Howdy ~~ I just test drove a 1999 Hardtop with 14,000 miles, with an eye to buying. The car looked great and the engine was very responsive etc. However, the clutch behavior seemed unusual to me and I'd appreciate any comments to see if it's just me, or the clutch. My failure to know technical terms should make my descriptions sound pretty retarded, so please forgive me in advance.

As I depressed the clutch, I noticed that while the travel of the clutch pedal to the floor was unimpeded in the large sense, as the clutch travelled downward it felt as if it was making a succession of tiny grabs. Next, when I'd selected any gear and was releasing the clutch, almost every time it caught very quickly near the floor, at the beginning of the release. It would catch just a bit too soon and made shifts a bit jerky. The final thing I experienced occured as I shifted between gears, both up and down. Even when the clutch was fully depressed, as I went from gear to gear there was a very tiny "sssnickkk" sound as it went into any gear. I just sold my '89 6-speed coupe with 68,000 miles, and I never had any of these things happen.

Did I experience something that's unusual for C-5, 6-speeds or should I go back to gear-shifting summer school? Do your 6-speeds operate in this manner. Any diagnoses? Thanks for your comments ~~ Oxo.

 

My '99 has a hair less miles than yours and the clutch doesn't exhibit any symptoms similar to what you're describing. The clutch is smooth as a hot knife in warm butter while upshifting and downshifting and engages well off of the floor.

I don't have a clue as to what's wrong with that guy's clutch but thought you might like a comparison on a very similar car.


[Modified by Cajun75, 2:08 AM 4/21/2002]

 

This sounds like the clutch system is low on fluid. That would be the first thing I'd check.

Tom

 

Oxo,

Do a search on clutches, you will find a lot of discussion recently on different problems. Might help you diagnose. What I have learned is that the C5 clutch is not the most dependable piece of equipment and if you have a car showing symptoms, then you should either get a new one installed prior to purchase or get the car discounted enough so that if a problem occurs you can get it fixed. Sure sounds like a problem on the horizon to me.

 

Without the benefit of actually feeling the clutch itself all I can add to this is that my 99 with 15,090 miles the clutch feels/moves freely smoothly in both directions. If the fluid level is OK and it LOOKS clean I wouldn't reject the car just but an extended warranty and go from their.

In any event I'd have a qualified tech look the car over.

Good luck.

Tom
USAF Retired

 

Can't offer Tech advice but would make this suggestion. Get the car down to a price that you feel is fairThen . Tell the dealer you feel there is soemthing wrong with the clutch. Tell him you will take the car if the dealer will take care of ANY clutch issues within 180 days (Get this in writing on the Bill Of Sale). Tell him you think this very fair cause the car only has 14K miles and no car should have clutch problems at 14K miles (not necessarilly true but this is what u want to tell him) Good luck, I have a '99 vert and I love it.

 

I was a mechanic for 30 years and although I haven't been in the trade for about 13 years now it seems as though the clutch is adjusted wrong. you don't have enough travel on the clutch to fully release. that's why you engage at the bottom of the pedal and when you shift gears you get a slight grinding sound. the disc may not be releasing all the way. you may also have bent fingers on the pressure plate. when I was doing repairs for a living you had two different types of pressure plates. one with many fingers and one with just three fingers. the multi fingered plate ( unsually not hight pref.) would sometimes distort causing a fluttering feeling in the clutch pedal. I'm not sure which type your Vette has but this may help. Jeff wcj

 

Probably a failing slave unit, which is not uncommon on these cars. Mine just went, at 13K. Began as the clutch pedal not coming all the way back from the floor and ended as a trip on the flatbed to the dealer. They replaced the complete clutch assy including the disc. It was repaired under warranty, but I imagine the bill would have been stiff...about $1,000 P&L.