reddvil

Just put in my new Spec stage 2 clutch with new slave, throwout, and pilot bearing. everything went together smooth but now i cant get the thing in gear when running. with the engine off it goes into gear as easy as can be. i bled it for like 3 hours and i have what feels like a great pedal but it fights you to get it into gear with the engine running. i was able to get it to go into gear once and if i lifted the pedal off the floor an eighth of an inch it engaged. We think the slave is not bleeding properly but the pedal feels proper. The clutch came with a spacer for behind the slave and it was installed as directed. The car has been sitting for a year and this is the only thing stopping it from getting back on the road again. Any ideas before I yank the trans out again to check things?

LS1T56FTW

iTrader: (3)

Sounds like you need a larger shim. You can always put a tick master cylinder in to adjust pedal height/engagement. IMO that is somewhat a band-aid fix for this problem, like I said, the real fix would most likely be a larger shim.

Sargeant Sh!tbag

iTrader: (3)

It is a shim issue.. An adjustable master will most likely not solve this problem. You will need to remove the trans and install a larger spacer.. You can find how to measure this in the man trans FAQ section here on the forum. Sorry to hear this man.

SPEC-01

iTrader: (2)

You can also find a good video for measurements on www.youtube.com by searching "SPEC LS Shim". It is possible that you need more shim but with the F-body this is not typical. It is also possible that you are seeing weakness in the slave or master too, as this could also lead to issues with release. If you continue to have issues let me know and I will issue an RMA if needed. Thanks!

reddvil

The slave is brand new. The slave and throwout came together. The master is original but it was fine when the car was parked last year. I was hoping to avoid pulling the trans again but I guess at this point it is unavoidable. I'm very frustrated. Anything else u can think of please let me know. I will be pulling it saturday. If shims are needed where do I get them?

redtail2426

iTrader: (10)

yeah heres a tip,get a different clutch.So many people get frustrated as hell on these forums with the spec clutches.Its the only clutch i can think of that requires shims and proper measurment of the stack heights etc.Most people who buy the spec dont expect this kind of trouble.If you want to use a spec,be sure you measure everything correctly and shim it accordingly.If Spec made a clutch that was the proper stack height to begin with,you wouldnt have this problem.My advice is pull it out,sell it and get a monster

Nmbr1GMfan

iTrader: (1)

I think the real problem is, people don't check ****. If you are getting an aftermarket/performance product, Its generally more than blindly replacing parts.

reddvil

i didn't just blindly replace parts. i followed all instructions and even called LS1Speed (where i bought the clutch) and asked them to be sure all was correct before installing the trans. I even called them after i found the issue and was told, "it should be fine, we don't have any issues".
I just want it fixed.

SPEC-01

iTrader: (2)

reddvl, the seals in the master could certainly have been affected by a lack of use and proper lubrication that results. Additionally, you mention that the clutch was replaced but what about the flywheel? Is it new as well? Or, are you using the original flywheel? If the original unit is being used was it resurfaced? If so, do you know how much material was removed?

We suggest that no more than .015" be removed from the stock flywheel to insure proper geometry. As a side note, if the flywheel was reused do you know if it had been resurfaced previously? Either way having a flywheel that is too thin can move the clutch to far from the bearing which in turn would cause issues with release.

Redtail, it seems that your assumption is that this is definitively shim related without having any more info than the rest of us do at this point. We supply a shim with a set thickness for a reason: because it provides the proper geometry. There can be variance from car to car and beleive it or not, from concentric-slave to concentric-slave. I have seen as much as 1/4" variance on OE GM slave cylinders bought from the dealer. That being said assumption usually makes an...well you know the rest! But...here's to your omniscience!

reddvil

the original flywheel was resurfaced and used. This is the first time is has ever resurfaced. not sure of the amount removed, but it was done by a local performance shop. as for the m/c the fluid was rather dark before bleeding the clutch. It was bled enough to basically change out the fluid tho.

