I had posted a message in the thread: http://forums.corvetteforum.com/zerothread?id=545626

1995 Convertible, 75K miles, new SPEC stage II clutch installed last year.

The tranny requires high effort to get into reverse about 50% of the time and about 10% of the time getting into first. I eventually had the transmission removed and shipped to Standard Transmission & Gear in TX (standardtransmission.com). Both my shop and Standard Transmission have been great, working through this problem with me...

I should have the final diagnosis on Monday but preliminary inspection has found the transmission may in fact be okay. Whether they find anything worn and needing replaced OR find that it's okay, it appears to Standard Transmission that the high effort may be due to the hydraulic clutch system not working properly.

I know I shouldn't post "preliminary" findings but I figured with the weekend upon us, some of you having trouble getting into certain gears should check your hydraulic clutch system asap. It's probably a difference of about $1,000 between having the synchros replaced and having the master/slave cylinders replaced. Or in my case it could be $400 more to also replace the master/slave cylinders :(

I'll keep everyone updated next week...

 

whew.

I hope it comes out cheaply enough.

unless that tranny has been abused, they don't just break.

 

mine went while cruising in 6th on the way to school 3 yrs back. 6th gear synchro was white hot-melted... destroyed quite a bit. never been the same since then... with the car off it wont even go into any gear... gotta shove it real hard. Drives notchy but still driveable. If i knew what i know now.... i would have had it properly rebuilt. had no idea who rebuilt it and payed large >$2500. Sucked ever since. I would have went to the ZF rebuilders if i knew... :sad: :nonod:

oh and my guess was that there wasnt enough fluid in the tranny, only way the synchro could burn out i guess....

 

the best, the god of all things ZF, you want http://www.zfdoc.com

 

400 bucks for slave/master???

I just bought them for my 96 and they were less than 100 a piece.

Jeff Kopp.

:)

 

I believe that was $400 installed.

 

Alrighty then!!!

Here's the damage:

1st gear high effort 10% of the time - no tranny wear at all. All due to clutch hydraulics issue.

Rear gear high effort 50% of the time -
$308.17 - reverse gear main shaft
$265.84 - reverse gear synchro sleave
$686.87 - syncro kit (if anyone needs the 1-6th synchro gears I'll sell each gear separately for $100.00 I'm stuck buying the whole kit)
$138.80 - rebuild kit
$400.00 - labor
-------------------
$1800 roughly.

$250 - shippping to/from Kansas City to Texas
$600 - labor to remove/reinstall transmission

Hydralic clutch system will be inspected now...probably $200-$400 additional.

So if you have trouble getting into reverse save up about $2k. Yes they looked at the TSB on the reverse shift complaint and it doesn't apply when your reverse syncro teeth are squared off...

Total: $2800-$3000 depending on hydraulic clutch repair cost.



[Modified by KCvetteowner, 3:20 PM 5/8/2003]

 

Ugh. I'm dreading my upcoming situation. This damned car gets harder to shift DAILY, but nothing else indicates hydraulic problems. Shifting into any gear (including reverse) when stopped is completely effortless, but when driving the car, 1st through 4th can be smooth sometimes, and a royal horse other times.

I hope like heck all my trans needs is syncros. :-/

 

Send it to Bill (ZFDoc) or luck into one on Ebay like I did...I now have two ZF's, a spare just in case...
-Jeb

 

If you're in the same boat I am, delaying repairs will result in other parts needing replaced...(i.e. - gear main shaft, synchro sleave slider assembly).

I should end up with brand new 1-6th gear synchros since you have to buy a complete set even though they are only replacing the reverse. I'll sell you the synchros you need for $95 per gear. It's $686.87 for the whole set.

 

I'm having trouble getting mine into 3rd and 5th and also getting some "slop" or "lash" in my ZF. I was going to pull mine out and have it shipped to Bill at Zr51 performance since I've heard he's the guy and then I found out that he's located in Cave Creek, AZ only about 25 miles away! I talked to him a few days ago and he's going to look at it next week. :cool:

 

Let me know if Bill can get only the synchro gears you need or if he has to get the set like standard transmission and gear. Let him know I should have 1-6th gears if he's interested in any or all of them. I'd like to get some money back on this $3k expense!!!