Stuck installing C6 Shifter... :(
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 168
Likes: 0
From: Cherryville North Carolina
Stuck installing C6 Shifter... :(
Two days ago I wanted to replace my B&M Shifter I had in my C5 Z06 with a 2010 C6 Shifter. Everything was really easy until I removed the B&M Shifter and was ready to remove the C5 Base(or whatever it's called... the big silver peice). No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get the torx screws (or whatever they're called) to come undone. I used a torx 40 as I read in someones instructions.
I'm talking about the little silver guys that are in the top and bottom right in the shifter area of that picture. There's a third one hiding somewhere in there too. Today I tried using WD40 and still no luck. I don't really know how you guys can help me here, but does anyone have any tips for getting these things off? Although it might not be much, I've used every ounce of strength I have and they won't budge.
I'm talking about the little silver guys that are in the top and bottom right in the shifter area of that picture. There's a third one hiding somewhere in there too. Today I tried using WD40 and still no luck. I don't really know how you guys can help me here, but does anyone have any tips for getting these things off? Although it might not be much, I've used every ounce of strength I have and they won't budge.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 2,785
Likes: 8
From: Sacramento California
Counter clockwise. lefty loosy. Make sure you use a good Torx Socket and use a long breaker bar. Not a ratchet or a torque wrench, just the long bar that holds a socket. It wont take much with that. Make sure you stay aligned in the bolts so you don't risk stripping them.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,120
Likes: 1
From: Biloxi Ms
A breaker bar is any bar that will either hold the socket or can slip over the socket handle snugly. The breaker bar provides more torque with little movement. I used to use my floor jack bar, sliding it over my torque wrench and then working it from the end carefully and slowly.
Also, dont use WD40 on anything. It is garbage. WD stands for water displacement. It is a lubricant, basically a light oil. It isnt mean to penatrate. It is not meant to loosen or break bonds. I have a can of it in my house, but I use it for lubing something temporary. I would never use it on my car. What you need to do is go to AutoZone or Discount Auto (or some place) and get a can of PB Blaster. The can looks like they drew an Archie and Jughead cartoon on it, but thats the stuff. You get that and spray it on your heat soaked/ heat seized bolts and shortly after they come loose with your wrench/ socket without any difficulty. Trust me, I took apart an engine seized hard core (200k on it and 150k was high boosting temps) with my socket wrech set and PB Blaster at my side (and on my bolts and such).
Hope this helps
Also, dont use WD40 on anything. It is garbage. WD stands for water displacement. It is a lubricant, basically a light oil. It isnt mean to penatrate. It is not meant to loosen or break bonds. I have a can of it in my house, but I use it for lubing something temporary. I would never use it on my car. What you need to do is go to AutoZone or Discount Auto (or some place) and get a can of PB Blaster. The can looks like they drew an Archie and Jughead cartoon on it, but thats the stuff. You get that and spray it on your heat soaked/ heat seized bolts and shortly after they come loose with your wrench/ socket without any difficulty. Trust me, I took apart an engine seized hard core (200k on it and 150k was high boosting temps) with my socket wrech set and PB Blaster at my side (and on my bolts and such).
Hope this helps
Tech Contributor
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 2,902
Likes: 21
From: Oak Hill Virginia
A breaker bar is any bar that will either hold the socket or can slip over the socket handle snugly. The breaker bar provides more torque with little movement. I used to use my floor jack bar, sliding it over my torque wrench and then working it from the end carefully and slowly.
Also, dont use WD40 on anything. It is garbage. WD stands for water displacement. It is a lubricant, basically a light oil. It isnt mean to penatrate. It is not meant to loosen or break bonds. I have a can of it in my house, but I use it for lubing something temporary. I would never use it on my car. What you need to do is go to AutoZone or Discount Auto (or some place) and get a can of PB Blaster. The can looks like they drew an Archie and Jughead cartoon on it, but thats the stuff. You get that and spray it on your heat soaked/ heat seized bolts and shortly after they come loose with your wrench/ socket without any difficulty. Trust me, I took apart an engine seized hard core (200k on it and 150k was high boosting temps) with my socket wrech set and PB Blaster at my side (and on my bolts and such).
