Blakt Out

Hey guys:

I'll stick to the facts in bullet points here and let you guys ask questions as necessary.

ISSUE: Car won't go into first or reverse when it's running. Hard to get into other gears some too. Scratches some. In other words, clutch isn't fully engaging.

STATUS: Car is a 2004 V. Was fine (other than a fluid leak which I assumed was the slave) before I installed the following - Hendrix Clutch and single-mass flywheel, Katech Slave Spacer KAT-3816, New OEM Slave and Master from Luke @ Lindsay Caddy, and a Katech Shifter. (The shifter didn't come with a bushing and mine was toast, so we made one out of Delrin that looks very nice.)and an LAPD bleeder line.

We've bled the system for HOURS, literally. No air in it. Do I have the wrong spacer somehow? Was I supposed to put a different than OEM slave on it?

All help very very much appreciated. I am moving from TN to CA in less than a week. Need this car right. Hate turning it off to try to find Reverse.

Jared

ColeGraham

iTrader: (8)

This is going on with my V too. But just reverse though, with a Monster Level 2. and the guys at SNL/Monster Clutch said they need to put a custom measure shim for a good fit. It has happened to only 2 other V that get the a Monster (to their knowledge), and mine is the 3rd. Something to do with the bell housing/transmission alignment, or something like that. My guess would be there, but it may be something else. And if it is, I am not sure what the issue is.

GL

Blakt Out

Thanks man. Thomas says that he's sold over 100 of these and hasn't had it happen, but who knows. I haven't replaced my motor mounts, but I checked them out and they look ok. I do have the CS mounts now, but just not installed. Was waiting till I did headers. So, where do we go from here?

Blakt Out

On the other forum, I'm finding threads about this, but the info is so sporadic. I installed the OEM V slave and master. Should I have done an LS7 slave (thus forcing me into an LS7 master)? OR, is the Katech spacer just not enough? Do I need to go in there and measure and shim MORE. Seems stupid to pay for something just to have to shim it more. But maybe the Katech spacer was made for the LS7 conversion, not necessarily the Hendrix.

I also found this old thread talking about the differences in height of the Hendrix and the LS7, but the pics don't work anymore and the thread never had a resolution. Does ANYONE know what happened here? I've PM'd lollygagger to no avail.

http://m.modernhemi.com/forums/showt...php?p=12154393

raven154

iTrader: (14)

Sounds like you either need to keep bleeding the hydros or you need a shim. You should always measure when installing a new clutch. Your last statement is almost correct. I believe the Katech spacer was for the LS6 single mass clutch for the C5 Z06.

STAGEUP

Are u 100% sure that u torqued down the pressure plate bolts down correctly? Incorrect torque of the pp bolts will cause disengagement problems.

SVT F15O

Why would you have been forced to do a LS7 master if you were to install a LS7 slave>???

Blakt Out

I appreciate all the help so far, fellas. Here's an email that I got from the tech who installed the setup after I forwarded him the link to the thread on the other forum.

"I was reading this also. It looks like with the set up you have (Hendrick LS6?) you should use the LS7 slave and a spacer. I am reading into it that your set up has a 3.5" installed height, LS7 has 4.0" and dual mass has 4.75" or so. That puts you 1/2" to 3/4" shy of where it needs to be for your slave to be in it's useable range. Any way you look at it, the reans has to come out and it needs to either have an LS7 slave and your spacer, or another spacer."

Is this correct? What do you guys think? Are all conclusions and assumptions here on point? I'm sure he'll email me on the pp bolt torque and I'll let you guys know.

StageUp: Might be getting a tune from you as soon as we can get this figured out.

Blakt Out

Sorry guys. Wanted to clean up my original post a bit. My clutch isn't DISengaging... I had written "engaging".

Also, it's confirmed that the spec on the bolts was researched and then applied. That's not it.

Blakt Out

Same question I had.

