Clutch failure?
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2022
Posts: 127
Likes: 15
From: California
Clutch failure?
Hello,
Today when I tried to start the car I heard a pop/bang type sound, quiet but audible, and the clutch pedal went halfway to the floor. It’s extremely stiff now and pressing it down doesn’t disengage the gear. At least not enough to shift.
Don’t think I saw any fluid under the car. Clutch fluid in the reservoir looks normal.
Taking it in for an inspection tomorrow. Any guesses to what could have happened?
On a side note, I am shocked with how unreliable this car is.. I spent more than 4k on this car since purchasing it 8 months ago and none of it went to mods or even tires. This is something I’d expect from an e36 with 200k miles on the dash, not from a garage kept Vette with 60k
Today when I tried to start the car I heard a pop/bang type sound, quiet but audible, and the clutch pedal went halfway to the floor. It’s extremely stiff now and pressing it down doesn’t disengage the gear. At least not enough to shift.
Don’t think I saw any fluid under the car. Clutch fluid in the reservoir looks normal.
Taking it in for an inspection tomorrow. Any guesses to what could have happened?
On a side note, I am shocked with how unreliable this car is.. I spent more than 4k on this car since purchasing it 8 months ago and none of it went to mods or even tires. This is something I’d expect from an e36 with 200k miles on the dash, not from a garage kept Vette with 60k
Racer
Joined: Oct 2021
Posts: 389
Likes: 76
From: Chicago
Hello,
Today when I tried to start the car I heard a pop/bang type sound, quiet but audible, and the clutch pedal went halfway to the floor. It’s extremely stiff now and pressing it down doesn’t disengage the gear. At least not enough to shift.
Don’t think I saw any fluid under the car. Clutch fluid in the reservoir looks normal.
Taking it in for an inspection tomorrow. Any guesses to what could have happened?
On a side note, I am shocked with how unreliable this car is.. I spent more than 4k on this car since purchasing it 8 months ago and none of it went to mods or even tires. This is something I’d expect from an e36 with 200k miles on the dash, not from a garage kept Vette with 60k
Today when I tried to start the car I heard a pop/bang type sound, quiet but audible, and the clutch pedal went halfway to the floor. It’s extremely stiff now and pressing it down doesn’t disengage the gear. At least not enough to shift.
Don’t think I saw any fluid under the car. Clutch fluid in the reservoir looks normal.
Taking it in for an inspection tomorrow. Any guesses to what could have happened?
On a side note, I am shocked with how unreliable this car is.. I spent more than 4k on this car since purchasing it 8 months ago and none of it went to mods or even tires. This is something I’d expect from an e36 with 200k miles on the dash, not from a garage kept Vette with 60k
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 14,064
Likes: 1,166
From: N. Alabama
Hello,
Today when I tried to start the car I heard a pop/bang type sound, quiet but audible, and the clutch pedal went halfway to the floor. It’s extremely stiff now and pressing it down doesn’t disengage the gear. At least not enough to shift.
Don’t think I saw any fluid under the car. Clutch fluid in the reservoir looks normal.
Taking it in for an inspection tomorrow. Any guesses to what could have happened?
On a side note, I am shocked with how unreliable this car is.. I spent more than 4k on this car since purchasing it 8 months ago and none of it went to mods or even tires. This is something I’d expect from an e36 with 200k miles on the dash, not from a garage kept Vette with 60k
Today when I tried to start the car I heard a pop/bang type sound, quiet but audible, and the clutch pedal went halfway to the floor. It’s extremely stiff now and pressing it down doesn’t disengage the gear. At least not enough to shift.
Don’t think I saw any fluid under the car. Clutch fluid in the reservoir looks normal.
Taking it in for an inspection tomorrow. Any guesses to what could have happened?
On a side note, I am shocked with how unreliable this car is.. I spent more than 4k on this car since purchasing it 8 months ago and none of it went to mods or even tires. This is something I’d expect from an e36 with 200k miles on the dash, not from a garage kept Vette with 60k
Safety Car
Joined: Mar 2017
Posts: 3,771
Likes: 940
From: Orlando Florida
Look up under the knee panel and ensure the master is connecting properly with the pedal arm. No real linkage in the master to go bad, and not much in the master to cause your symptoms — but pretty much everything else requires the drive train to come down.
My side note would be that my ‘99 has had the great majority of the known issues for its generation — it’s a long list. I have to say that in my case a lot of the problems have been age driven, instead of miles driven.
Last edited by redzg; Feb 7, 2023 at 12:25 PM.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2022
Posts: 127
Likes: 15
From: California
There is no hydraulic pressure at all in other words. The pedal could have just disconnected from the MC now that I think about it, I’ll take it into a shop right now and check. Hoping that’s the case.
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 14,064
Likes: 1,166
From: N. Alabama
If you have to tear into it be sure to install a remote slave cylinder bleed hose. Makes it easy to flush from the topside of the firewall in the engine compartment. Many of us that track do this as it is needed from time to time.
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 2,847
Likes: 1,144
From: Sleepy Hollow- NJ
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2022
Posts: 127
Likes: 15
From: California
Noting that the car has a tick master cylinder that was installed 6 months ago. It comes with a lifetime warranty. I am about to receive the replacement part free of charge. Hopefully this fixes the issue
Melting Slicks
Joined: Dec 2004
Posts: 2,847
Likes: 1,144
From: Sleepy Hollow- NJ
Good luck!
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2022
Posts: 127
Likes: 15
From: California
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 14,064
Likes: 1,166
From: N. Alabama
Hopefully an easy repair once you find the culprit. But I just don't understand how the M/C could make a pop/bang noise. I do know how the throw out bearing can. I have lost a couple of those.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2021
Posts: 6,508
Likes: 4,355
From: Florida
2025 Corvette of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
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While a mc failure can drop the pedal to the floor, there’s no pop bang included.
Take a look inside your clutch mc and let us know how clear that fluid looks.
Take a look inside your clutch mc and let us know how clear that fluid looks.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2022
Posts: 127
Likes: 15
From: California
Mechanic said it was a pressure plate spring failure. I was wrong in thinking that the system wasn’t creating pressure - it was, but that pressure does not disengage the clutch.
So yes, I will be doing a full clutch job. RST + LTW flywheel, slave cyl, remote bleeder line, throw out bearing.
Thinking about 4.10 or 3.90 gears as well since the drivetrain is coming off. That paired with a lightweight flywheel is gonna be fun
So yes, I will be doing a full clutch job. RST + LTW flywheel, slave cyl, remote bleeder line, throw out bearing.
Thinking about 4.10 or 3.90 gears as well since the drivetrain is coming off. That paired with a lightweight flywheel is gonna be fun
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
Mechanic said it was a pressure plate spring failure. I was wrong in thinking that the system wasn’t creating pressure - it was, but that pressure does not disengage the clutch.
So yes, I will be doing a full clutch job. RST + LTW flywheel, slave cyl, remote bleeder line, throw out bearing. + pilot bearing + driveshaft couplers
Thinking about 4.10 or 3.90 gears as well since the drivetrain is coming off. That paired with a lightweight flywheel is gonna be fun
So yes, I will be doing a full clutch job. RST + LTW flywheel, slave cyl, remote bleeder line, throw out bearing. + pilot bearing + driveshaft couplers
Thinking about 4.10 or 3.90 gears as well since the drivetrain is coming off. That paired with a lightweight flywheel is gonna be fun
4.10s are the bomb. Second gear screams to 60+ before you blink.
Applaud your choices and commitment. It’s gonna scoot.
Thread Starter
Instructor
Joined: Jun 2022
Posts: 127
Likes: 15
From: California