I was looking at buying a 96 LT4. I haven't driven stick in over a year + I've never driven a manual vette before anyway. I drove a 91 camaro manual for a year before I had my vette however. It seemed a little difficult going into gear and was wondering if this is normal. Also when shifting from first to second (this only happened once), It wouldn't pull out of first gear, instead it grinded, and when pushing the clutch all the way in it still grinded for a second. Granted, I may not have had the clutch in all the way (how sensitive are these things? do you have to have to the floor?), but when pushing the clutch pedal all the way in, should it have stopped? I'm a little concerned if this car may have tranny problems or I'm just not used to driving this thing. Besides that, this ran awesome. Incredible power in the upper range with the LT4 compared to my L98 (done at 4500). It lacks a little bit of low end that my L98 has though.
Thanks in advance,
Jeremy

 

There shouldn't be any problems going into first (or any other gear) with the ZF six-speed.

That being said, here's a couple of notes about the ZF:
- On mine, I need to make certain to push the clutch all the way to the floor to ensure engagement
- Missed shifts can damage syncros (esp. 2nd & 3rd) making it hard to engage those gears
- A fluid change can return a slightly balky ZF back to silky operation
- On my ZF, I had occasional difficulty going into 2nd until I installed a CAGS eliminator (solenoid sticking?)

The 'experts' recommend using either the GM fluid or BMW 5W30 motor oil (special oil for the M5 engine).

Brad

 

Could it be that the hydralic clutch needs to be bled? If there's air/water in there then the clutch won't fully disengage. If it's been like this for long, it can't be good.

Good Luck,
Eric

 

First, make sure this is a consistent mechanical problem and not a driver-related problem. If you haven't driven a manual for awhile it might take some getting used to.

If there is no CAGS skip-shift kit installed, be sure you are revving the engine high enough out of 1st gear to avoid the 1-to-4 CAGS engagement. That can definitely throw you off balance if you're not expecting it and make you feel there is something wrong with the car.

Check the fluid level in the hydraulic clutch slave cylinder. The filler cap is just below the PCM on the drivers side. Even just a tablespoon low can cause problems with smooth clutch engagement and force you to push the pedal all the way down before it engages. If not fully depressed, the gears can grind.

If all the above is OK, there should NOT be any grinding going on. If that's persistent, its cause for concern and should be checked out.

But I'll betcha its clutch fluid level. ;)

 

The ZF 6-speed was built in Germany and is designed to handle up to 800 HP. The clutch however is only good up to about 450 FT/Lbs torque. After that you need to go to a single mass flywheel that will make a little noise at idle with the clutch let out. The transmission is awesome, however the skip-shift has to go. The kit is only a cap to plug & protect the ends of the disconnected wiring connector. The new Chevy 1 Ton 3500 pick-up that tows 16,000# comes with an updated ZF if that is any idea how strong these tranny's are!!! Just decide what you want the car for; if it's 1/4 mile go for an auto, but if it's for everyday street driving and an occasional windy road the 6 is the only way to go :cheers: :cheers: :cheers: :cheers:

 

Having a 96 LT4 I find that I like driving without a shoe on my left foot to operate the clutch. You can feel that you are centered on the clutch pedal. Trying to drive with wide body tennis shoes does not work to good. The brake and clutch pedal are pretty close together and to much overlap will interfer.
I have about 23K on my original owner LT4, its not a daily driver. The best thing I ever did after a couple years of ownership was to install the connector to delete the CAGS function. I never have to put up with the first to fourth solenoid controlled shift when the shift light comes on in left portion of the dash and really like shifting from first to second when I want.
I really like this car, I could have waited and bought a C5, or even sold it and bought a C5 Z06, but I am keeping it.
If this LT4 you are thinking about buying still has the CAGS enabled, drive it again but never shift out of first below 25 MPH and you should have smooth shifts if the fluid clutch system is working as designed.
Another area is putting the car in reverse, I have a couple times not fully engaged reverse, but it will be known with a slight grinding, just something to mentially remember when you are going to use it.
I think my 6 speed shifts pretty smooth.


[Modified by 70ZZ3 96LT4, 4:18 PM 11/27/2001]


[Modified by 70ZZ3 96LT4, 4:19 PM 11/27/2001]

 

GS Ragtop is right on the money. If the transmission grinds & you are sure that the clutch is all the way to the floor, then it is one of three things: a synchro problem (i.e. a tranny problem), a weak pressure plate (i.e. a clutch problem), or weak clutch hydraulics. These repairs can be expensive so check it out carefully, or factor it in the price!

 

I once let a friend drive my car (never again!) and the tranny grinded going into 2nd. It had never grinded with me driving, so I was quite surprised. I finally figured out what happened after my friend stalled the engine, and couldn't restart the car...I could see the clutch pedal warning light go on when he tried to turn the ignition key. Turns out my friend wasn't pushing the pedal down all the way. There is very little space between the brake pedal and the dead pedal so you have to make sure your foot is 100% centered...you should feel the pedal hit the floorboard solidly.

At any rate, there's my story, so take the others' advice and check things out carefully. If everything is okay you will be very happy with the car.

 

Thanks for the advice. I will probably be taking it out for a longer test drive on Saturday, so I will see if things still don't feel right. Any other suggestions of possible things to look for with this car? The price is suspiciously low (which is the only way I can afford it :) ) at $18,995. I probably will shell out the extra cash for a warranty though.
Thanks,
Jeremy

 

Jeremy,
I went from the L98 auto to the LT4 less than 2 months ago. I must admit that the gears grind on mine every now and then. It happens when I get careless and don't fully depress the clutch pedal.

You will absolutely not believe the extra power on the freeway!

ps. I have also done the reverse thing once or twice.

 

I'm glad that I'm not the only one that did the reverse thing! It actually took me several months to get comfortable w/ the 6 speed shifter. Everybody kept telling me how it was self centering, etc. I gues it took me a while to stop forcing it!