How to tell a clutch is goin out

**Daniel P.** · 09-19-2007, 10:17 PM

I'm at 50k miles and I am pretty easy on it I thought. I have never dropped it at over 2000 rpms, but I cant vouch for the last owner. Since I have moved to the city for school I have been doing a lot more city driving and when downshifting to slow down with clutch to the floor it grind goin into first, it will go in all the other gears, usually I just hit the brakes cuz I am stopping for a light anyway and then when I'm stopped I got no problems gettin it into first, this doesnt always happen, maybe once a day while driving in town. Also a couple times when goin from 4th to 2nd it ground but if I go 4 3 2 with clutch to floor just moving shifter through the gears its ok.

I am open to any suggestions, If you think it may be driver error let me know, I love constuctive critism.

**shanepatrick1230** · 09-30-2007, 07:18 AM

I also have the same problem with my car. It will shift up and down through the gears fine but if, for instance, i think i will have to stop at a light and i drop it in neutral or just hold the clutch and then try to put it back in gear be cause i ended up not having to stop, it will sometimes grind. I am sure i have the clutch down when it grinds too.The owner before me showed me a receipt from only a few thousand miles ago for a new clutch. So unless it was installed wrong or is a cheap clutch, i dont think its the problem. A friend of mine thinks it might be the actual transmission and that the gears that allow you to perform that action might be worn down. I havent had it looked at yet because it doesnt happen that often and i can pretty much avoid it bye down shifting. If anyone else knows of anyother reason why this happens, i'd like to know. I hope i dont need a rebulid.

**Danger731** · 09-30-2007, 07:45 AM

synchros probably

**shanepatrick1230** · 09-30-2007, 08:14 AM

Does that mean a rebulid is needed? Any idea how much it would cost.?

**Zboner** · 09-30-2007, 09:37 AM

its not the clutch, mostly when a clutch is going out there is hardly any peddel(sp) travel left, or the clutch spins,(rpm;s rev but you not going anywhere) the grinding is the synchro's going bad mostlikely

**shanepatrick1230** · 10-03-2007, 04:01 PM

has anybody had to change out the syncros before? if this is something that i can do my self i will wait till i put it away this winter, but id take it to a shop if i have to. anyone know what they would charge for that at a shop

**BlueBomber** · 10-03-2007, 04:19 PM

I get that too but its only with 1st gear. If I wobble the shifter in center for a second prior it wont grind or "grab" so I figured my shifter or clutch may just be out of adjustment

**konigandy6** · 10-04-2007, 04:15 AM

We Had A 91 Vette At Our Dealership With The Same Problem. We Replaced The Slave Cyl. And It Was Like Brand-new. If That Is Your Problem You Are Only Looking At Around 500-600 Bucks At A Dealership.

**eb52hill** · 10-27-2007, 08:53 AM

Sounds like synchros. I did this rebuild last winter and with some basic knowledge and tools it wasn't too bad. I did all the synchros, shift fork, seals and fork pads for something like $550. It drives like brand new. Might be worth looking into.

**TACE02** · 11-01-2007, 07:02 AM

Don't think I would start with synchros. especially if there is smooth shifting from 1-2, 2-3, 3-4, 4-5, and 5-6. each shift has a different synchro and they are not attached in any way so If you only have a problem with one shift then maybe. but if you are having issues with more than one shift I wouldn't suggest you have more than 1 bad synchro. Slave or clutch is what I would lean toward. What clutches do ya'll have installed Shane and Daniel??? and please do not say CenterForce!!!

**shanepatrick1230** · 11-01-2007, 10:54 AM

mine only does it for forth gear. and the bird is now in my garage for the winter, thinking about having the transmision rebuilt before spring.

**secondgearscratch** · 11-01-2007, 10:57 AM

if your clutch is going out, the pedal will get harder and harder to press because either the clutch fingers are broken or the pressure plate is frozen. if the pedal "floats" around, its most likely hydraulics, especially with the pre 01 set ups.

this is just what ive experienced.

**TACE02** · 11-01-2007, 01:23 PM

not necessarily. I have had 2 clutches and a slave take a crap on me. Never had a hard clutch or anything obvious. just at high RPMs the pedal would stick to the floor when the slave started going bad, and when the clutches took a dump I noticed when in 6th gear I would punch it and my RPMs would shoot up but the car didn't pick up speed.