SPEC-01

iTrader: (2)

Have you checked the fluid again since the bleed? Look and see if it is dark or discolored now and let me know what you find. Thanks,

reddvil

looking in the resevoir it has a slight tint to it, but it looks almost clear when it comes out of the bleeder.

reddvil

so i'm thinking about replacing the clutch master just to be on the safe side. I have read that everyone has had problems with the factory one from 98-2000. Is the one from the 2001-2002 model years worth getting? I realize the adjustable ones are prefered but at this point i have to watch the budget.

Also, i am going to pull the trans again on saturday and check the measurements. If it needs a bigger shim, where can i get one or do i stack two together.

Sargeant Sh!tbag

iTrader: (3)

I have an 02 Master Cylinder. Shoot me an offer on it if you are interested. The Master has 44k miles and worked perfectly when it was removed.

From FAQ

7. What’s the deal with 01-02 hydraulics? My 98-00 stuff seems to work fine.

If you are going to go through the trouble of dropping the transmission, you might as well change the master and slave cylinder while you are there. While your master & slave may be working okay now, it is a good idea to replace it with the 01-02 hydraulics anyway…because otherwise if your slave fails later on, you will need to take the transmission down again to get to it. The 01-02 has an improved design. Be advised that the line still requires the drill mod!

SPEC-01

iTrader: (2)

The 98-00 hyraulics were superseded by GM in 01 due to issues with their function. If you have these earlier parts then you really ought to replace them to insure proper fuction. We offer these too, and have them on the shelf. They are quite reasonably priced so let me know if you need to place an order. You can see the info on these parts on the bottom of the link below.

http://www.specclutch.com/cars/Chevy/Camaro/2000/Single

reddvil

New master is installed. Bled the hell out of the system and still have the same problem. Gotta pull the trans out anyway i guess. I was hoping the m/c would have fixed it. If the dimensions are off, i'm putting the factory clutch back in it. This is ridiculous. Now i have to wait until i get another day off to do this.

618HAWK

iTrader: (361)

I had they same exact problem a with a NEW STG 2 a good few years back.
Went through a new updated slave, new master, even with a new flywheel. It turned out to be a warped (bad) disc. After long talk with SPEC (this was before they were on the board), went through a exchange for another unit, problem solved.

I feel you pain ended up pulling my tranny 3 times.

Sargeant Sh!tbag

iTrader: (3)

Dont be soo quick to give up man.. That is why everyone is here. .We have all had to deal with one BS problem or another while modding our cars.. Its all part of it. Just keep asking the questions you need answers to. We will help you through it.


If you get too concerned just shoot me a PM and I will ship you my cell # to help you with any questions you may have while working on it on your day off. I know how you feel.. This is my 3rd Fbody. Ive had some pissed off days in the past 7yrs.

Counted Out

iTrader: (6)

I just dealt with this same issue - it took me a little over 2 years to get it solved, no joke. I got damn good at pulling the transmission though, I must have done it 9-10 times trying to work this issue out. Here's my most recent thread on it:
https://ls1tech.com/forums/lt1-lt4-m...e-started.html

Now obviously there are some differences (mine is an LT1), but the issue sounds similar. I finally bit the bullet and purchased an Adjustable Tick Master Cylinder and it solved the issue. It was expensive ($300) but I would have saved much more money and time if I would have done that in the first place. What kept me from doing it though is the fact that MANY people had run the same clutch setup with stock hydraulics, but for some reason my car needed the extra pedal height.

If you don't have that kind of cash to "try" something - try making your own adjustable master cylinder. I'm pretty sure this will fix your issue. I literally had tried everything else first - 2 clutch sets, 2 master cylinders, 4 slave cylinders, 1 master/slave set, a trip to a mechanic and 2 shifters, so I feel your pain.

SPEC-01

iTrader: (2)

reddvil, when you get the parts out check the stack height of the assembly. This is to be measured from the crank-mounting surface on the back of the flywheel to the diaphragm finger peak. If the flywheel is too thin this will make the assembly shorter than it should be which can affect clutch release. Let me know what you find and we can proceed as needed. Thanks,