Well what good is a refined tennis grip if your tennis Rack is broken?
What I'm trying to say is, sometimes the problem goes beyond what you believe in. Thats all

 

My point is: timely pinpoint advice is a good place to start. That's what I try to give, in the many hours a week I spend responding to calls, PMs and emails on Corvette issues. I suspect that workload would be greatly diminished if my advice were not standing the test of time.

On the other hand, anyone who prefers the advice of posters without relevant Corvette knowledge or experience is totally free to opt for their alternate paths.

Ranger

 

I'm not taking sides. I just like to see beyond the horizon. I don't know anyone elses Corvette knowledge so I will not comment on that.

You make very good points and have invaluable advice and knowledge, it just seems that almost all your post end with a link going back to your techniques?? What if his shifter is really broken?

 

I've read just about every shifter thread for seven years. The number of verified defective shifter is incredibly small. But if a flipped coin can, if fact, land on edge, it's not impossible for a shifter to be defective. But I'd never start with the assumption that it is. I'd start with hand-position and practice. In that regard...

Whatever happened in you own shifter issue from a couple months ago? As I recall you had no missed shifts with the stock shifter, but decided to install an aftermarket shifter anyway. You then had trouble, missing shifts with it at the drags. I recommended practice with the new shifter to embed muscle memory. I don't recall you ever posting the outcome.

Ranger

 

My issue was resolved by un-installing and re-installing the aftermarket shifter. I mis-aligned it during the installation process. Thanks for asking. I have bigger concerns now with traction.

BTW, I'm not intentionally debating you. I respect your knowledge and advice very much and have to say at times I even practice what you preach as well. I'm just posting my views. I mean, thats how we all learn a thing or two.

 

that's all i'm saying!

And as a side note, I race cars at their limits. When you are at the limit, you do not make driver changes. You make changes to the vehicle. A shim is more definable, consistent, and reliable than judgement every time. I realize this is different than changing parts, but sometimes people do have their own style. You can make them change, do better, and have them hate their experience. Or you can adapt the parts to their style.

Ranger, maybe the stock Corvette was just designed around your body mechanics and sizings..... Every person is different.

 

Wow, This thread went really deep. I will keep everyone posted as soon as I can get out there to really max it out again. I did do some regular driving, and have been practicing Ranger's technique. It does seem helpful to me now that I can conscious of it. I will know soon if that was it or not. I can tell you this, if it is me, it is only in a Z06 that anything like this has ever happened. I think Ranger has a really tight grasp on these cars, and believe that I may have to change some of my previous learnings particularly for this car. I am sure it will help me when racing with all cars, but this car seems to need it more. It is exaclty what happened to someone else, the shifter was caught up in there good, and I had to yank it out. Again, probably me, but I still felt that the shifter should not of have gotten stuck up there. Thanks for all of the advice. As for me myself, I will work on technique for now as Ranger defintely has an extreme amount of knowledge, and experience in both racing, and Corvettes. I do agree that it can be something else, or maybe something this particular car does, but just like most issues, there seems to be a workaround.....Thanks again everyone!!!!

 

I've been having a similar problem with my shifter also. Sometimes when doing a max acceleration run i do the 2nd to 3rd shift an my shifter will just not go into thrid, and i know almost certainly it's driver error, so i'm going to also practice my shifting from time to time.

On a side note: I have followed Rangers Clutch Fluid Procedure and so far my pedal sticks way less on hard acceleration then it was before. The clutch fluid still turns murky fairly quick but has been staying clearer for sometime now.

Patrick

 

Hi Patrick,

In post #8 I covered the issue of "shift refusal." You'll want to judge from your memory of the 2-3 event circumstances and aftermath whether it may have entailed a shift refusal, particularly if the launch involved notable slipping of the clutch (intentional or not). In that case the remedial action is (1) back to the clutch fluid and (2) a faster clutch release.

Ranger

 

The problem here is not shift refusal or any clutch related issue. The shifter is getting stuck between 3rd and 5th. It is not bouncing back to neutral. It requires two hands to pull it out of this position. Is this the same issue you are addressing, Ranger?

 

change your shifter and be done with it. Aftermarket of course..

