ls1247

iTrader: (2)

Sorry to hear about your struggle here.

I'm facing a clutch install soon and to keep things simple I plan on going with a complete ls7 kit including the flywheel to keep it all GM.

Anybody had this struggle using the matching set of GM ls7 clutch,pp, flywheel and slave using the ls6 pressure plate bolts at 48lbs?

lollygagger8

iTrader: (7)

Ok gotcha.



Also, don't know if this helps or not.....


I also have a Katech spacer I'd sell if anyone needs it.

wes8398

iTrader: (2)

Here's Tick's response to my inquiry. I'm going to follow up and get some more explainations from them, but this seems a little misleading...
Thanks Lolly. I think I saw that on Tick's site last night when I learned about these shims. See above for what Tick had to say about that though... A bit confused right now.

sonicblue

iTrader: (7)

Wes- I may have understood that wrong but it seems like they are referring to the stock cts-v (short/stock) slave, which does require the katech spacer.

The ls7 slave shouldn't require a shim, but some of us aren't so lucky

serik21

Tick said master so im assuming when you press the clutch the ls7 master pushesh more fluid then the stock cts master. Meaning the ls7 slave is suppose to extend and contract more then our master can push thats why it might be a problem

wes8398

iTrader: (2)

I did tell them that I had an LS7 slave installed as well...maybe they missed that.

According to FuzzyLog!c, you're on to something here. He's apparently got a detailed post going up at the other forum (not cadillac forums, the other one) that he's been intensively investigating for the last little while.



So... here's an update. If anyone's still following this, please post up your thoughts in response.

I got to drive the car a little more today than I have over the past week or so, since once I got up from night shift I had the rest of the day off. I made a few observations that may or may not change your opinion on my specific situation.

1) Getting into reverse is still an issue. Rolling into it is easy breezy, and getting into it with the engine off is equally easy. (this isn't new info, just somewhere to start)

2) The clutch doesn't seem to be dragging in any forward gears, but I only tested with the wheels down (didn't have a 2nd person to watch for me if I jacked the rear up). For all forward gears I put the trans into gear, pressed the clutch pedal all the way down, and revved and goosed the engine to 4,000 or so RPM. No movement (besides the engine torquing a bit...love that feeling!). I did the same in reverse and the car moved a bit, BUT that might've been a fluke. My garage floor apparently isn't perfectly level and I wonder if the engine torquing around caused the car to roll a bit. It was getting late and I dind't want to keep trying it because it's a bit of a loud experiment for the neighbours. lol

3) I've mentioned that some of my other shifts have felt....off. I've had a couple (but not consistent) grind-y 2-3 shifts that I thought were maybe caused by clutch issues. But the more I drive it, the more I wonder if they've been driver error. I'm still getting used to the new pedal engagement height and I wonder if my muscle memory is making me start the shift before my leg has the clutch pedal depressed far enough.

4) I experienced out-of-the-norm notchy-ness shifting to 5th and 6th the other day. Again, I was thinking it had to do with the new clutch. I don't have any other explanation for it, but today shifting to 5th and 6th was as smooth as it's always been...wtf? It was significantly cooler outside today than it was the other day, but does the ambient temperature have anything to do with how my car is shifting?! lol

In summary, today's driving was problem-free aside from the dicking around it would take to get it into reverse. This is different from my very brief drives to work over the last couple days. So, reverse issue aside, I've had a few days of problem-free driving and a few days of "something's not right" driving since this clutch has been installed. Oh, and a random day where getting into reverse was cake... too bad that didn't last. Again, wtf? lol

Last, I'm not sure if I've mentioned this or not but to be clear, I do have the (gray) Creative Steel motor mounts (with heat shields) installed, as well as Creative Steel's "soft, black" transmission mount. So sagging, etc shouldn't be an issue.... but maybe this could still be an alignment issue...?

Thoughts, guys?

TeamSorad

iTrader: (2)

When I did my ls7 clutch I also replaced the clutch master. Not sure how many miles your car has but maybe they get worn down and don't have enough pressure for the ls7.

wes8398

iTrader: (2)

When you bleed it, how many draws (pulling the pedal back up) do you get to almost emptying the reservoir? I can get 3 pumps (3 pushes, 3 pulls of the pedal) before the reservoir is down to just above the hole at the bottem where the fluid is drawn from (where you don't want to go past because then you'd be sucking air into the line). If yours is the same, then I would say my master cyl and yours are both performing the same in terms of the volume of fluid it's moving...

ls1247

iTrader: (2)

So what is the lesson to be learned here?

