Dropping the driveline(MN6), Any pointers ?
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 2,237
Likes: 9
From: Springhill FL
Dropping the driveline(MN6), Any pointers ?
Tomorrow my new Z06 Clutch and Fidanza Flywheel come in. 
The clutch has been slipping and burning a little, and I've been getting the dead pedal problem on hard shifts(usually 2-3)
I"ll be installing it myself and I"m looking forward to the challenge and doing some wrench turning on my car....its been a while
I've done clutch/engine swaps on F bodies before but this will be my first on a vette.
A few questions:
- My tranny has a slow leak that looks like its coming from between the two castings. Am I able to safely split it to reseal it ?
- Anyone have any tranny/clutch fluid recomendations ?
- Any good write ups out there someone could point out for a reference ?
Any pointers or advice are greatly appreciated
The clutch has been slipping and burning a little, and I've been getting the dead pedal problem on hard shifts(usually 2-3)
I"ll be installing it myself and I"m looking forward to the challenge and doing some wrench turning on my car....its been a while
I've done clutch/engine swaps on F bodies before but this will be my first on a vette. A few questions:
- My tranny has a slow leak that looks like its coming from between the two castings. Am I able to safely split it to reseal it ?
- Anyone have any tranny/clutch fluid recomendations ?
- Any good write ups out there someone could point out for a reference ?
Any pointers or advice are greatly appreciated
Last edited by MawneeC5; Aug 15, 2005 at 11:51 AM.
Race Director
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 16,667
Likes: 1,209
From: Raleigh, NC
St. Jude Donor '15
its a pretty easy job...basically just drop the rear cradle, get the exhaust out of the way, unbolt the torque tube from the bellhousing and pull it all apart. you'll leave the bellhousing on, there's plenty of room to get the clutch in thru the inspection cover on the bottom of the bellhousing.
one thing i almost forgot was to remove the shifter!!! me and the torque tube battled for a while and i couldnt figure out why it wouldnt slide backwards any further...shifter was caught on something.
As far as fluids, I used GM's syncromesh and it fixed all my transmission problems...smooth as glass now
its expensive but worth it
edit: also, change the slave cylinder while you're in there..thats the whole reason I had to tear mine apart. oh, and remember that the throw out bearing/slave cylinder can NOT compress without being connected (quick connect fitting prevents flow)...things got interesting when I tried to put it back together having forgotten that...
one thing i almost forgot was to remove the shifter!!! me and the torque tube battled for a while and i couldnt figure out why it wouldnt slide backwards any further...shifter was caught on something.
As far as fluids, I used GM's syncromesh and it fixed all my transmission problems...smooth as glass now
its expensive but worth itedit: also, change the slave cylinder while you're in there..thats the whole reason I had to tear mine apart. oh, and remember that the throw out bearing/slave cylinder can NOT compress without being connected (quick connect fitting prevents flow)...things got interesting when I tried to put it back together having forgotten that...
Last edited by schpenxel; Aug 15, 2005 at 12:05 PM.
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 23,283
Likes: 906
From: Lake Elsinore, CA
I haven't gotten around to adding the text to these picture sets of a drivetrain removal and a clutch swap we did on a couple of my friends' C5's but the pics might help a bit.
Another tip I can add is to be careful not to pinch the main harness routed above the torque tube when reinstalling the torque tube/tranny/diff assembly.
Drivetrain removal
Z06 clutch swap
Another tip I can add is to be careful not to pinch the main harness routed above the torque tube when reinstalling the torque tube/tranny/diff assembly.
Drivetrain removal
Z06 clutch swap
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 2,237
Likes: 9
From: Springhill FL
Thanks for the pics ! 
Its a brand new clutch and flywheel. Is it necessary to balance brand new parts ?
Edit - I didnt buy the used setup I was inquiring about from the other forum member, decided to spend the extra money to know I had parts that would last.
Originally Posted by Z11409
Have the Fidanza clutch/flywheel assembly rebalanced before nstallation
Edit - I didnt buy the used setup I was inquiring about from the other forum member, decided to spend the extra money to know I had parts that would last.
Last edited by MawneeC5; Aug 15, 2005 at 03:28 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 1999
Posts: 2,345
Likes: 855
From: MI
Cruise-In VI Veteran
Originally Posted by MawneeC5
Thanks for the pics !
Its a brand new clutch and flywheel. Is it necessary to balance brand new parts ?
Edit - I didnt buy the used setup I was inquiring about from the other forum member, decided to spend the extra money to know I had parts that would last.
Its a brand new clutch and flywheel. Is it necessary to balance brand new parts ?
Edit - I didnt buy the used setup I was inquiring about from the other forum member, decided to spend the extra money to know I had parts that would last.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Top 10 C9 Corvette MUST-HAVES to Fix These C8 Generation Flaws!
