clutch pedal sticking
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Dec 2011
Posts: 49
Likes: 0
From: Savannah GA
clutch pedal sticking
Ive done a handful of reading and I wanted some opinions before I do it. Ive got an 03 z06, bolt ons, 67k. As far as I know the clutch is stock.
When driving around normal, clutch is fine, no problems (relases at top) but once I start to get into it a little the clutch will start to relase at the bottom.
Anyways, my problem becomes when I start banging the gears or runnin it hard the clutch pedal will stay on the floor. But only when it starts to get hot I suppose from the high revs and shifts?
Anyways, I use the Ranger method and my clutch fluid is clean, and I change it about once a week.
From reading, I was planning to drill out the line restriction Ive read about and remove the clutch pedal spring?
Sorry for the long thread, but any opinions would be appreciated it.
Joey
When driving around normal, clutch is fine, no problems (relases at top) but once I start to get into it a little the clutch will start to relase at the bottom.
Anyways, my problem becomes when I start banging the gears or runnin it hard the clutch pedal will stay on the floor. But only when it starts to get hot I suppose from the high revs and shifts?
Anyways, I use the Ranger method and my clutch fluid is clean, and I change it about once a week.
From reading, I was planning to drill out the line restriction Ive read about and remove the clutch pedal spring?
Sorry for the long thread, but any opinions would be appreciated it.
Joey
Pro
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 578
Likes: 1
From: Boiling Springs Pennsylvania
Oldtimer
You may have read my posts as my clutch pedal sticks after 2 or 3 shifts from cold (backing out of the garage and turning around to drive down the driveway). I then have to let it sit and warm up, pump 5-10 times and everything is fine afterwards. No leaks in the master or slave and my '04 only has 8000 miles on her. I've done the clutch fluid replacement (it wasn't all that dirty); I've had folks say replace the works - master cylinder, slave cylinder, and clutch [that's like $2400 - too big a job for me]. And others say the master cylinder. I hate replacing parts when I don't know that that's the real problem. You hear that "it's only 80-125 buck or 300 buck item" so you might as well try it. Bottom line is that I haven't heard from any other gurus of Corvette land who have had this seemingly common problem in C5's and 6's as to the source of the problem and so I am going to do the Clutch Master Cylinder replacement[I'll tackle that as I claim to be a "shade bush" mechanic]. I'm just waiting for a warm day here in cold and damp central Pennsylvania
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2009
Posts: 6,119
Likes: 156
From: Huntington tx
I had the same issue with all the additional horsepower I added. But I also had 90K on the clock and didn't baby the clutch. I replaced the clutch and all the components to make it right. Now a year later my pedal sticks to the floor again but only at first start up and then never again all day even if I get on it hard.
Pro
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 578
Likes: 1
From: Boiling Springs Pennsylvania
Oldtimer
I had the same issue with all the additional horsepower I added. But I also had 90K on the clock and didn't baby the clutch. I replaced the clutch and all the components to make it right. Now a year later my pedal sticks to the floor again but only at first start up and then never again all day even if I get on it hard.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 6,993
Likes: 25
Surely you are not the only one with that issue; I count myself in the same light. The question still remains: Why does that happen? I've driven many cars, motorcycles, US Navy vehicles and if a clutch pedal stuck on the floor, there was a fix and it was fixed forever. What did Chevrolet do to cause this?????
Pro
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 578
Likes: 1
From: Boiling Springs Pennsylvania
Oldtimer
I've searched and read and watched it all. Yes, I read about clutch dust problem. "How do you fix it" is never addressed except for changing the "clutch" fluid every week. I've done that and my fluid was almost clear to start with and it remains clear.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 6,993
Likes: 25
Don't think there is a permanent fix other than a different slave design. I wanted to try to remove the inspection cover and see if there is a way to spray some type of cleaner to get the clutch dust off the input shaft.
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Pro
Joined: May 2011
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From: Boiling Springs Pennsylvania
Oldtimer
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Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 6,993
Likes: 25
That's not very promising. Are you ready? Today it is 40 degrees in central PA and sunny. Gotta take out the Vette, at least to get some Sunoco. So I try the old school method. What's that you ask? Back in the late 50's and early 60's, we would take out the old bomb and warm her up before we took off. So that's what I did. I let the Vette warm up for 8-10 minutes. Miracle! No sticking of clutch pedal; smooth shifts; got on it and smooth shifts no sticking. I wish I knew why it's good today,maybe I shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth or maybe my Vette is just a bitchy, little stuck up girl who's complaining that she lives in an unheated garage..
.
