03 Z-oh-6

'03 Z06 with 35K miles. A few days ago, I was driving normally on the freeway. I began to feel my clutch start sticking closer and closer to the floor. It got to the point where it was stuck on the floor completely. Could not shift into any gear. I pulled it all the way back out with my foot and all seemed ok. I drove the car for a couple more days and it seemed to be functioning as normal. Last night, driving normally again, I started to feel it stick again. It was stuck about halfway down, so I pulled it out with my foot and all seemed normal. What could be going on?

FWIW, I changed the clutch fluid a couple months ago(Ranger method). Currently, it looks like there may be a bit less than when I changed it, but it's not low.

Thanks

SuperVetteC5

Need to get a speed bleeder installed on the the clutch slave. You can then change the clutch fluid completely, easily and often. All of which are very important. I had the same problem, but no more, with flushing the system often.

nsogiba

I had the same problem. Changing the fluid via Ranger method barely helped, if at all.

The only thing that solved my problem was installation of Tick Clutch Master Cylinder. Not that expensive, and you can install it yourself.

03 Z-oh-6

Thanks. How do you use this?

SuperVetteC5

Installation is the big deal. There is ableeder on the front of the Torque Tube that you remove to install this. It's about a 4 foot long, 1/4" hose with a bleeder/check valve on the end. very simple to use, a PITA to install.

03 Z-oh-6

I have a good mechanic. How many hours would it take to install?

SuperVetteC5

I'm not sure if it can be done by just dropping the rear assembly with tranny and diff a little ways or not. When I installed mine I had the torque tube out. If you go that far you should change the slave assembly also. This would definitely solve all your problems.

03 Z-oh-6

Whoa, that is a big job! For now, I'll just pull the clutch out when it gets stuck. Could it come to a point where pulling out won't work anymore? I don't think anything is leaking.

SuperVetteC5

If you do the Ranger Method several times in a row, pumping the clutch 30-50 times in between your fluid will clean up substantially. It should help.

03 Z-oh-6

Just changed the fluid. It wasn't black but it was dirty. After one flush, the fluid looked clear. I didn't it again just for assurance.

radar502

Not strange at all seams like most C-5s suffer from the same fate ( YOUR TURN ) I had the same prom . as lots seam to do . I tried the fluid change helped a little .. GM has updated there Master and after changing it problem gone or the Tick Master is a good one .. or you can play with it but I tried all the tracks nothing worked till I changer the thing .. I understand the old one was a bad design.. Is it hard to change ??? not tooo bad .Take front wheel off inter fender well off ,there is a quick release on the line going to the slave ,the hard part under the dash remove clutch rod pin holding on to the peddle . That's just an idea how to change it , need to go on line and look it up on how the change it if you want to and if your 6" 1" 245 LBS take the seat out ..

03 Z-oh-6

Thanks!

When did GM update the master cylinder?

Walshdaw

Had this same issue last year. I agree with the others... fluid was not the issue. Master cylinder needed to be replaced. I replaced with GM. A lot of people prefer the tick, I do think it involves a few more steps to install??

radar502

I don't know the C-5 has been around for a lone time . I had to do lots of research to find the problem and read the old one was bad and they updated it ,can't remember were I read it but is lots of info out there its kinda old now but still reinvent today . The reason I looked into it a club member has a 2013 Z0-6 brought it new list $92,000 after about 3-4 mounts guess what ( Clutch peddle on floor ) YEP 2013 same BS . He changed his or GM changed his fixed ..So that's when I started looking in to the peddle on the floor deal and cane across the info .. It fixed mine.. I also took the clutch pedal spring off and never looked back .. Way better ..

SuperVetteC5

Just goes to show that there are several variables involved. Mine was really bad. When I changed out my clutch I changed the slave but not the master. Installed the speed bleeder at the same time. Never another issue.
The thing is, the dirty fluid is what causes the master to act up and eventually to have internal issues that fluid changes can't help. Mine hadn't reached that point yet. Not to say that the newer design doesn't handle junk in the fluid better than the old one, I'm sure it does.
There are many that suggest changing the clutch fluid at every oil change, probly not a bad idea for preventative maintenance.

03 Z-oh-6

How can you tell when it's reached the point of no return?

SuperVetteC5

When no matter how clean you get the fluid it still sticks.

radar502

Mine was very random and it had clean fluid in it and was at around 50,000 miles ,one time was enough for me ,that problem is not going away . You may be able to help it a little . I never heard body say that after I started keeping the fluid clean it went away .. That was to big a deal ( for me ) to just hope it was fixed with some clean fluid.. Clutch on floor can't be a good thing..

SuperVetteC5

Might not be the norm, but mine did go away, however, I did change the slave cylinder along with cleaning up the fluid. I still believe that the problem can be as much in the slave cylinder as in the master cylinder.

03 Z-oh-6

Yea, wish it was easy to diagnose which cylinder is the problem(if both are not).