I got it from a guy on this thread (click here) saying this:

"And No I dont want to run a LS7 slave, for it to work properly You are going to need to run the LS7 master or at least make it into a adjustable one for everything to work right."

This was a big topic back in 2009. How hasn't this been concreted yet? Sucks.

raven154

iTrader: (14)

You don't need to run the LS7 master. The ls7 slave works as it should with the stock CTS-V master. It is not an issue, never has been. The issue is, hardly anybody on the forum runs a H-E clutch. You will need at least the length of the LS7 slave if not more. I would install that and measure. Then if you need the spacer, add it. If you need less, just machine the spacer down. If you need more, speed Inc sells some small composite shims that are around .150" if I remember correctly.

GulfM3

iTrader: (14)

The guy telling you to run the LS7 master is confused, I would be weary taking his advice.

The only way to fix your problem is to remove the transmission and measure, which is a bummer, but at least you can still leave the bell housing, clutch and flywheel in place. So it's not quite as much work as replacing the whole clutch.

To measure follow this link, http://www.ramclutches.com/Tech/Tech...%20Bearing.jpg

I'm guessing your A minus B measurement (from the link above) will be .225" or greater, meaning the slave cylinder is not fully compressing the clutch fingers and like you said, not fully disengaging the clutch. Even if you measure .225" I would try and shim it to be closer to the .175" minimum clearance.

Another way to test if your clutch is fully disengaging is to put the car in 1st and with the clutch depressed bring your RPM's up to 5k, if the car creeps forward the clutch is not fully disengaging.

Good luck, keep us posted


Edit, when you measure, make sure you remove the spring from the slave cylinder and push the throw out bearing all the way back (to the tail of the transmission) for an accurate measurement. Just compressing the spring makes it almost impossible to measure.

Blakt Out

Thanks so much, fellas. We're on this.

GulfM3 - The car won't even go into first while running. I had it parked on a hill last night in first (put in gear once shut off, which was still a bitch). This morning, let the ebrake out, clutch in, and coasted backwards down the hill (so I didn't have to find reverse). As it leveled out, clutch all the way in in first, it started to stop and then try to roll forward off of idle power.

Blakt Out

To buy the LS7 slave at an auto parts store (read on another thread that O'Reilley's had them for $90 in stock in many stores), what car do I tell them that I have?

Blakt Out

Does the hose connector from the master hook right up to the LS7 slave?

raven154

iTrader: (14)

C6 corvette has the same connection as the V so it's a bolt in swap. The only issue is getting the routing right for the hose. It is much longer than stock and has a small stand off built in the hose. I bolted the stand off to the bell housing and then made a small loop and then made the connection.

Blakt Out

Here's what I'm planning to do. Tear into this bitch one more (as in ONE MORE) time, do the measuring thing, put the LS7 slave on the spacer after the measurement, and then put the slave on a lathe and cut it down to the right size. This sucks.

GulfM3

iTrader: (14)

I might be reading your plan wrong, but the slave has to be installed on the transmission to measure. Also, I don't see any reason to buy a LS7 slave. Unless you just want a new slave cylinder.

I would measure with your exact setup, don't touch a thing, this way you can confirm your spacing between the throw out bearing and clutch fingers is wrong and that is for sure the problem. I don't know what else the problem could be, but I would still measure exactly how you have it just to confirm the spacing is too great.

This is just a guess, but I bet an extra 1/8" shim in addition to the shim monster provided will put you right on the money.

Blakt Out

GulfM3 -

That guess could be a very good one. Spec Clutches have shims for F-Body slaves. They too have two bolts around a circle. Does anyone know if the bolt spacing/pattern is the same? They have a 0.115" and 0.180" shim. I can get them for $8ea plus $9 shipping and have them here Friday. Might not have to buy the LS7 slave after all, as long as they bolt up the same. If not, anyone know a manu of shims for our cars?

raven154

iTrader: (14)

Those shims will work.