GM "solves" clutch fluid problem
#1
Advanced
Thread Starter
GM "solves" clutch fluid problem
If this is a dupe, I apologize, but I am search function challenged where this forum is concerned.
When I raised the hood of my new Z06, I saw, in typical GM fashion, the solution to the "black clutch fluid problem." It was simplicity in action... a BLACK CLUTCH FLUID RESERVOIR! Out of sight, out of mind.
I think I'll continue to replace mine as usual for the time being.
What say you experts?
charles
When I raised the hood of my new Z06, I saw, in typical GM fashion, the solution to the "black clutch fluid problem." It was simplicity in action... a BLACK CLUTCH FLUID RESERVOIR! Out of sight, out of mind.
I think I'll continue to replace mine as usual for the time being.
What say you experts?
charles
#3
The problem isn't the color of the fluid or poor quality seals, it's a design problem with the clutch slave cylinder or more to the point where the slave cylinder is located. When excessive slippage occurs like during racing, heat builds up and gets concentrated in the slave cylinder to the point the clutch fluid boils. Air bubbles don't compress which causes the clutch pedal to go to the floor and the air bubbles take a little time to come out of solution so you have to wait. Once it cools down and the air bubbles are gone, the clutch starts working again. Changing the clutch fluid often keeps the boiling point high, the dark fluid is just an indication of how long the fluid has been in the system. If you go to a much higher boiling point fluid and/or provide free/forced ventilation, you can greatly reduce/eliminate the stuck clutch pedal problem.
#4
Race Director
Gm recommends changing the clutch fluid once every year or two. Do not do the ranger method. I pay the dealership I believe under 100 dollars every second oil change. My c6 with this protocol never in 88 k miles ever had a clutch problem.
Changing or opening up the clutch fluid reservoir to do the ranger method is not recommended by my gm world class tech.
My c5 z06 was a nightmare with sticking clutch pedal.
The color is not something to worry about. Just have the clutch fluid serviced as I described. You'll have no issue.
Jmo
Changing or opening up the clutch fluid reservoir to do the ranger method is not recommended by my gm world class tech.
My c5 z06 was a nightmare with sticking clutch pedal.
The color is not something to worry about. Just have the clutch fluid serviced as I described. You'll have no issue.
Jmo
#5
Le Mans Master
Gm recommends changing the clutch fluid once every year or two. Do not do the ranger method. I pay the dealership I believe under 100 dollars every second oil change. My c6 with this protocol never in 88 k miles ever had a clutch problem.
Changing or opening up the clutch fluid reservoir to do the ranger method is not recommended by my gm world class tech.
My c5 z06 was a nightmare with sticking clutch pedal.
The color is not something to worry about. Just have the clutch fluid serviced as I described. You'll have no issue.
Jmo
Changing or opening up the clutch fluid reservoir to do the ranger method is not recommended by my gm world class tech.
My c5 z06 was a nightmare with sticking clutch pedal.
The color is not something to worry about. Just have the clutch fluid serviced as I described. You'll have no issue.
Jmo
#6
Tick Performance
I had the problem of the pedal sticking to the floor on my C6. After fooling around with the turkey baster I discover the Tick Performance Master. Since changing it our a couple of years ago the pedal never sticks to the floor and the fluid remains clear.
#8
Le Mans Master
Unless GM changed the design, the problem is not overheating the clutch fluid.. A forum member tested the fluid and found that it was dark due to clutch dust getting by the seals. I think there is also a correlation on how much clutch dust is generated by high RPM shifts and how fast the fluid turns dark.. I changed the fluid on my C5Z06 every 6 months or so, and it never did turn dark.
#9
Melting Slicks
Unless GM changed the design, the problem is not overheating the clutch fluid.. A forum member tested the fluid and found that it was dark due to clutch dust getting by the seals. I think there is also a correlation on how much clutch dust is generated by high RPM shifts and how fast the fluid turns dark.. I changed the fluid on my C5Z06 every 6 months or so, and it never did turn dark.
