i'm getting ready to install a new clutch this week on my 99. i got a spec stage 3 clutch, aluminum fly wheel, a new master and slave. call me a newb or what ever you want but i can't find any installation instruction on installing the cluch and i don't really want buy a service manual. i'm pretty experienced working on cars since i'm a master bmw tech, so i guess all i need to know is what needs to come out of the car. how much time should i allow to do this task? i've tried seaching the web for hours with no luck. any help would be appriceated.

 

- Remove shifter
- Remove rear wheels
- Unbolt rear suspension/cradle
- Support Driveline
- Lower cradle
- Remove Exhaust and backbone
- Lower driveline to reference point
- Unbolt torque tube and disconnect master
- Remove torquetube/tranny/Rear

Takes me 4-5 hours to do a clutch but I have done it at least 6 times

 

I just did head,cam and spec clutch and don't like clutch set up.I don't now if you are using the same setup but mine is a spec III clutch with ceramic pucks on disc and aluminum flywheel, I have tied to break it in but no luck. It chatters real bad if I don't release it just right and when it's cold it makes a terrible noise. It has taken the fun out of driving it.

I want to change it but I don't know what to put in it.

Just my 2 cents

 

4-5 hours? Wow. Where are you located?

 

Dope has a nice how to. I have the link at home.

 

There is a lot of complexity with swapping the clutch. I have been around the forum for a while and have yet to see the facts set straight.

I had a clutch swap done and had major vibration issues. I took it back to the place that did the install and they said it was normal for an aluminum flywheel. I took it back in after a couple more weeks and they agreed that is was not normal and pulled the clutch again. They found the clutch assembly to be out by 16 grams and had it zero balanced. It was re-installed and still showed vibration issues. The tuner said "normal for an aluminum flywheel" again.

I did some research around the forum and came to the conclusion that the old flywheel/pressure plate combo must be balanced to the new one since some ls1's are balanced with weights on the flywheel from the factory if they fail the final check. I figured this was the problem with mine and assumed I was SOL and had to get a new engine or have my engine pulled and rebalanced to get the vibration issues fixed since the tuner I used said it was "normal".

A few days ago, I took my vette to another local tuner to get a second opinion. They claim the first installer totally screwed up during the install (after pulling the driveline apart) and their install issues are responsible for the vibrations.

Needless to say, I am very confused right now. Last week I would tell you to make sure you match balance your old flywheel/PP combo to the new one to avoid balance issues. This week I would tell you to take it to a place that knows how to install clutches. Next week I may tell you something totally different.

Sorry for the confusion, but I am going through a 4+ month clutch nightmare that has basically left my vette undriveable. I don't want anyone else to go thru the same ordeal. PM or email me in a few days and I will let you know how my situation turns out so you can avoid the hell I have been living in.

 

http://fear.net/~dope/c5_clutch_install_pics.html

 

Get the Service manual. As a trained BMW tech, how could you think of working on such a complex car as a C5 without it?

 

You will get more info and tips out of Dopes how to then you will out of the service manual.

Only thing you would need the service manual for is torque specs and you can get them from David Farmers website.

http://www.metricchemical.com/C5torque.pdf

Just watch that harness when going back in and don't pinch it.

 

Well, I am not an engineer, a technician or a clutch specialist, but it would seem to me that if your old stuff doesn't vibrate and you match the new stuff to the old stuff, the new stuff shouldn't vibrate. That's how I approached mine after reading about how the LS1 is neutrally balanced and the new assembly is balanced and blah blah blah.

You only need to remove a clutch on your back in the driveway with hand tools once to understand that its not something you want to do twice.

Here's more stuff. http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show...um_id=1&arch=1

 

So how long would it take on a lift?

Mark