LS3 Balancer Issue -- Clutch Issues??
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 3,264
Likes: 3
From: Toms River NJ
LS3 Balancer Issue -- Clutch Issues??
I was with a friend looking at a 08 C6 Coupe LS3 obviously, MN6... Artic White, 43k miles, Chrome Gumbys, otherwise stock! Asking price of $32.5k
Car looked absolutely stunning! But had a few issues...
The belt had a squeak and I looked under the hood and appeared the belt was was wobbling side to side down by the balancer, headed up towards the passenger side of the car... It squeaked louder as you raised the RPM...
Any known issues with this?? First thing that came to mind was the balancer recall/tsb thats common on the LS2s... But didnt think there were any problems with the LS3?? I dont think it was just a worn out belt...
ALSO, when you let out the clutch on the car, it sounded like something clunking in the bellhousing area. Like it was trying to engage, even though its in neutral. It was definitely louder the quicker you let it out.... It also seemed like it was only doing it while the car was running, and I dont recall if it was or was not while running. The clutch fluid was a little bit low and extremely dirty!
Is this just a clutch on its way out, or is there something malfunctioning.
Thanks a lot guys.... Chris
Car looked absolutely stunning! But had a few issues...
The belt had a squeak and I looked under the hood and appeared the belt was was wobbling side to side down by the balancer, headed up towards the passenger side of the car... It squeaked louder as you raised the RPM...
Any known issues with this?? First thing that came to mind was the balancer recall/tsb thats common on the LS2s... But didnt think there were any problems with the LS3?? I dont think it was just a worn out belt...
ALSO, when you let out the clutch on the car, it sounded like something clunking in the bellhousing area. Like it was trying to engage, even though its in neutral. It was definitely louder the quicker you let it out.... It also seemed like it was only doing it while the car was running, and I dont recall if it was or was not while running. The clutch fluid was a little bit low and extremely dirty!
Is this just a clutch on its way out, or is there something malfunctioning.
Thanks a lot guys.... Chris
Last edited by CDaniel525; Jun 4, 2012 at 09:03 PM.
Racer
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 383
Likes: 1
From: McHenry IL
My 07 LS2 came from the factory with the balancer wobble. Added a blower to the car and had the belt chirp until the day I sold it. I tried 3 different brand belts and replaced all the blower kit pulleys. No dice. I would walk away from that car.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 6,612
Likes: 493
From: brooklyn ny
The Harmonic balancer is a known corvette issue dating back to th c5 it's an extensive job but if he far has power train warranty it's covered anyway. As for the clutch sounds a bit strange it might just be on the way out. All should be considered in negotiation of the final price. If these are the only 2 issues I wouldn't run away from it but negotiate for sure
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 2,240
Likes: 51
From: South Carolina
I was with a friend looking at a 08 C6 Coupe LS3 obviously, MN6... Artic White, 43k miles, Chrome Gumbys, otherwise stock! Asking price of $32.5k
Car looked absolutely stunning! But had a few issues...
The belt had a squeak and I looked under the hood and appeared the belt was was wobbling side to side down by the balancer, headed up towards the passenger side of the car... It squeaked louder as you raised the RPM...
Any known issues with this?? First thing that came to mind was the balancer recall/tsb thats common on the LS2s... But didnt think there were any problems with the LS3?? I dont think it was just a worn out belt...
ALSO, when you let out the clutch on the car, it sounded like something clunking in the bellhousing area. Like it was trying to engage, even though its in neutral. It was definitely louder the quicker you let it out.... It also seemed like it was only doing it while the car was running, and I dont recall if it was or was not while running.
Is this just a clutch on its way out, or is there something malfunctioning.
Thanks a lot guys.... Chris
Car looked absolutely stunning! But had a few issues...
The belt had a squeak and I looked under the hood and appeared the belt was was wobbling side to side down by the balancer, headed up towards the passenger side of the car... It squeaked louder as you raised the RPM...
Any known issues with this?? First thing that came to mind was the balancer recall/tsb thats common on the LS2s... But didnt think there were any problems with the LS3?? I dont think it was just a worn out belt...
ALSO, when you let out the clutch on the car, it sounded like something clunking in the bellhousing area. Like it was trying to engage, even though its in neutral. It was definitely louder the quicker you let it out.... It also seemed like it was only doing it while the car was running, and I dont recall if it was or was not while running.
Is this just a clutch on its way out, or is there something malfunctioning.
Thanks a lot guys.... Chris
The clutch thing sounds a bit like a throwout bearing problem.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Apr 1999
Posts: 3,264
Likes: 3
From: Toms River NJ
The Harmonic balancer is a known corvette issue dating back to th c5 it's an extensive job but if he far has power train warranty it's covered anyway. As for the clutch sounds a bit strange it might just be on the way out. All should be considered in negotiation of the final price. If these are the only 2 issues I wouldn't run away from it but negotiate for sure
Hmm, is this something covered under the powertrain?? Forgot to mention above the clutch fluid was a little bit low, and extremely dirty!
As of now, the dealer brought the car over to the service center to have them check those issues out. I wonder if they'd repair both issues and still be negotiable?
Last edited by CDaniel525; Jun 4, 2012 at 09:02 PM.
Pro
Joined: Apr 2011
Posts: 689
Likes: 47
I was with a friend looking at a 08 C6 Coupe LS3 obviously, MN6... Artic White, 43k miles, Chrome Gumbys, otherwise stock! Asking price of $32.5k
Car looked absolutely stunning! But had a few issues...
The belt had a squeak and I looked under the hood and appeared the belt was was wobbling side to side down by the balancer, headed up towards the passenger side of the car... It squeaked louder as you raised the RPM...
Any known issues with this?? First thing that came to mind was the balancer recall/tsb thats common on the LS2s... But didnt think there were any problems with the LS3?? I dont think it was just a worn out belt...
ALSO, when you let out the clutch on the car, it sounded like something clunking in the bellhousing area. Like it was trying to engage, even though its in neutral. It was definitely louder the quicker you let it out.... It also seemed like it was only doing it while the car was running, and I dont recall if it was or was not while running. The clutch fluid was a little bit low and extremely dirty!
Is this just a clutch on its way out, or is there something malfunctioning.
Thanks a lot guys.... Chris
Car looked absolutely stunning! But had a few issues...
The belt had a squeak and I looked under the hood and appeared the belt was was wobbling side to side down by the balancer, headed up towards the passenger side of the car... It squeaked louder as you raised the RPM...
Any known issues with this?? First thing that came to mind was the balancer recall/tsb thats common on the LS2s... But didnt think there were any problems with the LS3?? I dont think it was just a worn out belt...
ALSO, when you let out the clutch on the car, it sounded like something clunking in the bellhousing area. Like it was trying to engage, even though its in neutral. It was definitely louder the quicker you let it out.... It also seemed like it was only doing it while the car was running, and I dont recall if it was or was not while running. The clutch fluid was a little bit low and extremely dirty!
Is this just a clutch on its way out, or is there something malfunctioning.
Thanks a lot guys.... Chris
Not sure about the balancer for LS3, but I would say it's possible to all C6's.
As for the clutch, I think I made a thread last year about the same noise, you let it out quickly and you get a nice "pop", let it out slowly, no noise. And it only happened when the car was running, noise could not be reproduced with vehicle off. I think I seen a thread on here that also stated they were told it was normal. I was also told by a corvette mechanic that it was normal but who knows. I've owned a lot of cars in my 30 years of life and have never had more strange noises from a car than the Vette. All is forgotten with targa top removed and/or windows down.
