PLEASE HELP!! - NJFBOA - Home of New Jersey's Camaros and Firebirds

96BlkBrd · 12-11-2007, 09:19 AM

I'm losing my mind. After finally getting my car back from my mechanic, I'm having just as many problems as I initially had. I took my car to this guy back in Sept and it took him until last week to overhaul the engine. Because of work and family, I wasn't able to take it out and test it like I should have. All I was able to do was move it from one side of the street to the other for alternate side parking..I was going to take the car for a shakedown ride this past sat to see how it performed. I pushed in the clutch and started the car like normal and it rumbled to life like it should have, but when I pushed in the clutch to put the car in gear, the shifter would'nt go into first. In fact it wouldn't go in to any gear. I turned the car off. Tried running the shifter through the gears and it went with no problems. When I turned the car on again, the shifter refused to go into gear.. Finally I just shoved on the stick as hard as I could and the shifter went into first, but even with my foot on the clutch the car started shaking like it was going to stall out. I called the mechanic and he says "Oh yeah, you're going to need a new clutch I noticed it chattering when I put the engine back in" WTF? So now I'm stressing having it towed back to him to spend another $350 on a clutch he should have told me about when I picked the car up.. Sunday I get in the car hoping and praying it was just a fluke, and it starts right up and goes in gear no problem. I run through all the gears but, 2nd seems to be having a problem. Everything else is fine. I'm thinking I might be in the clear. Monday I get in the car and I'm fighting with the shifter again. WHAT'S Going on? Does the clutch need to be replaced or just adjusted? Is the skip shift eliminator messing with the electronics? Should I take it back to this guy or bite the bullet and take it to the dealer? My family is about to disown me over this car.. Sorry this was so long, it's a rant and plea for advice. Help me NJFBOA. You're my only hope.

GP99GT · 12-11-2007, 03:00 PM

sounds like the clutch isnt disengaging all the way...i dont know anything about hydraulic clutches so i dont know if its adjustable, but thats what it sounds like.

Tru2Chevy · 12-11-2007, 05:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GP99GT

sounds like the clutch isnt disengaging all the way...

I was thinking exactly the same thing....

- Justin

camaro2you · 12-11-2007, 06:03 PM

Sounds like something wasn't done right whent he motor went back in, do you have any kind of a warrenty or anything on the work that was done?

CALL911 · 12-11-2007, 07:49 PM

That doesn't sound like the clutch to me. It sounds more like an issue with the slave or master cylinder as it won't go into gear. Make sure you are checking your fluid levels as well, and use DOT3 approved brake fluid for the clutch.

Try pumping the clutch pedal a few times to build up some kind of pressure. This should help get it in gear, but WILL NOT be a permanent solution.

96BlkBrd · 12-12-2007, 03:19 AM

Stupid me I didn't get a warranty on the work that was done. I do have receipts but, I'm skeptical about taking the car back to this guy. I'll try checking the fluid levels and see what happens, thank you for the suggestions.

Pampered-Z · 12-12-2007, 08:04 AM

Agreed, sound more like the clutch is hanging up. I would check to make sure the clutch fork is fully engauged, Slave is bolted in proper, fluid is full and air is bled out.

alamantia · 12-16-2007, 11:06 AM

What year is the car? There is no clutch fork on LS1 cars, is it a stock clutch or aftermarket, some after market LS1 clutches require shimming of the slave, if the motor was out of the car and the shims were not reinstalled you will have that problem.

deadtrend1 · 12-16-2007, 12:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alamantia

What year is the car?

its most likely his 96 LT1

Maybe the slave wasn't installed right, and the pushrod isn't pushing on the fork right.

JSPERFORMANCE · 12-16-2007, 04:45 PM

The clutch is not completely disengaging(sp).
The problem could be hydraulics that need to be bled, a misaligned clutch fork/throwout bearing, bad slave or master cyl, or recently I have found that when the flywheel gets cut it can affect the throw of the throwout to the point that complete disengadgement becomes an issue. These issues are the most likely cluprits, the clutch itself would be very low on my list of suspects and only condemned after the previous things have been checked..

Give the mechanic a chance to go over his work and fix the problem, if he insists that the clutch is at fault without at least re-checking and re-bleeding the system than you may want to go elsewhere before you buy a new clutch.