Clutch issues. Anybody else seen this before?

[H & E Motorsports]

So I just got home from the dragstrip. It was 90+ degrees outside with about 95% humidity. I made 15 passes on the car with no issues. The last pass, I do my burnout and get them nice and hot. I launched at about 4500 and it actually hooked, pulled hard through 1st. Went to grab second and the clutch pedal was only about 3" from the floor. I immediatly let out of the gas thinking I blew the clutch out of it. I get back to the return road, pushed the clutch in and it popped right back up like always. I stopped, put it in first, took it up to about 3500 and dumped it. It grabbed like always. Now, when I got back to my pit, it noticed it did throw a code and made the SES light come on. I reset the battery and it went out. I also drove it back home apx. 30 minutes and it was like nothing happened? Anybody any guesses? Did it maybe boil the hydraulic fluid in the clutch?

[Vash]

Well see if it has stored codes.

[H & E Motorsports]

Oh.... by the way, LAUNCH CONTROL SUCKS!!! It is horrible!! Don't waist your time trying to use it on the dragstrip.

[1320junkie]

Check this out..different car same thing maybe
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/1568923954-post1.html

[rayhawk]

So... you're not going to tell us any of the times you managed out at the track?

[H & E Motorsports]

The best I could squeeze out of it was a 13.3 at 109. The track was horrible. My best 60 foot time was 2.42, except on the pass that I had the clutch issue. 2.01!! That would have put me in the 12s.

[H & E Motorsports]

Originally Posted by 1320junkie

Check this out..different car same thing maybe
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/1568923954-post1.html

Awesome find! Thanks! Does the Camaro have that resevoir?

[streetrace]

Originally Posted by H & E Motorsports

Awesome find! Thanks! Does the Camaro have that resevoir?

no, it uses the brake master cylinder

[camaro5]

Yep, the C6 needs regular clutch fluid changes. The slave cylinder is inside the bell housing and is exposed to excessive clutch temperatures.

As well as what 1320 posted...

[2SSRS]

You will need one of this, This is a Regular thing to do If you do not want clutch problems.

[Krozzbow]

Sad day for me folks! I just got a call from my chevy dealership and they told me that i just killed the clutch of my 2010 2TL Bumble bee. With less than a 1,000 miles my BB was driving like a charm, until yesterday mourning when I put it on 1st gear and wasn't going anywhere. Did i glazed it like H&E Motorsports (Hinson) mentioned on his C5 or my old traditional standard driving? How sensative are these hydraulic clutchs?

[rayhawk]

Originally Posted by H & E Motorsports

The best I could squeeze out of it was a 13.3 at 109. The track was horrible. My best 60 foot time was 2.42, except on the pass that I had the clutch issue. 2.01!! That would have put me in the 12s.

A 13.3 with a 2.42 60' time? Sounds like you had a easy 12.7-12.8 if you got traction and had the ability to shift on the same run!

[RuggZ]

so how do we change the fluid if it is using the brake fluid? Full brake system flush? I am confused...

[camaro5]

There's a resevoir just for the clutch.

The trick Corvette owners came up with, was to use a syringe to suck out the old fluid and replace it with fresh fluid. (check owner's manual for fluid required)

[2SSRS]

Originally Posted by camaro5

There's a reservoir just for the clutch.

The trick Corvette owners came up with, was to use a syringe to suck out the old fluid and replace it with fresh fluid. (check owner's manual for fluid required)

No there is not, That is the problem, To save some $ GM is using the same reservoir for the two, I can you see it now in 1 year we will have to Have the ABS replaced or repaired because of the Clutch dust in your brake master cylinder.

[camaro5]

Originally Posted by 2SSRS

No there is not, That is the problem, To save some $ GM is using the same reservoir for the two, I can you see it now in 1 year we will have to Have the ABS replaced or repaired because of the Clutch dust in your brake master cylinder.

OMG - I can't believe the two will be intermixed.

Maybe we need to add separate clutch reservoirs...idk

[SleepWarz]

I just cant believe they expose that slave cyl to so much heat. What were they smoking, clutch dust?