Michael S. Palmer
10 Revolutionary 'Corvette Firsts' Most People Don't Know
Joe Kucinski
5 Reasons to Upgrade to an LS6-Powered Corvette; 5 Reasons to Stay LT2
Michael S. Palmer
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 2,237
Likes: 9
From: Springhill FL
I just dug around. Supposedly the Luk/Fin combo I got is the least problematic as far as balance issues, so I should be ok :P
Also, what about my Tranny leak ? Is is possible to split it and reseal it without hurting anything ?
Thanks again for all the advice gang
Also, what about my Tranny leak ? Is is possible to split it and reseal it without hurting anything ?
Thanks again for all the advice gang
Safety Car
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 4,811
Likes: 2
From: Simpsonville SC
Patience! 
Na its not that bad. I did mine a couple of months ago, off the floor with no lift. If you can get a hold of Dope, member on the forums, he has a really good step by step process you can follow. I have another big project coming up soon changing a A4 to an M12! 
But GOOD LUCK!!!!
Na its not that bad. I did mine a couple of months ago, off the floor with no lift. If you can get a hold of Dope, member on the forums, he has a really good step by step process you can follow. I have another big project coming up soon changing a A4 to an M12! But GOOD LUCK!!!!
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 23,283
Likes: 906
From: Lake Elsinore, CA
Here you go . . .
http://fear.net/~dope/c5_clutch_install_pics.html
You will be able to repair the leak but you'll need to disassemble it and determine the mode of failure first.
http://fear.net/~dope/c5_clutch_install_pics.html
You will be able to repair the leak but you'll need to disassemble it and determine the mode of failure first.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 2,237
Likes: 9
From: Springhill FL
Originally Posted by schpenxel
well, thats the pretty way...
my way was get real freagin mad and drag the whole assembly out by hand after everything falls off the jack one good time
my way was get real freagin mad and drag the whole assembly out by hand after everything falls off the jack one good time
....Generally at that point I"ll take a break..go get a drink and go over my next few steps for a bit before I dive under the car again
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 2,237
Likes: 9
From: Springhill FL
---UPDATE -- Well its apart now, that write up by Dope is kickass! Though there were a few extra parts to remove/watch for since I've got a Z51. Its actually not a bad job at all.
Now I just gotta get my tranny resealed and get the new clutch installed.
One question:
For those of you that transfered your flywheel wieghts to the new flywheel, what did you use to lock them in ? Is there a super loc-tite for this application ?
Now I just gotta get my tranny resealed and get the new clutch installed.
One question:
For those of you that transfered your flywheel wieghts to the new flywheel, what did you use to lock them in ? Is there a super loc-tite for this application ?
Team Owner
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 23,283
Likes: 906
From: Lake Elsinore, CA
Below is a link to pics of the Z06 clutch install we did on another C5. You'll notice the weights we extracted and transferred to the new flywheel. We ended up tapping then in with a nail punch and hammer flush into the flywheel as they were pretty tight to begin with. They were tight enough that they needed no loctite.
As it turns out, my buddy had to pull the inspection cover a few days later and tap the weights back out because he had some vibration in the driveline. With the weights out, the vibration was gone. The flywheel had been neutral balanced at the factory.
http://redshift.homestead.com/Clutch.html
As it turns out, my buddy had to pull the inspection cover a few days later and tap the weights back out because he had some vibration in the driveline. With the weights out, the vibration was gone. The flywheel had been neutral balanced at the factory.
http://redshift.homestead.com/Clutch.html
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 2,237
Likes: 9
From: Springhill FL
hmm..my combo is supposed to be zero balanced, but alot of guys are saying the wieghts are to balance your engine..not the flywheel, so i was second guessing =/ I think I may just mark the wheel where they would go and try without them.. BTW ,thanks for all your help on this thread Patches !
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 18,682
Likes: 4
St. Jude Donor '05-'06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12
Originally Posted by MawneeC5
hmm..my combo is supposed to be zero balanced, but alot of guys are saying the wieghts are to balance your engine..not the flywheel, so i was second guessing =/ I think I may just mark the wheel where they would go and try without them.. BTW ,thanks for all your help on this thread Patches !
Tech Contributor
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 14,950
Likes: 264
From: St. Louis, MO
St. Jude Donor '08
Originally Posted by FactoryRaceCar
I just did my clutch last weekend. Complete with Master,Slave, Bearing and external remote bleeder line. If you bought the OEM Z06 Clutch, you dont need to transfer weights from your old flywheel. It does come balanced from the factory.
I just had a new Z06 clutch installed, didn't put the weights from the old flywheel on the new. No vibration issues at all. Don't know if that's luck or not, but it's as smooth as silk. Actually engages smoother and easier than the stock clutch.