Clutch Hydraulic Failure @ 90k - Additional Upgrades?
01-07-2019, 01:50 AM
#1
Instructor
Thread Starter
Clutch Hydraulic Failure @ 90k - Additional Upgrades?
Started the car up yesterday after a few months of slumber. The clutch stuck to the floor and would not disengage. I shut the car down. Subsequent pumps would not bring pressure back. Fluid level looks (close to) normal, but the rivet that holds the clutch master broke. I will not be checking the fluid level until the new rivets and fresh fluid arrive.
Upon pushing the car back into the garage, I notice a puddle of clutch fluid aboud 2" in diameter. Guessing that despite my annual fluid flushes that the slave cylinder finally gave up the ghost. Car has nearly 90k, so it's not unexpected.
My question here is twofold: Looking for a clutch recommendation and other maintenance to do "while I'm in there" (driveshaft couplers, trans mount, tunnel plate, etc). I figured that installing headers would not be much in the way of additional labor vs. retaining the stock manifolds. Additionally, the oil pressure sensor has gone bad, meaning that the intake manifold needs to be pulled. At that point, bolting on new heads isn't that more difficult.... You can see how the scope creep is rearing its ugly head.
At a minimum, I'll replace the driveshaft couplers, trans mount, clutch and all associated hydraulics. Car is primarily used weekends, the occasional autocross, and on road trips. Future plans are for more HPDEs and HCI. An LS3-based setup and/or FI would be nice, but I'd like to address brakes/suspension/interior first.
I've contemplated just dropping the car off at Katech for a HCI package, headers, and clutch job. While I have yet to call them, I'm guessing this will run in the neighborhood of $10k. I had considered fixing it "stock" and upgrading to a C6Z, but I'd rather not buy something that needs a head replacement almost immediately.
Upon pushing the car back into the garage, I notice a puddle of clutch fluid aboud 2" in diameter. Guessing that despite my annual fluid flushes that the slave cylinder finally gave up the ghost. Car has nearly 90k, so it's not unexpected.
My question here is twofold: Looking for a clutch recommendation and other maintenance to do "while I'm in there" (driveshaft couplers, trans mount, tunnel plate, etc). I figured that installing headers would not be much in the way of additional labor vs. retaining the stock manifolds. Additionally, the oil pressure sensor has gone bad, meaning that the intake manifold needs to be pulled. At that point, bolting on new heads isn't that more difficult.... You can see how the scope creep is rearing its ugly head.
At a minimum, I'll replace the driveshaft couplers, trans mount, clutch and all associated hydraulics. Car is primarily used weekends, the occasional autocross, and on road trips. Future plans are for more HPDEs and HCI. An LS3-based setup and/or FI would be nice, but I'd like to address brakes/suspension/interior first.
I've contemplated just dropping the car off at Katech for a HCI package, headers, and clutch job. While I have yet to call them, I'm guessing this will run in the neighborhood of $10k. I had considered fixing it "stock" and upgrading to a C6Z, but I'd rather not buy something that needs a head replacement almost immediately.
01-07-2019, 09:10 AM
#2
Started the car up yesterday after a few months of slumber. The clutch stuck to the floor and would not disengage. I shut the car down. Subsequent pumps would not bring pressure back. Fluid level looks (close to) normal, but the rivet that holds the clutch master broke. I will not be checking the fluid level until the new rivets and fresh fluid arrive.
Upon pushing the car back into the garage, I notice a puddle of clutch fluid aboud 2" in diameter. Guessing that despite my annual fluid flushes that the slave cylinder finally gave up the ghost. Car has nearly 90k, so it's not unexpected.
My question here is twofold: Looking for a clutch recommendation and other maintenance to do "while I'm in there" (driveshaft couplers, trans mount, tunnel plate, etc). I figured that installing headers would not be much in the way of additional labor vs. retaining the stock manifolds. Additionally, the oil pressure sensor has gone bad, meaning that the intake manifold needs to be pulled. At that point, bolting on new heads isn't that more difficult.... You can see how the scope creep is rearing its ugly head.
At a minimum, I'll replace the driveshaft couplers, trans mount, clutch and all associated hydraulics. Car is primarily used weekends, the occasional autocross, and on road trips. Future plans are for more HPDEs and HCI. An LS3-based setup and/or FI would be nice, but I'd like to address brakes/suspension/interior first.
I've contemplated just dropping the car off at Katech for a HCI package, headers, and clutch job. While I have yet to call them, I'm guessing this will run in the neighborhood of $10k. I had considered fixing it "stock" and upgrading to a C6Z, but I'd rather not buy something that needs a head replacement almost immediately.
Upon pushing the car back into the garage, I notice a puddle of clutch fluid aboud 2" in diameter. Guessing that despite my annual fluid flushes that the slave cylinder finally gave up the ghost. Car has nearly 90k, so it's not unexpected.
My question here is twofold: Looking for a clutch recommendation and other maintenance to do "while I'm in there" (driveshaft couplers, trans mount, tunnel plate, etc). I figured that installing headers would not be much in the way of additional labor vs. retaining the stock manifolds. Additionally, the oil pressure sensor has gone bad, meaning that the intake manifold needs to be pulled. At that point, bolting on new heads isn't that more difficult.... You can see how the scope creep is rearing its ugly head.