**secondgearscratch** · 11-02-2007, 09:29 AM

Originally Posted by TACE02

not necessarily. I have had 2 clutches and a slave take a crap on me. Never had a hard clutch or anything obvious. just at high RPMs the pedal would stick to the floor when the slave started going bad, and when the clutches took a dump I noticed when in 6th gear I would punch it and my RPMs would shoot up but the car didn't pick up speed.

you proved what i said. the slave cylinder is what took a crap, not the pressure plate or the clutch disc.

**GottaHaveLS1** · 11-02-2007, 10:58 AM

Originally Posted by Daniel P.

I'm at 50k miles and I am pretty easy on it I thought. I have never dropped it at over 2000 rpms, but I cant vouch for the last owner. Since I have moved to the city for school I have been doing a lot more city driving and when downshifting to slow down with clutch to the floor it grind goin into first, it will go in all the other gears, usually I just hit the brakes cuz I am stopping for a light anyway and then when I'm stopped I got no problems gettin it into first, this doesnt always happen, maybe once a day while driving in town. Also a couple times when goin from 4th to 2nd it ground but if I go 4 3 2 with clutch to floor just moving shifter through the gears its ok.

I am open to any suggestions, If you think it may be driver error let me know, I love constuctive critism.

DON'T downshift into first gear. it's not a good idea, i was taught this and when i tried it several times, it did not feel like it was good for the car. As far as your problem, i would check into master & slave cyl. then clutch, then trans. I have a similiar problem. Whenever i downshift from 5 to 4 at low rpms, it grinds, but never at higher rpms. My clutch fluid has been black forever, so i'm gonna flush that out, and get a new slave at some point. If that doesn't solve it and a new clutch doesn't either then it looks like we've narrowed it down.

**splitfinger09** · 11-03-2007, 07:43 AM

^^^^yeah i would never never go into first while trying to stop. Most of the time when coming to a light or a stop sign when I know I will be coming to a complete stop I just throw it into neutral and use the brakes to stop. Also are you guys "blipping" the throttle when you downshift??

**Ryans99LS1** · 11-03-2007, 08:40 AM

Yeah definitely do not shift into first if you are downshifting and still moving. I always just threw it in neutral if i knew i was stopping and if it switched before i stopped then i put it in second because you can essentially start off from a dead stop in second too. First is just too harsh to downshift to. 'Blipping' the throttle is also, what i think, the best way to downshift.

As for all you guys with grinding problems, i would just use that as an excuse to upgrade to a built tranny!

**tpilews** · 11-06-2007, 08:41 PM

Originally Posted by TACE02

Don't think I would start with synchros. especially if there is smooth shifting from 1-2, 2-3, 3-4, 4-5, and 5-6. each shift has a different synchro and they are not attached in any way so If you only have a problem with one shift then maybe. but if you are having issues with more than one shift I wouldn't suggest you have more than 1 bad synchro. Slave or clutch is what I would lean toward.

+1, you would experience difficulty shifting into a particular gear ALL THE TIME. This happened with my '98.

I'd have to say it's the hydraulics as well. I'd start with the master and slave and go from there. That's at least the cheapest route.

**NvyBluMtlc02WS6** · 11-07-2007, 06:20 PM

right? i never downshift when coming to a stop. throw it in neutral and coast to the light. watch you're rpms and if the light changes before you get there, pick the appropriate gear and go, but never from first. even from a slight roll, i drop it in second and go from there. first is only used from a dead stop with my baby.

**01ws6er** · 11-19-2007, 06:31 AM

Originally Posted by Ryans99LS1

Yeah definitely do not shift into first if you are downshifting and still moving. I always just threw it in neutral if i knew i was stopping and if it switched before i stopped then i put it in second because you can essentially start off from a dead stop in second too. First is just too harsh to downshift to. 'Blipping' the throttle is also, what i think, the best way to downshift.

As for all you guys with grinding problems, i would just use that as an excuse to upgrade to a built tranny!

I've never owned anything other than manual vehicles, and I learned to drive on one as well, and downshifting into first is a no no unless you wanna replace parts. "Blipping" is also referred to as "matching engine speed to road speed." Much better on your motor, tranny, rear, and pretty much anything else associated with the drivetrain because there isn't as much backlash when you match your engine speed to your road/tire speed. But I'd look into hydraulics or clutch first IMO because tranny's are like speaking in chinese to me lol.