Clutch problems?
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Apr 2007
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From: Mc Farland Wisconsin
Clutch problems?
Hi all,
After getting the vette out for the first time for a drive around the block this year, I remembered how hard the clutch pedal is. Is this a normal problem with an aftermarket clutch? Car is an 00 m6 coupe, new master cylinder, new slave cylinder, Centerforce dual friction clutch and centerforce flywheel. last winter I rebuilt the trans and inspected everything. The pedal is so hard that I have broken the clutch master mounting bracket twice, the first time it broke the ears off the master when it went through the firewall, the 2nd time i was lucky enough to just break the bracket. After reading on the Centerforce website, the dual friction is meant to be installed one way, and according to tech support if its not making noise, its not installed backwards. I had reinstalled it the way it was prior to removal without thinking twice. I removed it to replace the pilot, and the seal behind the pilot as oil was leaking out. The car is near stock again, is it time to just get a "stock" clutch replacement to get a stock pedal feel back again? A friend of mines father has a z06, and my friend has driven both cars and said my clutch is VERY hard to push.
Any ideas?
After getting the vette out for the first time for a drive around the block this year, I remembered how hard the clutch pedal is. Is this a normal problem with an aftermarket clutch? Car is an 00 m6 coupe, new master cylinder, new slave cylinder, Centerforce dual friction clutch and centerforce flywheel. last winter I rebuilt the trans and inspected everything. The pedal is so hard that I have broken the clutch master mounting bracket twice, the first time it broke the ears off the master when it went through the firewall, the 2nd time i was lucky enough to just break the bracket. After reading on the Centerforce website, the dual friction is meant to be installed one way, and according to tech support if its not making noise, its not installed backwards. I had reinstalled it the way it was prior to removal without thinking twice. I removed it to replace the pilot, and the seal behind the pilot as oil was leaking out. The car is near stock again, is it time to just get a "stock" clutch replacement to get a stock pedal feel back again? A friend of mines father has a z06, and my friend has driven both cars and said my clutch is VERY hard to push.
Any ideas?
Tech Contributor
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 19,361
Likes: 1,128
From: Dyer, IN
Hi all,
After getting the vette out for the first time for a drive around the block this year, I remembered how hard the clutch pedal is. Is this a normal problem with an aftermarket clutch? Car is an 00 m6 coupe, new master cylinder, new slave cylinder, Centerforce dual friction clutch and centerforce flywheel. last winter I rebuilt the trans and inspected everything. The pedal is so hard that I have broken the clutch master mounting bracket twice, the first time it broke the ears off the master when it went through the firewall, the 2nd time i was lucky enough to just break the bracket. After reading on the Centerforce website, the dual friction is meant to be installed one way, and according to tech support if its not making noise, its not installed backwards. I had reinstalled it the way it was prior to removal without thinking twice. I removed it to replace the pilot, and the seal behind the pilot as oil was leaking out. The car is near stock again, is it time to just get a "stock" clutch replacement to get a stock pedal feel back again? A friend of mines father has a z06, and my friend has driven both cars and said my clutch is VERY hard to push.
Any ideas?
After getting the vette out for the first time for a drive around the block this year, I remembered how hard the clutch pedal is. Is this a normal problem with an aftermarket clutch? Car is an 00 m6 coupe, new master cylinder, new slave cylinder, Centerforce dual friction clutch and centerforce flywheel. last winter I rebuilt the trans and inspected everything. The pedal is so hard that I have broken the clutch master mounting bracket twice, the first time it broke the ears off the master when it went through the firewall, the 2nd time i was lucky enough to just break the bracket. After reading on the Centerforce website, the dual friction is meant to be installed one way, and according to tech support if its not making noise, its not installed backwards. I had reinstalled it the way it was prior to removal without thinking twice. I removed it to replace the pilot, and the seal behind the pilot as oil was leaking out. The car is near stock again, is it time to just get a "stock" clutch replacement to get a stock pedal feel back again? A friend of mines father has a z06, and my friend has driven both cars and said my clutch is VERY hard to push.
Any ideas?
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 635
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From: Mc Farland Wisconsin
Ok, so opened the bleeder, and I have almost no pedal resistance, I will need to get someone else to help me re-bleed now. For this fluid only being in the system for roughly a 13 months and 5,000 miles of driving it sure is nasty!!! This is with all new components too...