 

Well some back ground first, before addressing this issue. Using Rangers launch tech on 5th pass on drag radials, the 11.71 run in my sig was had. then i went on to well over 200 sprayed passes, and missed a shift one time (timing error, indicated by slight grinding of gear). So, I believe I have had a great grasp on the shift tech, and work my shifts like Ranger suggests, with great results.

So now on to the new problem/issue. I put a built 408 in the car, and expectations from myself and many others is quite high. First two passes on new set-up, missed 3rd gear. No grinding of gears, or slipping of the clutch (Aussie clutch), so I believe it was just a bad shift on my part totally missing the gate to 3rd. Next time I went out, same type of problem, had to granny shift and make very deliberate shifts, however, still got a best ever n/a run. But, there is so much left if I can regain my composure, and/or timing.

Ranger, or anyone, how can I regain my fast shifting ability? This is driving me crazy. How could I forget? After the winter lay off, I got one trip to the track before blowing my stock motor, then 4 months my car was down, could i lose the embedded shifting memory?

On the shifter, I replace my stock shifter after the first trip to the track. It just wasn't my style. I liked the short throw of the Hurst, and have made all fast passes with it.

Robert

 

Hi Robert.

Question to resolve is whether the issue is a lapse in muscle memory or a mechanical issue.

To that end, I'd suggest doing ten sets of the shifting drills daily for a week prior to your next track visit. And five sets in the lanes before each pass. See if that resolves the issue. If it doesn't, then I'd suggest resetting the shifter cradle. You've had the driveline apart often enough that it's possible an alignment issue has crept in.

I still do my shifting drills as a matter of routine. And raise the intensity further in racing season. And I always hammer five sets of the drills before making each pass. Goal is to ensure shifting is an absolutely automatic sequence, where each action is a cue to the next.

Tiger still spends a couple hours a day hitting ***** at the driving range, not just to keep the edge, but to improve it. I try to remember that.

Good luck Robert. Happy to chat by phone about this. Would like to see you getting everything possible out of the your new motor too.

Ranger

 

 

Thanks Ranger. Yea, I believe it's a lapse in muscle memory, the reason being, it shifts wonderfull any other time on the street, even spirited runs. At least I hope this is it. I like you have never had issue one with my tranny and has worked great even with big-time torque. But then again, it was apart recently for new motor, and maybe a slightly bent clutch disc, or misalignment of the shifter. I will do the drills, check my shifter and do the fluid change, then go try it again.
Robert

 

This may be related to the bent shifter fork, from banging gears to hard? Seems I remember hearing about this before? It really doesn't take much force at all, and one way to make the tranny live, nice easy, but quick, shifting.
Robert

 

Concur with Robert56. Last I heard Camaro still has the tranny in the front, rather than the rear like a Corvette, hence a different shifter linkage is in play, but I digress. The only time a Corvette Shifter literally gets stuck is
(1) in gear. Fairly common with trashed trannies on LS1/2/6, but very uncommon on LS7. Involves bent/broken shift fork or blocker ring etc.
(2) when a locking screw in the cradle is missing or cross-threaded and askew.

Neither of these conditions are occasional. Once they strike they remain a persistent condition. Nothing akin to the symptoms described in the lead post.

Ranger

 

I thought that even with a slightly bent shift fork if your are driving under normal (not racing) conditions, that you would still be able to shift into/out of every gear with minimal effort. Most gear troubles I've heard due to bent forks have been at high RPM's.

I didn't know once it's even slightly bent, that you would need two hands to get it out of every gear. If this holds true, then it would prove that it's driver error on the op's part, but if it doesn't, then there is a possibility that the problem could be mechanical as I tend to belive.

 

Keep in mind that sitting in the garage or staging lanes practicing shifts is pointless. When the driveline is spinning it is a different dynamic. The only way to practice shifts is while moving. Ever notice how easy it is to bang gear sitting still? If you are just practicing the hand motion, why? You are leaving out timing and any need for finesse. Only perfect practice makes perfect.

 

There are literally hundreds of thread on the tranny woes of C5s and C5Zs. The toll of missed shifts, often brought on by pedal woes triggered by poorly maintained clutch fluid.

If you are interested reading up on tranny issues, a search of the C5Z archives will give you plenty of material.

My point was that if it take two hands to move the shifter, one cause is a trashed tranny; the other is shifter cradle problem. Neither one is intermittent. The context of the issues in this thread were max acceleration runs, rather than casual driving, at least that's the way I read it.

Ranger