firebird/trans am high mileage club

Purchased my 99 ta used with 12k on the clock in 02, now has 157k. oil pressure is 40 psi at operating temp at idle, hasn't dropped since the day I got it (verified with mechanical gauge, running 5w30 mobile one ever since I've had it, I change it every 2k or less if I've been doing a lot of city driving, I realize it's a tad excessive but I don't buy the oil, my employer does:) since the pcv system sucks up some oil I figure why bother topping it off, I'll just change it) no leaks at all, never touched the engine aside from the water pump and belts/tensioners.. kept putting off the tune up then decided to see just how long it would go on the original plugs and wires, still going strong but mpg is really starting to suffer so they will be replaced soon..
Edit: I replaced the rear main seal earlier this year when I replaced my pos spec stage 3 with a LS7 clutch, can't say enough good things about the ls7, hated the spec, aside from the annoyingly hard clutch pedal it failed after 20k miles or so..

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Originally Posted by 99RedTa6spd

...when I replaced my pos spec stage 3 with a LS7 clutch, can't say enough good things about the ls7, hated the spec, aside from the annoyingly hard clutch pedal it failed after 20k miles or so..

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Interesting. I've had a Spec 3+ installed for several years and it's holding up to 500rwhp and sticky tires just fine. Pedal feels stock too, and it's a lot more aggressive than the 3. Did you install it or a shop?

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Originally Posted by 35th-ANV-SS

Interesting. I've had a Spec 3+ installed for several years and it's holding up to 500rwhp and sticky tires just fine. Pedal feels stock too, and it's a lot more aggressive than the 3. Did you install it or a shop?

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I installed it myself of course... at the time I was working as an A tech at a Pontiac, Buick, GMC Dealer.. I bought the car from the same dealer since I was working there I got a good deal on it as it was a trade in.. that aside I think it it was around 125kish (8 years after I bought it) when I replaced the stock clutch with the spec unit, the stocker had some life left but I pulled the tranny to replaced my 5th gear shift fork I bent so I figured why not.. the only part I reused was the original flywheel since it looked fine, simply scuffed it with a die grinder and replaced everything else.. Maybe it would have lasted longer with a new spec flywheel? Can't say for sure, all I can say is that I wasn't expecting to be doing it again after barely 20k miles of street driving.. maybe I just got a factory defect, but I will never buy another product from them again.. Honestly I thought maybe my RMS was starting to leak and some oil made its way onto the friction disc causing the slip, but upon disassembly it was dry as a bone and almost at the rivets.. Not claiming to know everything at all but I know how to driver stick, I've worked as a gm dealer tech for around 8 years, I'm an ASE certified master tech, not sure if I still am still at master level as far as gm goes since I've been out of there for 2 years, but I am current with Ford, Nissan and ASE as well.. so I'm fairly sure it wasn't installer or driver error, though maybe if I bought their flywheel it may have lasted longer.... who knows... maybe they improved the design with the +, I'm not sure what the differences are between the two, bought mine off a member/vender off this site.. don't wanna mention any names.. just sharing my experience with the product..

Well, to be fair, if you are using a used flywheel, how can you attribute the problem to the clutch or flywheel exactly? I am just asking as I do not know. Did you ask Spec if their clutch can be used with a resurfaced OEM flywheel?

I have a 98 formula that I bought it 2005 with 118.00 now it has 146.00 on it . the car has been good to me the only problem I have had with the car is rear diff .I replaced two of them the stock one I had some one change the gears & they set it up wrong the other rear end came out of a Camaro that got hit in the front .come to find out it bent the housing .this last I put in is great .the other problem I had was power windows motors crap bed other words & that the car has been great