#10
Unless GM changed the design, the problem is not overheating the clutch fluid.. A forum member tested the fluid and found that it was dark due to clutch dust getting by the seals. I think there is also a correlation on how much clutch dust is generated by high RPM shifts and how fast the fluid turns dark.. I changed the fluid on my C5Z06 every 6 months or so, and it never did turn dark.
#11
Team Owner
I change out the clutch fluid in my C6 Z06 every 6 months. I use the Ranger method, and at 39,000 miles and seven years, I've never had a sticking clutch. Takes one bottle of fluid(less than $4) and around 15-20 minutes( I don't get paid by the hour).
I change out the black fluid in the reservoir with fresh fluid, put the cap back on, and then (without starting the engine) push the clutch pedal 15 times. Then I change out the fluid again(and the fluid is nearly as black as it as before I started), cycle the clutch pedal 15 times, and repeat. I do this 5-6 times to use up most of the bottle of brake fluid).
Each time I change the fluid and cycle the clutch pedal 15 times it is lighter than the time before, and by the time I do the last change over the fluid is as clear after the 15 clutch pedal pushes as it was before the 15 clutch pedal pushes. That tells me that the new fluid has mixed with the fluid in the slave cylinder and by the time I get through, both the fluid in the reservoir and the fluid in the slave cylinder is clear, and clean.
If the fluid wasn't mixing, the first time I changed the fluid with clear fluid it would still be clear after cycling the clutch pedal 15 times, as I never started the engine, thus did not generate any additional clutch dust. Each time I refreshed the reservoir with clear fluid, it got dirty(but less dirty) after cycling the clutch pedal 15 times and after 5-6 reservoir refills, the fluid was clear after the last 15 clutch cycles.
I do keep the cap on the fresh bottle closed(except for when I'm pulling fluid out of it) and I keep the cap on the reservoir except for when I'm removing the dirty fluid and adding the fresh fluid. After I'm done, any fluid(very little) remaining in the new bottle, is discarded. I always start with a new sealed bottle.
I change out the black fluid in the reservoir with fresh fluid, put the cap back on, and then (without starting the engine) push the clutch pedal 15 times. Then I change out the fluid again(and the fluid is nearly as black as it as before I started), cycle the clutch pedal 15 times, and repeat. I do this 5-6 times to use up most of the bottle of brake fluid).
Each time I change the fluid and cycle the clutch pedal 15 times it is lighter than the time before, and by the time I do the last change over the fluid is as clear after the 15 clutch pedal pushes as it was before the 15 clutch pedal pushes. That tells me that the new fluid has mixed with the fluid in the slave cylinder and by the time I get through, both the fluid in the reservoir and the fluid in the slave cylinder is clear, and clean.
If the fluid wasn't mixing, the first time I changed the fluid with clear fluid it would still be clear after cycling the clutch pedal 15 times, as I never started the engine, thus did not generate any additional clutch dust. Each time I refreshed the reservoir with clear fluid, it got dirty(but less dirty) after cycling the clutch pedal 15 times and after 5-6 reservoir refills, the fluid was clear after the last 15 clutch cycles.
I do keep the cap on the fresh bottle closed(except for when I'm pulling fluid out of it) and I keep the cap on the reservoir except for when I'm removing the dirty fluid and adding the fresh fluid. After I'm done, any fluid(very little) remaining in the new bottle, is discarded. I always start with a new sealed bottle.
Last edited by JoesC5; 04-13-2015 at 05:31 PM.
#12
My Camaro has the same design, doesn't get driven hard very often at all anymore and had the same issues as my Corvette. I put in a remote bleeder on my Vette when I needed a new clutch and I would recommend that to everybody. You need to be a contortionist to bleed the clutch, otherwise.
