Needing new clutch?

[91MinuteMan]

I have never before owned a car with a hydraulic clutch and shifter. When I got mine in the fall the clutch and shift action was a big improvement from the c3 I had just sold so it worked for me. A Corvette Fever top shop listed owner who has owned 3 Zs drove it and told me he thought the shift and Clutch was a bit stiff but maybe due to heavy duty aftermarket parts. Early spring at the local Chevy dealer for fluid flushes and fills their Corvette mechanic said the exact same thing. The prior owner thinks the clutch is original with 26K miles as shown. Is the Z clutch different than the base car? Where is the best place to buy the parts? The car is strictly street driven and I will do about 8K+ a year as I don't get a lot of joy from it sitting in my garage.

[tomtom72]

I had a C3 and the 80lb effort on the pedal was a good workout. I believe that I saw somewhere, can't remember where, that the ZR-1 stock pressure plate is also an 80lb effort. I don't know if that is higher than other C4's of the L98/lt1/lt4 options. I would think that any replacement parts would be the same or higher than the stock set up. I know I stepped on the clutch in a friend's C5 and it seemed less leg effort...The stock shifter in my 90 reminds me of my M22/Muncie linkage/C3. At slow rpms it was a bit stiff to move, but if I laid into the gas the shifter got easier to move. My Z seems to behave the same way...lay into it and the shift effort seems easier & smoother. Obviously the zf6 is a rail box(?) vs the external linkage that we come from so I would think the zf would have a different feel? Your stuff may just be "tight" like we used to say back when.

Parts can be had at places like NAPA, autozone, etc...they sell LUK OEM at autozone. Carolina Clutch and DRM & Haibeck sell the trick stuff also...fairly easy to get everything except the fork and forkball. This might be worth reading, ZR51Performance.com, zfdoc.com's site, Bill Boudreau's site...lots of good stuff over there about our clutch/trans/hyd system...great Q & A section and Mr. Boudreau is a stand up guy if you need to e-mail a Q he will answer!

You don't hear any grinding when you shift? You don't feel anything when you shift...like the shifter hits something for an instant? Is it hard to get into reverse at cold start-up? It goes into all the foward gears easily as you drive & shift, like 2nd to 3rd is smooth, right? You check the clutch fluid & it's not vanishing in small amounts? I've never had a clutch slip so I can't speak to that. I remember back when, 70's, most mechanics would try to start off in 2nd and see if the car protested...I don't know how valid that method is.

Tom

[robs90zr1]

I am having a sound in my clutch - like a throw-out bearing about to go. It has 16000 miles. Does anyone know what the cost is to relpace the whole clutch. It's a 1990 w/ like I said with 16220 original miles. ???

[FU]

Call Aaron at SGC.

[Cdn ZR1 Mike]

Originally Posted by robs90zr1

I am having a sound in my clutch - like a throw-out bearing about to go. It has 16000 miles. Does anyone know what the cost is to relpace the whole clutch. It's a 1990 w/ like I said with 16220 original miles. ???

I bought everything at Carolina clutch. Incredible to deal with and was around $300 shipped complete. Just install it. Others mentioned above also excellent sources. Bill does much for ZR1 owners.

[tccrab]

Originally Posted by robs90zr1

I am having a sound in my clutch - like a throw-out bearing about to go. It has 16000 miles. Does anyone know what the cost is to relpace the whole clutch. It's a 1990 w/ like I said with 16220 original miles. ???

I bought my '90 over a year ago with 9400 miles on it. Occasionally, the throwout bearing would complain on a cold start, but after warming up, the noise would go away.
I've not heard the noise for many months and over 1000 miles later.
My theory is that there was some corrosion on the bearing that eventually got removed by centrifical action and friction from a dual mass flywheel rotating at 7200 rpms.

My advice, get in and drive it!
If it gets worse, fix it.
If it goes away, drive it like you stole it!

Just my $.02

TomC
'90ZR1 #792

[rkreigh]

Originally Posted by 91MinuteMan

I have never before owned a car with a hydraulic clutch and shifter. When I got mine in the fall the clutch and shift action was a big improvement from the c3 I had just sold so it worked for me. A Corvette Fever top shop listed owner who has owned 3 Zs drove it and told me he thought the shift and Clutch was a bit stiff but maybe due to heavy duty aftermarket parts. Early spring at the local Chevy dealer for fluid flushes and fills their Corvette mechanic said the exact same thing. The prior owner thinks the clutch is original with 26K miles as shown. Is the Z clutch different than the base car? Where is the best place to buy the parts? The car is strictly street driven and I will do about 8K+ a year as I don't get a lot of joy from it sitting in my garage.

sorry but these folks don't know much. ALL the pressure plates are valeo and have the same rating. the zr1 does use a special clutch and is inexpensive. you can also buy them at autozone for $308

many times a bent clutch fork can cause problems, and I have even had a pressure plate "lock up" (wouldn't release). make sure the hyrdraulic system is funcitoning OK, if the master or clutch slave is dragging you will get a bit of a stiff pedal. but if it feels OK to you and it works drive it a bit and it will likely free up.

my old 93 had a nasty habit of leaking hydraulic fluid out of the slave, until I drove it regularly and the seals worked again and it never leaked a drop. keep in touch.