Clutch Issues: UPDATE!

[OneQuickV6]

I had driven about 350 miles to New Mexico, and when I went to downshift and get off the intersate, it felt like the clutch didn't want to disengage. I let it cool off after the long drive, and tried some things to try and diagnose the problem. Car starts fine. With the clutch fully pressed in, I can "feel" the camming motor through the pedal, which I normally cannot. Also, with the pedal in all the way, and with the car in 1st gear, it tries to roll forward even when on perfectly flat ground.

So I am pretty sure it is not disengaging the clutch all the way. The pedal doesn't really feel any more soft than usual. Everything is fine once I get up to speed and just drive in any gear, the problem is only switching gears and starting to roll as it is difficult to shift without the clutch. I can get into every gear, no problems.

What are the most common issues with the T5's? Slave or master cyclinder going out?? I will bleed it tomorrow after work to see if it's something simple, but that's never my luck! I guess it could be the TOB, but have never had one fail on me so I don't know exactly what to look/feel for. It is a SPEC stage 3 kit for those that want/need to know. What are you all's thoughts/opinions from the infomation I have given? Has anybody else had one of these 2 or 3 items go bad? What were the symptoms?

Thanks in advance!!!

[ October 13, 2004, 03:31 PM: Message edited by: OneQuickV6 ]

[Turbo V6 Camaro]

bleed it first if thats not it, a new slave is ~75 bucks and comes with a new TOB and spring.

if you just new the bearing i have a spare i can send you if my dad can find it......

slaves go out all the time Stefan had to replace his, my was on the last leg, few other poepl i remember

[ October 04, 2004, 12:28 AM: Message edited by: viper04af ]

[Kevin T.]

i think my clutch is starting to slip also, when I ease off the clutch to start normally, it doesn't engage correctly. Also, when just cruising down the highway, it doesn't seem to climb through the gears like it used to. I was thinking of a SPEC stage 2 or 3, but I don't want to buy anything that will make a my clutch engagment to harsh but will take a beating and last longer.

[pontiac nino]

Most common issues w/ the T5's? I dunno.
I have had the slave/acuator and the pressure plate go out at the same time. I was driving it to the shop, when the pedal got xtra soft and didn't want to go into gear. I had to turn the car off put it in gear just to get it to move. When I got to the shop, I found out the slave pissed all the fluid out and shot the pushrod and spring out. Replace both now all is well. Thats just about the only time I HAD TO replace both, other time was cuz of the clutch.

Good luck!

[ October 04, 2004, 12:26 AM: Message edited by: pontiac nino ]

[Turbo V6 Camaro]

oh yeah you have to take tha bell houseing of to get the slave off, i would buy a new front seal (2 bucks and rear 2 bucks and replace those while you have the tranny out, mine were shot at 87K miles (front wasn't bad but im glad i got a new one)

[Turbo V6 Camaro]

Originally posted by Kevin T.:
i think my clutch is starting to slip also, when I ease off the clutch to start normally, it doesn't engage correctly. Also, when just cruising down the highway, it doesn't seem to climb through the gears like it used to. I was thinking of a SPEC stage 2 or 3, but I don't want to buy anything that will make a my clutch engagment to harsh but will take a beating and last longer.

you'll be ok with the stage 3, i have the stage 5 and its not bad

[WickEdSix9838]

bleeding the clutch wont help anything i dont think...the way the system is setup it pretty much gravity bleeds itself, when i did the clutch install on mine thats what it did. My guess would be the TOB or something to do with the clutch fork. I know when they rebuilt my tranny they had to replace the clutch fork and said it was plastic.

[Turbo V6 Camaro]

Originally posted by WickEdSix9838:
bleeding the clutch wont help anything i dont think...the way the system is setup it pretty much gravity bleeds itself, when i did the clutch install on mine thats what it did. My guess would be the TOB or something to do with the clutch fork. I know when they rebuilt my tranny they had to replace the clutch fork and said it was plastic.

3.8's dont have a clutch fork i think you got OWNED

[ October 04, 2004, 12:42 AM: Message edited by: viper04af ]

[WickEdSix9838]

well the guy that rebuilt it said something about a plastic fork that he replaced. Ive never tore into a T-5 so...i dont think ive been owned though...

[Turbo V6 Camaro]

Originally posted by WickEdSix9838:
well the guy that rebuilt it said something about a plastic fork that he replaced. Ive never tore into a T-5 so...i dont think ive been owned though...

there is no plastic in there ........ just the slave cylender and the cltuch stuff, all metal

[OneQuickV6]

Thanks for the input thus far guys! I really wasn't thinking that bleeding it would help, since it has never been a problem thus far and it has 64K miles. On the 3.8L with the T5 you can remove the bell housing seperate of the rest of the tranny??? I have never done it this way, because it always seemed easier to pull the whole thing. Is this an easier alternative?? Wait..If it's the TOB or slave, I'll still have to pull the rest to get them over the input shaft right? We'll see how it goes today. Thanks again!

[nightrida]

time for a a4 with a 3800 tci ssf.

[WickEdSix9838]

it would be easier if you could just pull the tranny and leave the bellhousing but the hydraulics are in the way so u have to pull the whole thing.

[Turbo V6 Camaro]

Originally posted by WickEdSix9838:
it would be easier if you could just pull the tranny and leave the bellhousing but the hydraulics are in the way so u have to pull the whole thing.

i know it would so much easier to just take the 4 bolt of the bell- tranny and pull it that way. but you have to pull the tranny them tak off the bell housing :mad:

[OneQuickV6]

Originally posted by nightrida:
time for a a4 with a 3800 tci ssf.

You're reading my mind! I would love to, but don't have the funds for this right now. If you know of a fairly inexpensive 4L60e sitting around, or someone who wants to convert to a M5, let me know [img]smile.gif[/img]