I bought the blue 1992 Z28 this morning. Anyhow, practiced driving stick all day, had a rough start but soon got the hang of it and drove perfectly.

After paying the guy however, since I didn't know much about clutches, took it to my buddy, and he told me the clutch only has 1/5 life left. But, whatever...


Anyhow, I was out cruising in woodbridge, must've had 10 people scream out nice car (buy tim hortons there) and I was having a blast!

However, I noticed that after I leant my bro the car in the morning, I had a weird idle start. When sitting still, the car would idle in between 8-12 RPM up and down, up and down, up and down, repeating the rhythm. That concerned me a bit, but not too much. The big problem is this.........:

My car has something messed up!!! When I let off the clutch and press the gas, the car BARELY moves forward!!! I mean, I can take my foot off the clutch completely and put it on the gas, but it barely moves, it's like all the power just crapped out!

I also noticed that throughout the day, I was smelling burnt brakes/rubber, which makes me think something is wrong with the clutch. Would this problem be the cause of a dead clutch?!?

Anyhow, my car is in my garage and I'm going to take it to the mechanic on monday to see whats up!!!!

But hopefully u guys can tell me before hand!

I also noticed that earlier in the day I had some problems with the rear drive gear. I would put the clutch down all the way, put it in reverse, and hear this big grinding sound as I tried to move it there.... It was very strange.......

Anyhow, any help would be much appreciated. Why the rough idle? Why no power? WHY WHY WHY!! WAHH!!!!

 

ok first off did you not test drive the car first or even start it to hear it run?

congrats on the new car! suck you have problems already.

ok the smell and noise are most likely your clutch.

"When I let off the clutch and press the gas, the car BARELY moves forward!!! I mean, I can take my foot off the clutch completely and put it on the gas, but it barely moves, it's like all the power just crapped out! "

do the revs shoot up? if so its the clutch for sure

the idle could be a number of things. ranging from a very dirty air filter to bad injectors. its somthing you will have to trouble shoot by finding out what its not.

a small list of things it could be for bad idle:
bad gas
dirty air filter
dirty gas filter
vacume leak
idle air controle dirty, broken or out of adjustment
bad injectors
bad knock count

 

I'd say vaccum leak for sure. Probably in the plemum or runners somewhere. My car started eratic idling as well when I had the tpi, and it ended up being the MAF. It also went nowhere when gas was given. if your clutch is going, you'll feel it through the clutch peddle alot. If you can rev you engine and it revs fine but the car goes doesn't pick up, then probably clutch. good way to test this too, is get it going about 60kmh and then momentarily put the gas down hard, if you don't accelerate but the revs shoot up, go get a clutch. Get a good one too, cause the replacement ones are garbage.

 

Holy crapper.... Ok if you put the clutch all the way in and you get a grinding sound I am pretty sure that is textbook bad clutch syndrome.. but the real crapper might be.... and I say might be.. with that eratic Idle.. and I hope its not for is Injectors.. I drove for like 2 years on crappy ones. and everytime I came to a stop light my idle would go up and down... then I found out about this board and someone told me how to test the injectors.. and sure enough I had 4 bad injectors.. but I replaced them all $125 bucks a peice..OUCH!! I have read though in a few boards that we can use mustang injectors they are 19lbs aswell and cheaper... so check on the 'TPI" site on this board to find out.. I hope its not for ya but it was for me... Take and ohm meter set it to 20k your injectors should read anywhere above 16.0... if not they are pooched..

Are you going to buy a replacement clutch or are you going to get something beefier? If so i am in the market for a McCleoud Clutch..$500 though but they are Kevlar and take a beating.. maybe we can get a deal on 2..save some cash.

 

There's a reason you test drive the car prior to buying it lol

Still it seems to fit the bill nothing goes wrong till its in your hands.
When your mechanic told you the life of your clutch had 1/5, didn't you trust him? Also, did your bro abuse it when you let him drive it? Power shifting, gunning etc. It's a thirdgen and usually it invokes the worst driving habits I imagine.

92zeddar is the exp man for the 5-spd here, I've only driven them not fixed them. I know this for a fact about the t-5 setup.
Very tricky over 300ft/lbs from engine, will live a short life in the abuse department. GM would not mate them to thier 350's for sure.
Clutches had a history of dying, why my dad switched to auto!! It was that bad. Don't get a stock one, do the aftermarket route.
Gears on the t-5 had a history of breaking under high torque situations hence the lack of 350/t-5 combinations. Dad also found out the hard way. All those years ago, GM had hell with their powertrain warranty replacing/repairing a lot of t-5 setups.

