Clutch Question ??
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Jul 2002
Posts: 36
Likes: 0
From: Grand Blanc Michigan
Clutch Question ??
As a new C5 owner (2000 6-speed Coupe) I’m wondering if my clutch is normal or if there may be a problem. The engagement point when releasing the clutch varies tremendously from lets say a ¼ from the floor to 7/8 from the floor. I’m used to a manual clutch (on my 1970 LT1) which has a lot of feel. Maybe this is just characteristic of a hydraulic clutch ? There is also only 9000 miles on the car.
Thanks in advance for any help. This is a great Forum !!!
Thanks in advance for any help. This is a great Forum !!!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2001
Posts: 2,562
Likes: 162
From: Louisville KY
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (performance mods)
C6 of Year Winner (performance mods) 2019
Re: Clutch Question ?? (soapy)
Sorry no answer for you, but welcome to the forum.
P.S. Try doing a search.
[Modified by pjazz, 9:38 AM 7/28/2002]
P.S. Try doing a search.
[Modified by pjazz, 9:38 AM 7/28/2002]
Drifting
Joined: Aug 2001
Posts: 1,903
Likes: 0
From: Oakhurst NJ
Re: Clutch Question ?? (soapy)
Get it looked at right away. Mine always engaged high and that led to lots of wear. My clutch blew out at 5600 miles because of that( and a couple of bolt on mods) Tell the dealer it never engaged right and you want it replaced with the Z06 clutch. Good luck. :cheers:
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 2,611
Likes: 0
From: Lake Martin ALABAMA
Re: Clutch Question ?? (soapy)
Chevy, for obvious reasons, designed in a physical restriction into the
slave cylinder hydraulic line. So, the faster you release the pedal,
the more the clutch will APPEAR to be late in engaging. If you
try to pop the clutch with the traction control switched on, all you
will see is smoke....not from the tires, but from the CLUTCH !
Try SLOWLY releasing the clutch repeatedly, and you will
see that it actually is engaging at the same point every time.
Now, release it faster, and the engage point will seem higher up. See ???
Lots of folks here have drilled out the restriction, but it is a LOT of
labor to even get to it.
slave cylinder hydraulic line. So, the faster you release the pedal,
the more the clutch will APPEAR to be late in engaging. If you
try to pop the clutch with the traction control switched on, all you
will see is smoke....not from the tires, but from the CLUTCH !
Try SLOWLY releasing the clutch repeatedly, and you will
see that it actually is engaging at the same point every time.
Now, release it faster, and the engage point will seem higher up. See ???
Lots of folks here have drilled out the restriction, but it is a LOT of
labor to even get to it.
Pro
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 641
Likes: 3
From: Eldersburg MD
Re: Clutch Question ?? (soapy)
Soupy,
I've had the same problem now for 6 months. However, I had hard shifts and gear grinding when the clutch would release closer to the floor. My clutch was not disengaging. It's a 97 with 30k miles on it. I owned it for the past 2 years.
I first bled the clutch and that fixed the problem, for a while. Then, I replaced the master cylinder with a modified line for less fluid restriction and that fixed the problem, for a while. The last straw was the slave cylinder. I've had issues with trying to get it repaired under extended warranty. A new slave requires new clutch which I got the run-around from GM about who's gonna pay for it. I was convinced it was a hydraulic issue.
Get this - two weeks ago, a friend of mine was bugging me to let him drive the car. I gave him the keys and 15 minutes later he came back and it was fixed! What the heck? He said he was popping the clutch and power shifting. I was ticked off that someone drove the car hard but was happy that it was back to "normal." Maybe I had some dirt or something on the seal of the slave cylinder? It's been fine ever since!
Let me know if you decide to let the clutch pedal fly and power shift and if this fixes your problem. I'd be quite curious if it does.
Pat
[Modified by Pat97Vette, 8:56 PM 7/28/2002]
I've had the same problem now for 6 months. However, I had hard shifts and gear grinding when the clutch would release closer to the floor. My clutch was not disengaging. It's a 97 with 30k miles on it. I owned it for the past 2 years.
I first bled the clutch and that fixed the problem, for a while. Then, I replaced the master cylinder with a modified line for less fluid restriction and that fixed the problem, for a while. The last straw was the slave cylinder. I've had issues with trying to get it repaired under extended warranty. A new slave requires new clutch which I got the run-around from GM about who's gonna pay for it. I was convinced it was a hydraulic issue.
Get this - two weeks ago, a friend of mine was bugging me to let him drive the car. I gave him the keys and 15 minutes later he came back and it was fixed! What the heck? He said he was popping the clutch and power shifting. I was ticked off that someone drove the car hard but was happy that it was back to "normal." Maybe I had some dirt or something on the seal of the slave cylinder? It's been fine ever since!
Let me know if you decide to let the clutch pedal fly and power shift and if this fixes your problem. I'd be quite curious if it does.
Pat
[Modified by Pat97Vette, 8:56 PM 7/28/2002]
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 2,248
Likes: 1
From: Newland US
Re: Clutch Question ?? (Pat97Vette)
Pat97Vette,
I'm gonna take a WAG here and say that possibly when your friend had the car out putting her through her paces, that the automatic take up on on the clutch suddenly broke loose and adjusted itself so that the throwout bearing was in closer proximity to the clutch plate fingers.
A greater than optimum distance as cited above could certainly explain the low engagement/release point, I believe.
As I recall, c4c5 specialist posted a long time back, how to do the adjustment manually, by using a couple of screw drivers.
Whatta ya think? Maybe? Anyway, lets hope she stays fixed this time and maybe one of the techs can elaborate.
Good luck.
Mark
I'm gonna take a WAG here and say that possibly when your friend had the car out putting her through her paces, that the automatic take up on on the clutch suddenly broke loose and adjusted itself so that the throwout bearing was in closer proximity to the clutch plate fingers.
A greater than optimum distance as cited above could certainly explain the low engagement/release point, I believe.
As I recall, c4c5 specialist posted a long time back, how to do the adjustment manually, by using a couple of screw drivers.
Whatta ya think? Maybe? Anyway, lets hope she stays fixed this time and maybe one of the techs can elaborate.
Good luck.
Mark
Pro
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 641
Likes: 3
From: Eldersburg MD
Re: Clutch Question ?? (MDT)
I'm gonna take a WAG here and say that possibly when your friend had the car out putting her through her paces, that the automatic take up on on the clutch suddenly broke loose and adjusted itself so that the throwout bearing was in closer proximity to the clutch plate fingers.
As I recall, c4c5 specialist posted a long time back, how to do the adjustment manually, by using a couple of screw drivers.
As I recall, c4c5 specialist posted a long time back, how to do the adjustment manually, by using a couple of screw drivers.