Pro
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 578
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From: Boiling Springs Pennsylvania
Oldtimer
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 3,382
Likes: 250
Well you guys are going to think I'm nuts but I bet there is air in your lines. Pedal pushes T/O bearing/slave into the pressure plate fingers. Fingers up the PP so you can shift. Foot off pedal lets T/o/slave relax but rpm and static PP pressure move the fingers back and push on T/0/slave. If air is in there the pedal does not come back because the air is compressible. Heat changes the volume of the air in the lines and its ability to be compressed which is why you get wonky unpredicatable action.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 6,993
Likes: 25
Well you guys are going to think I'm nuts but I bet there is air in your lines. Pedal pushes T/O bearing/slave into the pressure plate fingers. Fingers up the PP so you can shift. Foot off pedal lets T/o/slave relax but rpm and static PP pressure move the fingers back and push on T/0/slave. If air is in there the pedal does not come back because the air is compressible. Heat changes the volume of the air in the lines and its ability to be compressed which is why you get wonky unpredicatable action.
BUT, this has been debated almost as much as oil/tirescolumn lock/.... Look it up, and choose the symptoms/remedies you choose. The old style clutches mechanisms never had this issue (mechanical fork), it's defenitely a hydraulic issue/slave design problem.
Last edited by dougbfresh; Jan 28, 2012 at 10:34 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 6,993
Likes: 25
Ive done a handful of reading and I wanted some opinions before I do it. Ive got an 03 z06, bolt ons, 67k. As far as I know the clutch is stock.
When driving around normal, clutch is fine, no problems (relases at top) but once I start to get into it a little the clutch will start to relase at the bottom.
Anyways, my problem becomes when I start banging the gears or runnin it hard the clutch pedal will stay on the floor. But only when it starts to get hot I suppose from the high revs and shifts?
Anyways, I use the Ranger method and my clutch fluid is clean, and I change it about once a week.
From reading, I was planning to drill out the line restriction Ive read about and remove the clutch pedal spring?
Sorry for the long thread, but any opinions would be appreciated it.
Joey
When driving around normal, clutch is fine, no problems (relases at top) but once I start to get into it a little the clutch will start to relase at the bottom.
Anyways, my problem becomes when I start banging the gears or runnin it hard the clutch pedal will stay on the floor. But only when it starts to get hot I suppose from the high revs and shifts?
Anyways, I use the Ranger method and my clutch fluid is clean, and I change it about once a week.
From reading, I was planning to drill out the line restriction Ive read about and remove the clutch pedal spring?
Sorry for the long thread, but any opinions would be appreciated it.
Joey
http://www.torcavettes.com/tech/ClutchHydraulics.htm
Pro
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 564
Likes: 12
From: Vancouver British Columbia
You may have read my posts as my clutch pedal sticks after 2 or 3 shifts from cold (backing out of the garage and turning around to drive down the driveway). I then have to let it sit and warm up, pump 5-10 times and everything is fine afterwards. No leaks in the master or slave and my '04 only has 8000 miles on her. I've done the clutch fluid replacement (it wasn't all that dirty); I've had folks say replace the works - master cylinder, slave cylinder, and clutch [that's like $2400 - too big a job for me]. And others say the master cylinder. I hate replacing parts when I don't know that that's the real problem. You hear that "it's only 80-125 buck or 300 buck item" so you might as well try it. Bottom line is that I haven't heard from any other gurus of Corvette land who have had this seemingly common problem in C5's and 6's as to the source of the problem and so I am going to do the Clutch Master Cylinder replacement[I'll tackle that as I claim to be a "shade bush" mechanic]. I'm just waiting for a warm day here in cold and damp central Pennsylvania
Pro
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 578
Likes: 1
From: Boiling Springs Pennsylvania
Oldtimer
Mine has a similar problem (happened once) backing out of the garage, outside temp. 40 degrees, engine not fully warmed up, clutch stuck to the floor. It's a '02Z with 9500 miles clutch fluid clear (Rangered to death) no dot 4 leaks. Manually pulled the pedal up and drove it back into storage. Could cold temp.'s cause this also?
Pro
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 564
Likes: 12
From: Vancouver British Columbia
Going to just leave as it for now, maybe it's just a one off thing caused by cold temps. or lack of use, you'd think GM would have perfected such a basic function as a clutch or column lock by now, building these cars since 1953? no wonder lot of people lost confidence in their products in the recent past, although making a come back now.
Pro
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 578
Likes: 1
From: Boiling Springs Pennsylvania
Oldtimer
Going to just leave as it for now, maybe it's just a one off thing caused by cold temps. or lack of use, you'd think GM would have perfected such a basic function as a clutch or column lock by now, building these cars since 1953? no wonder lot of people lost confidence in their products in the recent past, although making a come back now.
Drifting
Joined: Nov 2011
Posts: 1,377
Likes: 41
From: Chesterfield (St. Louis) MO
^ Cold weather could definitely exascerbate the problem. I recently purchased my 04 ZO6 (currently has 4700 miles on it), stock everything, and I daily drive mine in the cold weather. I have not seen this issue yet with mine.
Pro
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 578
Likes: 1
From: Boiling Springs Pennsylvania
Oldtimer