Hi, I’ve been working on getting my 2001 back on the road. I just installed an LS7 clutch. I did the measurements for the gap for the clutch and slave and reinstalled my bell housing and torqued it down. Got busy for a few months and haven’t touched the car since. About to be able to work on it again soon so was starting to get things organized, but I cannot for the life of me find my original measurements. I’m guessing they were thrown out on accident.

So, my question is: Are the C5 Auto and Manual bell housings the same enough to get measurements from an Auto for my manual? I REALLY don’t want to take my bell housing back out if I can help it. Not willing to pay for a manual to get measurements and have a spare I may never need. But, for $60 or so I can get an Auto bell housing. So if the auto will work for the measurements, I’ll order one and save myself the hassle of removing mine again. If anyone knows if they’re the same I’d greatly appreciate the advice.

Thanks in advance!

 

This might help

Yes, on a C5 Corvette, the bellhousings for a manual transmission and an automatic transmission are generally the same dimensions from front to back, of the bell housings they both mate to the same engine block; however, the tailhousing (rear section) of the transmission will be different due to the different differential connections required for each transmission type.

 

Thank you! Sounds like it should be good enough for getting measurements. Appreciate the reply!

 

Here is the go-by for measuring, why would you have to take off the bellhousing to measure?

 

From my understanding, I need the measurements from the bell housing surface to the clutch fingers, then from the bell housing surface to the slave cylinder bottomed out with spring removed. Is that not the case? I had the bell housing mounted to the torque tube with salve cylinder bottomed out and measured that. Then I installed the bell housing back on the car with the new clutch and took the clutch measurement. So now, the bell housing is installed but I no longer have the measurements for the slave cylinder so need to measure that again. Assuming the only way to do that is to either remove my bellhousing or use another for the measurement to see if I need to shim the slave or not.

 

You have to leave the bellhousing on. Take bought easument and subtract. There should be high and low numbers that come with the clutch info if not call your clutch company. it should be so example .500. - .600 = .100 and see if that's in spec if not shime as needed. You'll need a straight edge. Wood or steel but make sure its absolutely straight.

 

Moved to C5 Tech.

 

 

Hey, give me a break. I live in the mountains of nepal. Not much air up here.

 

OP I'm kinda confused by what you got going on.

As helga said, the measurements are taken with the bellhousing in place.

and even if you DID have to take the bellhousing back out it takes like 5 minutes. I don't understand the worry there?

 

I think I’m confused on the torque tube side of the measurement. When measuring the slave cylinder side of the equation, am I measuring with the bell housing installed on the torque tube and measuring down to the slave cylinder cap with the spring removed and bottomed out? Or, with no bell housing at all, am I measuring from the bottomed out slave cylinder, to the mounting surface of the torque tube?

I tried to do a crude drawing to visually show my question, I’m no Picasso lol. So the red would represent the bell housing installed. With bell housing installed, is the measurement I’m looking for the blue line (assuming spring removed) or with no bell housing and spring removed, am I looking for the green measurement?




Sorry, I do appreciate all the help. First clutch I’ve done and this car has been sitting for 16 years so not much has been easy, especially removing all the corroded and seized bolts. The bell housing wasn’t the easiest thing in the world and took a lot of manipulation to get it back in with the LS7 clutch installed. But now, it’s fully torqued and loctited down so would really prefer not to remove it, which lead the this question.

Below is a picture of the bell housing installed in case I missed anything there. This was taken right after I got a bolt or two finger tight to hold it in place, but now it’s fully torqued and mounted. So if you see anything besides a missing bolt or two in the picture I’m all ears.

 

Apologies, but this caught my eye. Did you just leave the engine unsupported the whole time? I do not see anything under the oil pan.

 

Good catch, I had the Jack stands moved and the ratchet strap support loosed a little to allow it to lean back a bit. It helped to get the bell housing over the LS7 clutch. But yes, it normally has 2 Jack stands and a large ratchet strap in place across the bottom to help support. I did have a transmission Jack holding it up but it was large and in the way when trying to work under there.

 

 

If anyone knows which is the correct way to measure I’d greatly appreciate it. Hopefully going to start working on it again this weekend.

 

Read what was suggested, can't give you anymore info. GL.
If your still questioning it, i would highly recommend getting it to a shop.

 

I did read what you posted, and appreciate the reply. But you said to “Leave the Bell housing on”. On what? Mounted on the vehicle like it is? Or do I need to mount it back to the torque tube to get the measurement? I posted a picture of the torque tube with a crude drawing. Do you know if I should be measuring the green or the blue in the photo? I appreciate you trying to help!

edited to add the pic to this reply as well.

 

I don't normally promote my own junk on this forum, but if you fast forward through this crappy video that I made a few years ago I do have a clear guide on getting the measurements and setting up the shims on my car.

It is long winded but it has the answers you are looking for.

 

Yes you leave it on the engine. Two different measurements TT and engine. follow blacks vid and you will be fine.

 

Video was perfect! I appreciate you sending it, answered my question perfectly. I appreciate everyone’s help, hopefully I’ll have it back on the road soon!