Tremec Clutch Engagement Feel - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

Zeaux6 · 07-28-2011, 02:19 PM

I have a new 2011 SS with the Tremec. I noticed that the clutch engagement when starting from a stop in 1st gear feels odd compared to other manuals I have driven including a 2003 Z06, and 1999 Camaro SS.

The best way to describe it follows. When letting the clutch out from a stop during a slow start it feels like the clutch is slipping irregularly. It does not chatter or smell after heavy first gear starts in stop and go traffic. It almost feels like it is skipping until fully engaged.

All other gears seem fine and are buttery smooth.

Before I bring it in, I wanted to check with the experts here on the forum to see if anyone else had similar experiences.

OUTATIME · 07-28-2011, 04:27 PM

I think the engagement is supposed to be unusually high for a new clutch . . . I'm gonna say that what you're feeling is normal.

Synner · 07-28-2011, 04:29 PM

Mine was a bit smelly and slipped for about 100 miles or so. Then was fine after break-in.

Jason@JacFab · 07-28-2011, 05:21 PM

How far do you have to let the pedal out before it starts to engage? Sounds similar to my first clutch, which smelled until about 1500 miles... It didn't start engaging until it was about 4" off the floor, and had this horrible "cam over" feeling (that wasn't the helper spring) that wanted to push your foot off the pedal as soon as it was starting to engage. I complained about it since day one when I got the car...

Eventually got the dealer to replace it, and now it's WAY better. Starts to engage about 1-1.5" off the floor, feels smooth, no "cam over" effect. They found a bunch of the pressure plate fingers were bent when they took the car apart. I can only imagine they were that way when I bought the car (had 499 miles on it), because the clutch has sucked since day one. I think someone rodded it before I got it and it didn't get a chance to break in. It was a "dealer transfer" car, they drove a yellow car up to a dealer about 4 hours away, and brought back mine... Musta been a fun ride!

Zeaux6 · 07-29-2011, 09:17 AM

The clutch engages in what I would call a normal amount of travel. I would say the first 1 to 2 inches of travel.

I assume if the pressure plate was warped, every gear would feel the same and the there would be vibrations present. I can not feel any vibration from the trans at all.

Chevrolet Customer Svc · 07-29-2011, 10:39 AM

I'm sorry to hear about your issues with your clutch. Hopefully your dealer can let you know just exactly what is going on with your clutch. I hope it's nothing major for you. Let us know how it goes if you take your vehicle in.

Jeff Morris, Chevrolet Customer Service

kaylew78 · 07-30-2011, 04:11 PM

my dealer has printed up#03-07-29-004G: manual transmission operating characteristics - (dec 15, 2010) basically dont speed/hard shift at high rpms. what a joke! i thought i was getting a high performance car when i paid all that money MR. JEFF MORRIS!

booenson · 07-30-2011, 04:38 PM

Reading this thread has me wondering about mine... my clutch is pretty weird too. It doesn't start grabbing until about the last 2 inches of travel, and when it does grab there's very little 'engagement' let's say, from the point that it starts to engage to where it's fully engaged is pretty small. I'm also getting the 'cam over' effect that RacnJsn95 has described, when it does want to engage it feels like its trying to push back quite a bit.

The limited engagement range, added with the effect that the clutch is pushing back makes getting off the line a lot harder than what it has to be.

07-28-2011, 02:19 PM	#1
Zeaux6 Drives: 2011 Convertible RS/SS Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Houston Posts: 52	Tremec Clutch Engagement Feel I have a new 2011 SS with the Tremec. I noticed that the clutch engagement when starting from a stop in 1st gear feels odd compared to other manuals I have driven including a 2003 Z06, and 1999 Camaro SS. The best way to describe it follows. When letting the clutch out from a stop during a slow start it feels like the clutch is slipping irregularly. It does not chatter or smell after heavy first gear starts in stop and go traffic. It almost feels like it is skipping until fully engaged. All other gears seem fine and are buttery smooth. Before I bring it in, I wanted to check with the experts here on the forum to see if anyone else had similar experiences.

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07-28-2011, 04:27 PM	#2
OUTATIME Drives: 2010 IOM 2SS/RS Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: NJ Posts: 633	I think the engagement is supposed to be unusually high for a new clutch . . . I'm gonna say that what you're feeling is normal.

07-28-2011, 04:29 PM	#3
Synner Drives: cars Join Date: May 2011 Location: Oversneeze Posts: 4,544	Mine was a bit smelly and slipped for about 100 miles or so. Then was fine after break-in.

07-28-2011, 05:21 PM	#4
Jason@JacFab Drives: 2016 1LT RS Camaro; 72 Chevelle Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Central Point, OR Posts: 5,688 View My Garage	How far do you have to let the pedal out before it starts to engage? Sounds similar to my first clutch, which smelled until about 1500 miles... It didn't start engaging until it was about 4" off the floor, and had this horrible "cam over" feeling (that wasn't the helper spring) that wanted to push your foot off the pedal as soon as it was starting to engage. I complained about it since day one when I got the car... Eventually got the dealer to replace it, and now it's WAY better. Starts to engage about 1-1.5" off the floor, feels smooth, no "cam over" effect. They found a bunch of the pressure plate fingers were bent when they took the car apart. I can only imagine they were that way when I bought the car (had 499 miles on it), because the clutch has sucked since day one. I think someone rodded it before I got it and it didn't get a chance to break in. It was a "dealer transfer" car, they drove a yellow car up to a dealer about 4 hours away, and brought back mine... Musta been a fun ride!

07-29-2011, 09:17 AM	#5
Zeaux6 Drives: 2011 Convertible RS/SS Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Houston Posts: 52	The clutch engages in what I would call a normal amount of travel. I would say the first 1 to 2 inches of travel. I assume if the pressure plate was warped, every gear would feel the same and the there would be vibrations present. I can not feel any vibration from the trans at all.

07-29-2011, 10:39 AM	#6
Chevrolet Customer Svc Drives: GM Vehicles Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Michigan Posts: 9,328	I'm sorry to hear about your issues with your clutch. Hopefully your dealer can let you know just exactly what is going on with your clutch. I hope it's nothing major for you. Let us know how it goes if you take your vehicle in. Jeff Morris, Chevrolet Customer Service

07-30-2011, 04:11 PM	#7
kaylew78 Drives: 2011 rs/ss ls3 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Il. Posts: 38	my dealer has printed up#03-07-29-004G: manual transmission operating characteristics - (dec 15, 2010) basically dont speed/hard shift at high rpms. what a joke! i thought i was getting a high performance car when i paid all that money MR. JEFF MORRIS!

07-30-2011, 04:38 PM	#8
booenson Drives: 2010 1SS/RS M6 Join Date: May 2010 Location: Ontario Posts: 115	Reading this thread has me wondering about mine... my clutch is pretty weird too. It doesn't start grabbing until about the last 2 inches of travel, and when it does grab there's very little 'engagement' let's say, from the point that it starts to engage to where it's fully engaged is pretty small. I'm also getting the 'cam over' effect that RacnJsn95 has described, when it does want to engage it feels like its trying to push back quite a bit. The limited engagement range, added with the effect that the clutch is pushing back makes getting off the line a lot harder than what it has to be.