Hey, guys. I rear ended someone a few months ago and had my mechanic fix up the body work for me at a great rate (my car is a 2000 C5). He's a great body shop guy and a great person in general, always looks out for me so I should point out that in no way am I suspicious of any wrongdoings or maltreatments on his part.

The thing is though once I got the car back from him, immediately it shut down while driving it home. Granted, the car had not been immobile for some weeks and it was very hot outside, but it was weird that the car shut down and had to be jumper cabled to get back to the shop. Immediately I noticed the gears beyond 1st not responding with the right rev and acceleration. This was especially strange because I had been driving the car with the smashed front end for a week or two before I took it in and the car had absolutely no problems that I could notice.

He changed the spark plugs and some other stuff but the car still felt weak to me, and it still does now. I took it to a mechanic that he recommended and he told me within a few hours of testing it that it was definitely the clutch. It's gotten even worse since I took it to him because now the car is not even powerful in first gear, it revs up for a while before it even gets going (whereas before it only did this in second and later gears).

Is it possible for the clutch to have just gone bad mysteriously while it was in the shop getting the body repairs for three weeks? Why would it abruptly start behaving like this? Isn't a new clutch really expensive? What if I get a new one and the same problem is still there??? Very scary stuff. It should be noted also that I've never changed the clutch and have owned the car since 2007 (and I don't believe the previous owner had replaced it)...

Thanks so much guys, I trust your opinions above all to be honest.

 

if its revving up or rpm is rising without forward movement to match, then you have a problem with it yes. Especially if its worse in the higher gears, especially 3-4. if you were cruising hwy speed in 4th and stood on it what happens, just RPM go up or does it accelerate as it should?

 

The RPM will go up first and after a few seconds the engine seems to finally catch up to it and accelerate. Do you know what a fair price for changing and installation on a new clutch?

Also, do you think it's strange that it just started having these problems after they did the body work?

Thanks for your help, slocobra.

 

Your slave could end up going out too, Id change that at the same time just because Ive gone through so many myself. Its a long job but depending on where you are several vendors here have great prices on it, here's a link to a post form one of our vendors, hes charging $950 for an even better than stock ls7 clutch installed...

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c5-p...nnecticut.html

 

Think the range is probably 500-1200 labor+parts. depending on where you go.


Do I think its strange its just now acting up, or do you mean man its odd after a shop had my car it seems they might have been messing around and burnt the clutch up? Lol. I think its odd, but I would have it checked out before I pointed fingers


How many miles are on it?

 

If it turns into a clutch job, You NEED to have clutch, slave, and remote bleeder done while they are in there!

 

Good to know, thanks. I didn't realize mechanics specifically for our cars posted here, how awesome.

No, I'm just wondering if something else could be the problem or if it's really that much of a coincidence that the clutch gave out right after I got my car back?

The car has 120,000 miles, however EVERYTHING other than the clutch itself has already been replaced (engine included).

 

i read somewhere that the stock c5 clutch tends to last around 85k miles, mine went out at 87k so if yours is original at 120k then yours way outlasted the norm unlike the rest of your car.lol

 

How long the clutch lasts depends on the driver and type of driving being done. What clutch is going to have more wear 50k in bumper to bumper traffic or 200k highway?

If the car is revving up with it in gear the clutch is toast. As stated already replace the slave and get a speed bleeder while you are in there.