Is it my clutch, MC, or T56 that is shot?
02-07-2012, 09:25 AM
#1
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Is it my clutch, MC, or T56 that is shot? This weekend I noticed that my non-DD (99 Trans am, manual 6 speed) car was giving me a lot of trouble when I was trying to put it into gear. A couple of stop lights later, it would not go into gear at all.
Well, later I completely flushed the clutch fluid reservoir (was damn near empty) and filled it back up. However, this did not fix the issue. To further clarify:
When the car is off, the clutch pedal can be fully depressed and the shifter can move freely between the gears.
When car is in NEUTRAL and pedal to the floor, it starts right up. Shifter will not go into any gear when pedal is depressed.
When the shifter is in ANY GEAR and the clutch pedal is to the floor, the car starts up but there is a loud grinding noise coming from tranny area and after a couple of seconds the familiar smell of the clutch is noticed.
Well, later I completely flushed the clutch fluid reservoir (was damn near empty) and filled it back up. However, this did not fix the issue. To further clarify:
When the car is off, the clutch pedal can be fully depressed and the shifter can move freely between the gears.
When car is in NEUTRAL and pedal to the floor, it starts right up. Shifter will not go into any gear when pedal is depressed.
When the shifter is in ANY GEAR and the clutch pedal is to the floor, the car starts up but there is a loud grinding noise coming from tranny area and after a couple of seconds the familiar smell of the clutch is noticed.
02-07-2012, 09:03 PM
#3
Since the reservoir was almost empty, I would check for signs of leakage around the master and from the bell housing. Does the clutch pedal effort feel normal, or does it feel soft/spongy?
It sounds like the clutch isn't fully disengaging...which is also why you would smell the clutch when started in gear and the car remains in place.
Your issue could be the master, slave, or even the clutch/pressure plate.
It could even be a pilot bearing that has just failed, but has yet to fall completely apart. When the clutch is engaged, the pilot doesn't really roll or function. When the trans is in neutral, even though you have the clutch disengaged the pilot bearing may be binding on the input which still allows it to spin the cluster gear, etc. However when the car is running in gear with the clutch disengaged it forces the input shaft to turn in the pilot because the crankshaft is spinning but the clutch disk, input shaft, and trans internals are not.
Pilot bearing failures are pretty common, but that wouldn't explain your clutch smell...
It sounds like the clutch isn't fully disengaging...which is also why you would smell the clutch when started in gear and the car remains in place.
Your issue could be the master, slave, or even the clutch/pressure plate.
It could even be a pilot bearing that has just failed, but has yet to fall completely apart. When the clutch is engaged, the pilot doesn't really roll or function. When the trans is in neutral, even though you have the clutch disengaged the pilot bearing may be binding on the input which still allows it to spin the cluster gear, etc. However when the car is running in gear with the clutch disengaged it forces the input shaft to turn in the pilot because the crankshaft is spinning but the clutch disk, input shaft, and trans internals are not.
Pilot bearing failures are pretty common, but that wouldn't explain your clutch smell...
02-08-2012, 08:39 AM
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Since the reservoir was almost empty, I would check for signs of leakage around the master and from the bell housing. Does the clutch pedal effort feel normal, or does it feel soft/spongy?
It sounds like the clutch isn't fully disengaging...which is also why you would smell the clutch when started in gear and the car remains in place.
Your issue could be the master, slave, or even the clutch/pressure plate.
It could even be a pilot bearing that has just failed, but has yet to fall completely apart. When the clutch is engaged, the pilot doesn't really roll or function. When the trans is in neutral, even though you have the clutch disengaged the pilot bearing may be binding on the input which still allows it to spin the cluster gear, etc. However when the car is running in gear with the clutch disengaged it forces the input shaft to turn in the pilot because the crankshaft is spinning but the clutch disk, input shaft, and trans internals are not.
Pilot bearing failures are pretty common, but that wouldn't explain your clutch smell...
It sounds like the clutch isn't fully disengaging...which is also why you would smell the clutch when started in gear and the car remains in place.
Your issue could be the master, slave, or even the clutch/pressure plate.
It could even be a pilot bearing that has just failed, but has yet to fall completely apart. When the clutch is engaged, the pilot doesn't really roll or function. When the trans is in neutral, even though you have the clutch disengaged the pilot bearing may be binding on the input which still allows it to spin the cluster gear, etc. However when the car is running in gear with the clutch disengaged it forces the input shaft to turn in the pilot because the crankshaft is spinning but the clutch disk, input shaft, and trans internals are not.
Pilot bearing failures are pretty common, but that wouldn't explain your clutch smell...
Pushing the clutch pedal in and out feels normal. I replaced the clutch about 5 years ago with some stage 1 centerforce clutch and have been waiting for it to go out so I could beef it up a little. I've also always had the stock MC issue where high rpm shifts keep the clutch pedal to the floor.
I'll probably drop the tranmission so I can inspect the clutch and if it is shot, I'll replace the clutch, slave, throwout bearing, and buy a Tick MC.
Thanks.