Hope this helps
Also, dont use WD40 on anything. It is garbage. WD stands for water displacement. It is a lubricant, basically a light oil. It isnt mean to penatrate. It is not meant to loosen or break bonds. I have a can of it in my house, but I use it for lubing something temporary. I would never use it on my car. What you need to do is go to AutoZone or Discount Auto (or some place) and get a can of PB Blaster. The can looks like they drew an Archie and Jughead cartoon on it, but thats the stuff. You get that and spray it on your heat soaked/ heat seized bolts and shortly after they come loose with your wrench/ socket without any difficulty. Trust me, I took apart an engine seized hard core (200k on it and 150k was high boosting temps) with my socket wrech set and PB Blaster at my side (and on my bolts and such).
Hope this helps
PB Blaster has made more than a few jobs much easier... Pick some up and try again. Make sure you let it soak in for a couple of minutes... 
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 23,283
Likes: 906
From: Lake Elsinore, CA
Hey, I'm surprised that my old web page pictures still pop up every now and then. Remember that those two mounting screws are also embedded in the elastomer bushings of the shifter base and that the material can stick more and more aggressively to the bolts and torque tube over time. Torx heads are not the friendliest to frozen threads (they strip fairly easily) so be careful applying torque to them. The third bolt holds the shifter base to the shift rod. You'll need to do the shifter alignment when you replace the base.
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Race Director
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 10,179
Likes: 2,306
From: Wesley Chapel, FL Las Vegas, NV
I would use an impact screwdriver.
Works every time.
http://www.thetoolwarehouse.net/p-4341-otc-4608.aspx
or this one for $7
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=37530
Basically you put it into the head of the screw and hit the top with a hammer which causes the bit to turn at the moment of impact. By doing so it will not strip the head of the screw and exerts maximum torque at the same time.
Works every time.
http://www.thetoolwarehouse.net/p-4341-otc-4608.aspx
or this one for $7
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=37530
Basically you put it into the head of the screw and hit the top with a hammer which causes the bit to turn at the moment of impact. By doing so it will not strip the head of the screw and exerts maximum torque at the same time.
Last edited by Vega$Vette; Jan 4, 2010 at 09:02 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 5,987
Likes: 18
From: DuBois PA
St. Jude Donor '11-'12-'13-'14-'15
I would use an impact screwdriver.
Works every time.
http://www.thetoolwarehouse.net/p-4341-otc-4608.aspx
or this one for $7
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=37530
Basically you put it into the head of the screw and hit the top with a hammer which causes the bit to turn at the moment of impact. By doing so it will not strip the head of the screw and exerts maximum torque at the same time.
Works every time.
http://www.thetoolwarehouse.net/p-4341-otc-4608.aspx
or this one for $7
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=37530
Basically you put it into the head of the screw and hit the top with a hammer which causes the bit to turn at the moment of impact. By doing so it will not strip the head of the screw and exerts maximum torque at the same time.
They do work great! Although I've never seen one that I could adapt to a Torx...Another option to that is to tap the top of the Socket with a hammer while applying force on the wrench handle. Quick sharp raps increasing in force work very well for me...
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 168
Likes: 0
From: Cherryville North Carolina
Thanks for all the replies. I really appreciate it. I have a friend that's coming over later to help me out since I know nothing about tools. Hopefully everything will work out. But if for whatever reason we can't get the things loose, could I just take the C6 Shifter off of it's "base" and place it on the C5s? Are the two "bases" identical?
Racer
Joined: Sep 2009
Posts: 393
Likes: 0
From: Bristow VA
Thanks for all the replies. I really appreciate it. I have a friend that's coming over later to help me out since I know nothing about tools. Hopefully everything will work out. But if for whatever reason we can't get the things loose, could I just take the C6 Shifter off of it's "base" and place it on the C5s? Are the two "bases" identical?
Slip a pipe over the socket and wrench it. There are a million different ways to get more leverage by extending the handle of what you are turning. Ghetto rig a tool (like the pipe idea) and break that thing loose!
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 168
Likes: 0
From: Cherryville North Carolina
Finally got pieces of crap unloose. My friend brought a breaker bar type tool and we used it and got them off pretty easily. Thanks for all the help. Sadly I wasn't able to do any more than that tonight because It's too dark and cold out. My garage is terrible so my vettes just sitting in my driveway. Better not snow tomorrow. >.>
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 1,047
Likes: 69
From: Hanover MA.
Finally got pieces of crap unloose. My friend brought a breaker bar type tool and we used it and got them off pretty easily. Thanks for all the help. Sadly I wasn't able to do any more than that tonight because It's too dark and cold out. My garage is terrible so my vettes just sitting in my driveway. Better not snow tomorrow. >.>
Anyway, GL with the shifter swap. 
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 13,421
Likes: 8
From: Lake Mary Florida