Tech Contributor
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 19,361
Likes: 1,128
From: Dyer, IN
Ok, so opened the bleeder, and I have almost no pedal resistance, I will need to get someone else to help me re-bleed now. For this fluid only being in the system for roughly a 13 months and 5,000 miles of driving it sure is nasty!!! This is with all new components too...
Tech Contributor
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 19,361
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From: Dyer, IN
I have only driven C5's with 3 different clutches: Textralia, Spec, and Monster. While the clutch feel did vary, it in no way was difficult. The force required to depress the pedal with an aftermarket clutch can be subjective; however, breaking the mount on the master suggests that you are having to impart an unnecessary amount of force to displace the slave.......which suggests to me that something is seriously wrong.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Apr 2007
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From: Mc Farland Wisconsin
Next step in diagnosis? I guess I'm thinking it has to be just a strong clutch as far as pedal feel? Would dropping the driveline to do the drill mod to the slave be beneficial? Or would a tick master solve my problems like others say?
Tech Contributor
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 19,361
Likes: 1,128
From: Dyer, IN
I'd be having a serious discussion with Centerforce, and ask if they have any reports of this nature. My gut tells me it has to come apart, and everything inspected. If that much force is required, it should present itself somewhere.
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Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Apr 2007
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From: Mc Farland Wisconsin
There is a matched centerforce flywheel on the car too...Im guessing that I would need to change out the flywheel if i went with a different brand of clutch? What would I really be looking for if/when I take it apart? Im guessing the fingers may be possibly bound up, or maybe something to do with the weights jamming up the fingers or something?
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,722
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From: Florida
St. Jude Donor '09
The Tick (Tilton) master cylinder has a larger bore area, it will increase your pedal effort.
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Apr 2007
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From: Mc Farland Wisconsin
Think I can inspect the pressure plate through the inspection plate? I guess im not sure what I would be looking for it besides the obvious bent fingers or something to that effect.
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,722
Likes: 138
From: Florida
St. Jude Donor '09
I'm not familiar with the CF clutch so I do not know what you will be able to see but it's worth a try. When I inpected the movement on my LS6 clutch after installation I was able to see the pressure plate movement fairly clearly.
Drifting
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,722
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From: Florida
St. Jude Donor '09
Thread Starter
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Joined: Apr 2007
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From: Mc Farland Wisconsin
Tech Contributor
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From: Anthony TX
CI 6,7,8,9,11 Vet
St. Jude Donor '08
For a clutch to have EXCESSIVE force to depress the springs, it would have to be doing one or more of the following:
- Over compressing the springs
- Defective slave cylinder (binding up)
- Defective pressure plate
When you release the clutch, does it immediately release? Is the peddle hard immediately or is there some take up that allows it to be free then hard?
Just trying to get some more infor to troubleshoot.
BC
- Over compressing the springs
- Defective slave cylinder (binding up)
- Defective pressure plate
When you release the clutch, does it immediately release? Is the peddle hard immediately or is there some take up that allows it to be free then hard?
Just trying to get some more infor to troubleshoot.
BC
Thread Starter
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Joined: Apr 2007
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From: Mc Farland Wisconsin
When i release the clutch it immediatly grabs. I have tried to rev it up while in gear and the clutch pedal depressed and it does not move, so i know it is disengaging all the way. The first time i took it out this year the pedal was seriously hard as a rock, and it seemed to not build pressure right away. After the car warmed up it got much much better. I cant test the pedal right now as I have to re-bleed the system from last night having loosened the bleeder to see if it mechanically had something binding. The pedal prior had a small bit of free play then it was hard almost immediately.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 19,361
Likes: 1,128
From: Dyer, IN
When i release the clutch it immediatly grabs. I have tried to rev it up while in gear and the clutch pedal depressed and it does not move, so i know it is disengaging all the way. The first time i took it out this year the pedal was seriously hard as a rock, and it seemed to not build pressure right away. After the car warmed up it got much much better. I cant test the pedal right now as I have to re-bleed the system from last night having loosened the bleeder to see if it mechanically had something binding. The pedal prior had a small bit of free play then it was hard almost immediately.
