clutch engages VERY high and it takes quite longer than normal for the gear to engage (slipage seems much longer).

Another issue: the shifter seems to have a different "feel" now than it did before. It's definitely harder to shift... seems almost like there's something partially blocking the gates sometimes... no grinding, though. Normal for the shifter to have a different feel with a different clutch?

One more thing: when I first started driving with the clutch, I got a LOT of chatter unless I gave it a LOT of gas. Now, not anymore, but I have this annoying noise to contend with.

Is some amount of clutch noise NORMAL for a SPEC clutch or is something seriously wrong here?

 

Maybe you need to bleed the clutch..... air in the system can cause all kinds of odd issues.

 

Shifter feel - sounds like clutch is not fully disengaging (anymore), that is why its harder to get in gear. Should otherwise feel normal regardless of clutch.

Bleed might cure it, if not, you have more serious clutch problem.

 

Sounds like a warped flywheel. Any way you look at it the tranny has to come back out.