Gears that will die under normal abuse first are reverse and 5th. Starts usually with some gear mashing feeling or hard to get it in gear. I think its because reverse has some whacked out ratio + the fact its inherently weak and 5th because its a high torque situation and also inherently weak.

The key to keeping a t-5 alive in my dad's case was to not power shift, and not to do drop shifts. He subsequently sold the car after 2 years and the next one was a T/A auto. Both my parents were hardcore stick fans and knew nothing else. Their 1 firebird stick changed all that for both of them. It was so bad it convinced them auto design on stick had gone to hell and the only route was get an auto since then.

 

reverse grind is normal in all t5's because it is not a synhro gear. The trick is to put the shifter in first (clutch in) and in one motion 1st to 5th and then reverse or 1st, 2nd and reverse

 

Reverse grind could be the worn clutch... had this problem in my old Grand AM (I know, FWD.... but it had the same symptom).

As for the irratic idle, I would check for vacuum leaks. Spray Throttle Body Cleaner along any vaccuum seals or lines, and listen for idle change.

OR Take it to the dealer, and have them put it on the diagnostic computer, and get them to take it for a spin on the diagnostic computer.

AND WHY THE HELL DID YOU LET YOUR BROTHER DRIVE THE CAR!!!!!????? NO ONE, BUT MYSELF, HAS DRIVEN MY GTA.... different strokes for different folks I guess.

 

alright, first off, of course we test-drove the car before we bought it. there were no erratic idles however. my dad said the clutch was fine (he's 50 years old, he drove stick all his life).

once we bought it, i let my friend sit in the car, and he told me that in order to get the car moving, u had to remove the clutch about 80%. he told me that was a sign of it almost being dead.

the injectors started making those weird idling noises after i leant my brother the car for the day. he came and picked me up from work, and all i heard was the car idle a bit erratic.

the problem with the clutch arose after i drove it that night. we came home, i let my brother sit down in the car, and he told me something was wrong. then i sat back in the seat, started driving, and noticed it as well. the car would barely move forward after the clutch was released. weird.

 

Not weird for a finished clutch! Most likely the clutch is gone. Might be a servo but most likely the clutch. The car should stall if you realease the clutch without any gas even in second sometime third if clutch is really strong... Unfortunatly it sounds like you're in need of a new clutch. I would have tought myself to drive stick in something a little less expensive though. Sorry to hear about the troubles...but S^@T happens right.

Crap! Didn't read your post good enough. If you are smelling a similar smell to burnt brakes... You need a clutch plate!!

 

That eratic idle sounds alot like my bad injectors.. Some days fine and all over the place on other days...If you are releasing your clutch and you are going nowhere and the car doesn't stall.. I would say your clutch is pooched.. Try putting your tranny into 5th then into reverse if it still grinds it is definetly the clutch..
Wish you best of luck.... Everyone was having problems this weekend with there cars..

 

what would u recommend i put in (replacement clutch)?

 

Depends! A nice car like that. are you going to beat on it and show off and race it? Or did you buy it cause it' a very clean car and you are going to take good care of it , and baby it for the most part? If you are going ot beat on it, I would get a performance clutch to withstand the punishment. If babying it, just replace with stock. Either way it's going to cost you. Call Mr Transmission, or some place tell them your problem, get their ideas and prices. Now decide what your going to do. Got a friend or you mechnics may give you a better deal. Hope I helped? As for makes of clutches not sure? Make another post, see what everyone says.

 

See if you can get a McLeod best clutch out there

http://www.mcleodind.com/

maybe you can get a deal on 2... shop around..

 

I would have to agree on the McLeod clutch. they are excellent. I think thats what i have in there now. The box had McLeod/Hays on it. Anyways it's held alot better than my Centerforce on my old car.

 

If your injectors are bad you might want to consider the Accel's. Last time I check cruzinperformance.com had a set of 8 for 229.00 U.S.. Mine cost me around $480.00 CDN after excahange shipping gst and brokerage las t summer. The cheapest I could find them here was 550 +tax. Pretty easy to change and while you have the TPI off you can shine it and change your EGR valve as a "Might as well while I'm here" because you know it'll go soon after you 've spent 50 bux on a new TPI gasket set and put it all back together. Good luck and welcome to the "Trouble Prone Injection " club

 

I don't recommend stock replacement clutch or injectors from GM as those 2 items are for all intent and purposes not reliable. Let's hear some suggestions of replacement clutches from people's own experiences for aftermarket stuff and go from there before you go out and buy the first thing you find in a store.

 

crappy part is tomorrow (monday) i gotta get a towtruck, cuz my car is undriveable right now, doesn't move anywhere!