[-sLaYeR-]

The problem I have is when I hit the gas if the clutch isn't in, the car seems to rev way up and then lowers and catches. I was told from someone from work that my clutch is probably slipping, and needs to be replaced. It's only about a year old, would it go that quickly? When I first got the car, I didn't know how to drive it properly, so I ground gears and stalled a lot for the frist 2 weeks, but I don't think I was that bad on it. Idea's? If it has gone that fast, is there I higher performance one? and I was thinking of going to a T56, I saw the tech article, and I have no idea how to do it myself. Lets face it, I wanna learn, and if I had another car I would try, but I can't be off the road for long enough. Replacing the clutch, how much do you figure it should cost? (please state weather Can or US Price). As well as going from T5 to T56 convertion, how much you figure. Trying to see my options, if any. Thanks for the info...

l8r,
Jason

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'91 RS 305 5.0L V8
All stock for now...

FJK

The best way to tell if your clutch is slipping is to be in a high gear at a low vehicle speed and nail the gas. You'll definitely hear the engine rev & feel the car NOT accellerating if the clutch is slipping. Not being that familiar with your car, try adjusting your clutch first (maybe some one else will respond with the exact method). If you do need the clutch replaced, it might be due to your driving style, either sliding the clutch excessively when starting out or my "riding" the clutch pedal while you drive, thereby inadvertantly slightly releasing the clutch which allows it to slip (& therefore wear prematurely).
Baed upon your situation, I would not suggest you change the clutch yourself because it will be time consuming for you the first time through. The harder parts of doing this entail dropping the exhaust system, which is usually rusty on a street driven car. You also need a good hydraulic floor jack. I would guess the cost of replacing a clutch would be $400-$600 US for parts & labor.
Regards, FJK

84FTA

If you have the pedal to the floor and it catches it is a mechanical release failure. Possiblities range from warped/cracked pressure plate to worn hydraulics. If the car has high miles consider replacing most of it and just get it over with. It isn't all that hard to change a clutch yourself the first time on a T-5. By adjusting the cltuch I think he means shimming it. Flywheel shims should be sold at Autozone and you'll want to shim it a max of .060.

If you do determine if it is slipping or a release failure and do attack this yourself check the following:

Hydraulic leakage, air in the system, or failure of the seals (as you have someone hold down the clutch pedal the slave cylinder loses pressure and begins to come in, would explain the sudden grab also).

Clutch fork and pivot ball condition. Check for notable wear.

TO bearing, should be replaced during normal clutch change anyway.

Pressure plate conditon, diaphram springs, check for cracking and warping. I suggest this changed if doing a clutch job.

Make sure the clutch still have visible material left, such as "rivits".

Flywheel, you should resurface this during any clutch change or chances are you'll have clutch chatter sooner than if you had it done. It's about $20 from a machine shop.

Check for possible oil leaks that could of leaked onto the clutch and caused slipping that wore out the clutch.

The exhaust system should not have to be dropped (at least stock system for sure).

If this is a premature clutch replacement, one of the causes as stated before is driving habits. My dad used to tell me, "You know you're good at driving stick when you can do this...." as he sat on a hill and rode the clutch instead of using the brakes and yet he seldom wondered why he had to do a clutch change every couple of years.

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'84 Trans Am
Crate 350 - 4 bolt main, Holley 600 w/vac. secondaries now open element
T-5 - Stock with Zoom clutch and PP