[firestone_ss]

lol and how would clutch dust get in the fluid?its a sealed system..the fluid gets overheated the discolored fluid is a combination of things like additives in fluid breaking down also you get some debri from the actual insides of the lines from the high heat and then cooling down,just flush out the brake/clutch fluid completely when you start to see a dramatic color change or buy brake test strips and change according to results,also if there clutch dust in the fluid you have bigger problems then fluid issues

[superstockcam]

Originally Posted by H & E Motorsports

So I just got home from the dragstrip. It was 90+ degrees outside with about 95% humidity. I made 15 passes on the car with no issues. The last pass, I do my burnout and get them nice and hot. I launched at about 4500 and it actually hooked, pulled hard through 1st. Went to grab second and the clutch pedal was only about 3" from the floor. I immediatly let out of the gas thinking I blew the clutch out of it. I get back to the return road, pushed the clutch in and it popped right back up like always. I stopped, put it in first, took it up to about 3500 and dumped it. It grabbed like always. Now, when I got back to my pit, it noticed it did throw a code and made the SES light come on. I reset the battery and it went out. I also drove it back home apx. 30 minutes and it was like nothing happened? Anybody any guesses? Did it maybe boil the hydraulic fluid in the clutch?

Yep, this is coming up as a trackable problem but only happened to me once so far
________
MEXICO HOTELS

[superstockcam]

Originally Posted by H & E Motorsports

The best I could squeeze out of it was a 13.3 at 109. The track was horrible. My best 60 foot time was 2.42, except on the pass that I had the clutch issue. 2.01!! That would have put me in the 12s.

Copy of time slip please
________
WENDIE 99

[2SSRS]

Originally Posted by SleepWarz

I just cant believe they expose that slave cyl to so much heat. What were they smoking, clutch dust?

To save $22.00 Per car Yes GM is smoking clutch dust, And you will be smoking your Brake's soon And that wont be $20-$50 to fix

Originally Posted by firestone_ss

lol and how would clutch dust get in the fluid?its a sealed system..the fluid gets overheated the discolored fluid is a combination of things like additives in fluid breaking down also you get some debri from the actual insides of the lines from the high heat and then cooling down,just flush out the brake/clutch fluid completely when you start to see a dramatic color change or buy brake test strips and change according to results,also if there clutch dust in the fluid you have bigger problems then fluid issues

Not tying to piss you off but you need to read this, http://www.rangeracceleration.com/ho...id_Lab_Rpt.pdf

And this too,

"How Clutch Dust Enter the Fluid
Update February 17, 2009
---------------------------------------
Today I spent time at the workbench with two Chevy master technicians (one who’s worked on Corvettes since the C3 was first released). We examined the operation of the Corvette clutch actuator and concluded following:

1. The bell housing is fouled with blown clutch dust during aggressive driving.
2. Clutch dust is penetrating the accordion shield on the actuator main shaft. That is obvious from visual inspection.
3. The piston slides along the shaft sealed by an O-ring. The shaft has a film of lubricant or clutch fluid on it. During aggressive driving, this film gets coated on each stroke with a fine layer of blow clutch dust. That is obvious from visual inspection.
4. The O-ring slides along the shaft and squeegees some of the clutch dust down the shaft where it contacts the clutch fluid and is infused.
5. The conclusions were unanimous and seemed obvious from a physical exam of the surfaces involved.

Plus, keep in mind that it is confirmed that clutch dust is getting into the fluid. The question is how. We believe the answer to that is in points 1-5 above."

And to add to this we use DOT3 not DOT4 this is more $ savings on gm part
But the boiling point temp is lower on DOT3 than DOT4.

[firestone_ss]

if dust gets in so does air which means you would have all kinds of other issues,im just not buying it sorry and brake fluid already gets hot thats what it does i think you guys are over egineering this thing

[ssalter]

Ok guys u need to take a closer look at your master cylinder! The brake and clutch do not share fluid, it may appear that way, take the cap off and look and you'll see there is a divider, brake fluid is on the left, clutch on the right!!!! Smart gm!!! Or should we say Holden!!!

[2SSRS]

Originally Posted by firestone_ss

if dust gets in so does air which means you would have all kinds of other issues,im just not buying it sorry and brake fluid already gets hot thats what it does i think you guys are over egineering this thing

So how do you explain the Conclusions: SEM/EDXA analysis showed that particles consisting of similar elemental
constituents were detected in all three samples. In addition the physical
appearance and general particle size was identical for all three samples. This
suggests strongly that clutch dust is present in both samples #1 and #2.
In the EDXA plots below we see a strong concentration of either copper (Cu) or
iron (Fe) as well as some secondary elemental similarities such as sulfur (S) and
magnesium (Mg).
Did you go to the PDF file.

[firestone_ss]

all im saying is this is being way over thought,if the fluid is nasty flush it,most people never flush there brake fluid,when we test brake fluid we find those contaminates all the time.