Should we use the V1 slave with a Katech spacer for a LS7 clutch swap because it matches up correctly with the stock V1 clutch master??

Again, hate to see you go through all this....good luck!

voodoochikin04

iTrader: (3)

If the case was that the stock master cant push enough fluid to extend the LS7 slave correctly... then EVERYONE who has done this mod, would be having this problem or similar.... and thats not the case.. it seems obvious (to me atleast) that you have extenuating circumstances that are causing you to have issues.

ls1247

iTrader: (2)

So the ram flywheel has a different installed depth than the ls7 flywheel?

voodoochikin04

iTrader: (3)

its a posibility, or maybe a run of them were mis spec'ed?

ls1247

iTrader: (2)

So, has anyone had this problem running a GM LS7 flywheel, GM LS7 clutch and pressure plate mounted with factory V1 pressure plate bolts torqued to 48lbs operated by a LS7 slave cylinder?

Or, does it make sense to run the above combo with a stock V1 slave and Katech spacer?

Looking for a trouble free daily driver clutch on a stock motor....

voodoochikin04

iTrader: (3)

I have a LS7 flywheel/clutch/ pressure plate and LS7 slave from luke @ lindsay cadillac.
torqued to 48lbs i believe... never had an issue bleeding it and it was exactly as described by previous peoples. engaged right off the floor for about 500-1000 miles and then was almost stock location. its been great so far.

edit** I used arp flywheel bolts with their moly lube and instructions... reused the stock pressure plate bolts at the advice of luke.

ls1247

iTrader: (2)

Thanks for the info!!

bmylez

iTrader: (3)

Someone already measured them. CTS-V slave + Katech spacer is the same height as an LS7 slave, so there is no difference there.

wes8398

iTrader: (2)

The lesson to be learned here is that there are limitless variables and lots of things that can go wrong and cause issues with any mod. Do your due diligence and go from there. Luckily for us, we have a place like this where we can trouble shoot, bounce things off other guys, and use other's experiences to figure out what's going on and how to fix it.

I can't speak to the specifics behind it, but Ryan (Fuzzylog1c) has been doing some work on this topic. He's apparently got a big post that's soon-to-come on V forums (not sure why he's not posting it here) which addresses his findings re: the interaction between the V's master cylinder and the slaves we run with them. Hopefully he doesn't mind me quoting a bit from a PM he sent me...for accuracy's sake...
For the record, I'm pretty sure that getting into reverse is the ONLY problem I'm having after this install. After further investigating, clutch drag does NOT seem to be happening. There's something else causing the reverse issue... just haven't figured out what that is yet. For more detail, check out my thread. Sorry to the OP for jacking this one a little bit...

voodoochikin04

iTrader: (3)

Bs. If the stock Ctsv master cylinder was only allowing the ls7 slave to operate half its travel....it would be a disaster for anyone who has used this setup on their cars...doesn't sound right.

Goosecaddy05

I've had 3 clutches in my car... the stock dual mass setup... a ls7 clutch and flywheel... and the current mantic single er2 one... car has always since it was brand new with 500 miles hated first and reverse... i have heard everything from changing engine and transmission mounts to hydraulics fix the prob with no clear resolution from anyone? it seems there is a curse to the first and reverse gears in the gen 1 V

ls1247

iTrader: (2)

Having the shifter base bolted to the car and not floating with the transmission is a problem according to a Tremec rep I spoke with at the Charlotte autofair. It's never surprised me that it doesn't shift that well especially when you consider it has rubber in not one but two places between the shifter and the transmission.

Sure, you can upgrade bushings etc but there is still play there guaranteed.

Also, the shift linkage only works one side if the shift mechanism coming out of the transmission and it looks to me to put in a bit of a bind when operating. A new linkage should be built that completely captures the shift mechanism in the transmission. There's a thread on this somewhere on this forum.

Do the stock v1 slave and the ls7 slave have the same piston sizes?