Clutch loses pressure
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2020
Posts: 121
Likes: 34
From: Ashland, Ohio
Clutch loses pressure
Clutch pedal has pressure when the car is turned off. I can start the car and have pressure but as soon as I put it into gear and start to go it just drops straight to the floor. I'm thinking it might be the slave cylinder. There is a little dribble of clear fluid coming near the rear of the bat pan.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2021
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Likes: 4,355
From: Florida
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I went through the same thing. At first I was told(correctly, it turns out) that just changing the master was a bandaide and that once the hydraulics are contaminated the correct fix is to replace both master and slave. Naturally I went the cheap route and just changed the master. Four months later, guess what…. Pedal fell to the floor. A lot of us have learned this lesson.
Most replace the master and slave with GM parts, although some opt for the Tick master, and the standard clutch replacement is the GM LS7 kit. The kit from Sgoggin-Dickey includes clutch, flywheel, bolts, and pilot bearing. I bought one about a year ago and it cost about $550.
If your torque tube has the original bushings, they’re going to be rock hard if not cracked, so count on replacing those. I selected Dorman replacements which are quite a bit less expensive, as I have had good experience with their parts.
You may also want to consider a remote bleeder while it’s apart. This will enable you to change the fluid going forward without tearing everything apart. Check out Tick and Katech.
If you have a shop do the work it’s about $800 for R&R, plus parts. I highly recommend you round up all the parts before starting work, as some items have been back ordered.
Most replace the master and slave with GM parts, although some opt for the Tick master, and the standard clutch replacement is the GM LS7 kit. The kit from Sgoggin-Dickey includes clutch, flywheel, bolts, and pilot bearing. I bought one about a year ago and it cost about $550.
If your torque tube has the original bushings, they’re going to be rock hard if not cracked, so count on replacing those. I selected Dorman replacements which are quite a bit less expensive, as I have had good experience with their parts.
You may also want to consider a remote bleeder while it’s apart. This will enable you to change the fluid going forward without tearing everything apart. Check out Tick and Katech.
If you have a shop do the work it’s about $800 for R&R, plus parts. I highly recommend you round up all the parts before starting work, as some items have been back ordered.
Last edited by vette4fl; Jul 6, 2022 at 04:42 PM.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2020
Posts: 121
Likes: 34
From: Ashland, Ohio
I went through the same thing. At first I was told(correctly, it turns out) that just changing the master was a bandaide and that once the hydraulics are contaminated the correct fix is to replace both master and slave. Naturally I went the cheap route and just changed the master. Four months later, guess what…. Pedal fell to the floor. A lot of us have learned this lesson.
Most replace the master and slave with GM parts, although some opt for the Tick master, and the standard clutch replacement is the GM LS7 kit. The kit from Sgoggin-Dickey includes clutch, flywheel, bolts, and pilot bearing. I bought one about a year ago and it cost about $550.
If your torque tube has the original bushings, they’re going to be rock hard if not cracked, so count on replacing those. I selected Dorman replacements which are quite a bit less expensive, as I have had good experience with their parts.
You may also want to consider a remote bleeder while it’s apart. This will enable you to change the fluid going forward without tearing everything apart. Check out Tick and Katech.
If you have a shop do the work it’s about $800 for R&R, plus parts. I highly recommend you round up all the parts before starting work, as some items have been back ordered.
Most replace the master and slave with GM parts, although some opt for the Tick master, and the standard clutch replacement is the GM LS7 kit. The kit from Sgoggin-Dickey includes clutch, flywheel, bolts, and pilot bearing. I bought one about a year ago and it cost about $550.
If your torque tube has the original bushings, they’re going to be rock hard if not cracked, so count on replacing those. I selected Dorman replacements which are quite a bit less expensive, as I have had good experience with their parts.
You may also want to consider a remote bleeder while it’s apart. This will enable you to change the fluid going forward without tearing everything apart. Check out Tick and Katech.
If you have a shop do the work it’s about $800 for R&R, plus parts. I highly recommend you round up all the parts before starting work, as some items have been back ordered.
My co worker was supposed to help and teach me on removing the drivetrain and rebuild my t56, but kinda screwed me over and never did. So now, I do have a corvette guy that my old boss recommended, and they offered to do $720 to pull the transmission and $100 an hour to rebuild the transmission.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2021
Posts: 6,508
Likes: 4,355
From: Florida
2025 Corvette of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
2024 C5 of the Year Winner- Unmodified
2022 C5 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
It's the slave cylinder. It leaks right where the bellhousing is. It will come in a stream at times and sometimes dripples. I got a speed bleeder, gm slave, monster lt1-s twin clutch, torque tube bearings and bushings, rear axle seals, beefed differential mount hpi I think, rear main seal, and stage 2 rebuild kit. The car is 25 years old and probably still original everything drivetrain wise.
My co worker was supposed to help and teach me on removing the drivetrain and rebuild my t56, but kinda screwed me over and never did. So now, I do have a corvette guy that my old boss recommended, and they offered to do $720 to pull the transmission and $100 an hour to rebuild the transmission.
My co worker was supposed to help and teach me on removing the drivetrain and rebuild my t56, but kinda screwed me over and never did. So now, I do have a corvette guy that my old boss recommended, and they offered to do $720 to pull the transmission and $100 an hour to rebuild the transmission.
For all the work you’re doing I trust you’re also replacing the master too?
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2020
Posts: 121
Likes: 34
From: Ashland, Ohio
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Burning Brakes
Joined: Jul 2013
Posts: 1,008
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From: Kensington MD
FWIW, when I did the clutch, master, and slave, I also added a remote bleeder, from Speedway Motors. I actually ended up dropping the trans twice. The first time I put it back up and discovered that the fitting on the remote bleeder where it goes into the TT is poorly designed (or poorly selected), allowing the hose to smoosh up against the trans tunnel. I decided that was not good for my peace of mind (those hoses don't like to be kinked or smashed), so I dropped the trans again and inserted a 90º fitting that allowed the hose to change directions sooner, giving it a decent distance away from the tunnel wall. If your remote bleeder kit doesn't include a 90º fitting, I'd plan on buying one separately.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jul 2020
Posts: 121
Likes: 34
From: Ashland, Ohio
FWIW, when I did the clutch, master, and slave, I also added a remote bleeder, from Speedway Motors. I actually ended up dropping the trans twice. The first time I put it back up and discovered that the fitting on the remote bleeder where it goes into the TT is poorly designed (or poorly selected), allowing the hose to smoosh up against the trans tunnel. I decided that was not good for my peace of mind (those hoses don't like to be kinked or smashed), so I dropped the trans again and inserted a 90º fitting that allowed the hose to change directions sooner, giving it a decent distance away from the tunnel wall. If your remote bleeder kit doesn't include a 90º fitting, I'd plan on buying one separately.