As far as the turkey baster technique goes, there is an exchange of fluid from the slave to the master reservoir, so I think it's worthwhile to do. Taking the cap off will allow humidity to come into contact with the fluid, but if you are replacing the majority of that fluid with new,
I would think that the total moisture content would decrease. I used to do it weekly while I was running the car hard in competition. It just takes a few minutes. Using the remote bleeder actually takes longer, but you're more sure of getting most of the old fluid out.
Putting heat insulation on the tubing that runs from the master to the slave, also seemed to help, which makes me believe that at least part of the problem is simply related to heat.
As far as the turkey baster technique goes, there is an exchange of fluid from the slave to the master reservoir, so I think it's worthwhile to do. Taking the cap off will allow humidity to come into contact with the fluid, but if you are replacing the majority of that fluid with new,
I would think that the total moisture content would decrease. I used to do it weekly while I was running the car hard in competition. It just takes a few minutes. Using the remote bleeder actually takes longer, but you're more sure of getting most of the old fluid out.
Putting heat insulation on the tubing that runs from the master to the slave, also seemed to help, which makes me believe that at least part of the problem is simply related to heat.
#13
Burning Brakes
I wonder if anyone advising against the ranger method has any first hand experience with clutch problems from doing it? When you consider the fluid volume is low to start with, it is probably a lot more efficient at purging out the old fluid which gets vacuumed out of the reservoir and replaced, than you might think. I dunno, I've been doing it with every oil change for almost 5 years on my ZR1 and no hint of clutch problems, so far. When that fluid starts coming out clear, I think it's fairly well replaced, since it's been repeated for 5x the amount of fluid in the reservoir when I'm finished.
#14
Le Mans Master
To bleed the whole clutch system you do have to get to the bleeder valve which is up inside the tunnel and hard to reach.. Replacing fluid in the reservoir just dilutes the dirty fluid until most of the particulates have been removed.
#15
Team Owner
He had to call a roll back, had it trucked 60 miles to Reliable Chevrolet, and they flushed the system out. It ended up costing him over a thousand bucks. He wasn't aware that there was a problem with sticking clutch pedals(before that incident) and it cost him a lot more than what it cost me to flush my system out at $4 every six months.
#17
Team Owner
And you will be paying an additional $3,025($1725 + $1,300 GGT) for the privilege of not having to flush your clutch fluid every six months at $8 annually yourself, or to have a dealer do it every two years at a much higher price. Does every manufacturer of cars with manual transmissions require that you flush the system every two years or does GM only have the problem with sticking clutches?
Lets see, 378 years later, and we're even($3,025/$8 = 378).
Lets see, 378 years later, and we're even($3,025/$8 = 378).
#18
Race Director
Even for 2016? Do we know the manual trans car isn't a GG for next year?
I would pay the tax anyway, as shifting generally sucks compared to a good auto trans, though I don't have any experience with the manual trans in this particular car. I have few stick sports cars already, which are fine on the highway, but tiresome in traffic..
Doug
I would pay the tax anyway, as shifting generally sucks compared to a good auto trans, though I don't have any experience with the manual trans in this particular car. I have few stick sports cars already, which are fine on the highway, but tiresome in traffic..
Doug
#19
Le Mans Master
This was discussed years ago. For the benefit of any new forum members read the last thread in this post before you waste your time.
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...er-method.html
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...er-method.html
#20
Team Owner
Even for 2016? Do we know the manual trans car isn't a GG for next year?
I would pay the tax anyway, as shifting generally sucks compared to a good auto trans, though I don't have any experience with the manual trans in this particular car. I have few stick sports cars already, which are fine on the highway, but tiresome in traffic..
Doug
I would pay the tax anyway, as shifting generally sucks compared to a good auto trans, though I don't have any experience with the manual trans in this particular car. I have few stick sports cars already, which are fine on the highway, but tiresome in traffic..
Doug
Unless you have a bad left leg, or spend most of your time sitting at traffic lights, the Tremec manual transmission is an easy transmission to drive, and the Corvette's clutch pedal takes very little force to depress it.