At a minimum, I'll replace the driveshaft couplers, trans mount, clutch and all associated hydraulics. Car is primarily used weekends, the occasional autocross, and on road trips. Future plans are for more HPDEs and HCI. An LS3-based setup and/or FI would be nice, but I'd like to address brakes/suspension/interior first.
I've contemplated just dropping the car off at Katech for a HCI package, headers, and clutch job. While I have yet to call them, I'm guessing this will run in the neighborhood of $10k. I had considered fixing it "stock" and upgrading to a C6Z, but I'd rather not buy something that needs a head replacement almost immediately.
Your clutch master cylinder is secured to the firewall with a 1/4 turn cam-lock. There are no rivets. Are you perhaps talking about the reservoir? You can get those push-in type fasteners at Lowes.
01-07-2019, 11:54 AM
#3
Racer
What year is your C5? If you have 12mm couplers, they maybe fine as well as the bearings. Make sure you include a remote bleeder for your slave cylinder while you're in there. For clutches, I'd look at a RPS BC-2. Thicker tunnel plate, also.
Spaggs
Spaggs
01-07-2019, 01:23 PM
#4
If you need a clutch master you can do that in your driveway and upgrade to the Tick adjustable unit for $300.
If your slave cyl went then your doing a whole clutch job in which case your talking plenty of upgrade options along the way. LS7 clutch kit with Exedy aluminum flywheel, new hydraulics, remote bleeder, couplers, and i went with a 1/4" ceramic coated tunnel plate.
Another step up would be all the above plus a set of longtubes and midpipe. Depends what you wanna spend $$ wise....
If your slave cyl went then your doing a whole clutch job in which case your talking plenty of upgrade options along the way. LS7 clutch kit with Exedy aluminum flywheel, new hydraulics, remote bleeder, couplers, and i went with a 1/4" ceramic coated tunnel plate.
Another step up would be all the above plus a set of longtubes and midpipe. Depends what you wanna spend $$ wise....
01-07-2019, 01:32 PM
#5
Le Mans Master
I bet the slave is fine, the MC is toast.
Check it out and see what's what.
My car came with oversized TICK adjustable, I just went back to stock sized TICK.
I have both a box-stock replacement MC and oversized Tilton (TICK) for sale in the classifieds...
Tunnel plate: I just did this myself. Bought 2 C6 plates for a grand total of $60 and put them in; direct bolt-in. They are 1/8" thick; so I now have a 1/4" tunnel plate. could probably use one more to make a 3/8" plate but I think the hardware would need to be replaced at that point.
Check it out and see what's what.
My car came with oversized TICK adjustable, I just went back to stock sized TICK.
I have both a box-stock replacement MC and oversized Tilton (TICK) for sale in the classifieds...
Tunnel plate: I just did this myself. Bought 2 C6 plates for a grand total of $60 and put them in; direct bolt-in. They are 1/8" thick; so I now have a 1/4" tunnel plate. could probably use one more to make a 3/8" plate but I think the hardware would need to be replaced at that point.
01-08-2019, 11:50 AM
#6
Team Owner
If you are staying stock, I'd stay on a stock master cylinder, a LS7 clutch (I'd stay with an OEM flywheel not aluminum), and add the remote bleeder. Clean fluid is critical on the clutch system and the bleeder makes that much easier.
If you are adding heads and cam, my recommendations would vary on power level, and how you use the car.
If you are adding heads and cam, my recommendations would vary on power level, and how you use the car.
01-09-2019, 02:44 PM
#7
Burning Brakes
Careful, these things can snowball fast. My clutch died and before I knew it I was doing heads, cam, clutch, and 4.10 gears. Car is insane, but I wasn't expecting the outcome when the clutch first went.
FWIW, my clutch died in the same manner, but it was mechanical. Fingers on the clutch disk seemed to have gotten stuck or something.
FWIW, my clutch died in the same manner, but it was mechanical. Fingers on the clutch disk seemed to have gotten stuck or something.
01-31-2019, 08:55 PM
#8
Instructor
Thread Starter
Careful, these things can snowball fast. My clutch died and before I knew it I was doing heads, cam, clutch, and 4.10 gears. Car is insane, but I wasn't expecting the outcome when the clutch first went.
FWIW, my clutch died in the same manner, but it was mechanical. Fingers on the clutch disk seemed to have gotten stuck or something.
FWIW, my clutch died in the same manner, but it was mechanical. Fingers on the clutch disk seemed to have gotten stuck or something.
To clarify a few things:
- Car is an 04 Z06 which I've owned for the past 5+ year and a majority of the 90,000 miles.
- No plans to stay stock. HCI at a minimum. Probably going to do this at once.
- I hate paying for labor twice.
The car is used for weekends/auto-x and is no longer a DD. With that being said, I don't want a track only setup but ideally would like to improve things where needed. I was originally considering the Monster LT1-S with the lightweight flywheel.
Additionally, this seems like the time to do a lot of other things (heads, cam, intake, headers, lifters, oil pump, water pump, ATI damper, etc.). Sort of waffling between that and simply throwing an entirely new engine in it. Even with 90k, however, my UOAs from Blackstone came back perfect. I have no reason to suspect the bottom end is in anything but perfect health.