Transmission problem - ZR-1 Net Registry Forums

Gregs86 · 05-25-2020

So I came out of the store and started my car while in first gear with the clutch pedal pushed down. As soon as it started it felt like something gave way and the car started to move with the pedal still down. I shut it off immediately. I called my local Vette mechanic he said it was probably the slave cylinder. So had it towed to his shop. Upon further inspection he said something is broken inside the transmission. I did notice days before the clutch would slip very slightly in 5th a couple hundred rpms and then catch. My mechanic doesn’t want to pull the transmission until he sure he can source good parts. I trust him he has 4 zr-1s. I usually do my own wrenching. But was going out of town for work the next day. I’m hoping it’s the fork has broken. So I’m looking for any input. And if anyone has a original clutch disk for sale. Let me know. Car is a 91 with 6200 miles

Thanks Greg

Ccmano · 05-25-2020

Breaking “something” in the transmission would be ultra rare. More likely something on the clutch side. Www.ZFdoc.com is our source for all things ZF. Call Bill and ask, he’s very friendly.
H

Gregs86 · 05-25-2020

That’s what my mechanic said rare but I did see a broken clutch fork on here as I was researching

WARP TEN · 05-25-2020

Many years ago I had a Saab 99 in Denver and had the same symptoms--pushed the clutch pedal in, heard a clunk and suddenly had no clutch. I learned how to drive in traffic without a clutch that day as I was downtown and on my way home. Turned out to be a broken clutch fork. Later the Saab Service Tech said he had never seen it before, but they got a new one, fixed it and it was fine. Fast forward to about 1995 I was driving to a business appointment in Indiana on a Friday afternoon in my '93 ZR-1. I was in rural Indiana on local roads and started to feel the clutch pedal slowly drop until I had no clutch. The lessons learned in my Saab paid off though as I was able to drive it without a clutch long enough to find a small Chevrolet dealer in the area at about 4:30 Friday afternoon (remember, no cell phones back then). The mechanics there quickly dove into it and determined it was the clutch cylinder losing fluid through a slow leak. They filled it back up to the top, saying it should last to get me home. They were so excited to see a ZR-1 at this little dealership (they had never seen one) they didn't charge me anything. Loved it, and was able to drive home via the notoriously congested I-80/94 corridor south of Chicago without incident. It would have been a nightmare with out a working clutch. --Bob

05-25-2020	#1
Gregs86 Join Date: Mar 2020 Location: Pensacola Florida Posts: 22	Transmission problem So I came out of the store and started my car while in first gear with the clutch pedal pushed down. As soon as it started it felt like something gave way and the car started to move with the pedal still down. I shut it off immediately. I called my local Vette mechanic he said it was probably the slave cylinder. So had it towed to his shop. Upon further inspection he said something is broken inside the transmission. I did notice days before the clutch would slip very slightly in 5th a couple hundred rpms and then catch. My mechanic doesn’t want to pull the transmission until he sure he can source good parts. I trust him he has 4 zr-1s. I usually do my own wrenching. But was going out of town for work the next day. I’m hoping it’s the fork has broken. So I’m looking for any input. And if anyone has a original clutch disk for sale. Let me know. Car is a 91 with 6200 miles Thanks Greg

05-25-2020	#2
Ccmano Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Sparks, NV Posts: 2,843	Re: Transmission problem Breaking “something” in the transmission would be ultra rare. More likely something on the clutch side. Www.ZFdoc.com is our source for all things ZF. Call Bill and ask, he’s very friendly. H

05-25-2020	#3
Gregs86 Join Date: Mar 2020 Location: Pensacola Florida Posts: 22	Re: Transmission problem That’s what my mechanic said rare but I did see a broken clutch fork on here as I was researching

05-25-2020	#4
WARP TEN Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Lake Bluff, IL Posts: 2,145	Re: Transmission problem Many years ago I had a Saab 99 in Denver and had the same symptoms--pushed the clutch pedal in, heard a clunk and suddenly had no clutch. I learned how to drive in traffic without a clutch that day as I was downtown and on my way home. Turned out to be a broken clutch fork. Later the Saab Service Tech said he had never seen it before, but they got a new one, fixed it and it was fine. Fast forward to about 1995 I was driving to a business appointment in Indiana on a Friday afternoon in my '93 ZR-1. I was in rural Indiana on local roads and started to feel the clutch pedal slowly drop until I had no clutch. The lessons learned in my Saab paid off though as I was able to drive it without a clutch long enough to find a small Chevrolet dealer in the area at about 4:30 Friday afternoon (remember, no cell phones back then). The mechanics there quickly dove into it and determined it was the clutch cylinder losing fluid through a slow leak. They filled it back up to the top, saying it should last to get me home. They were so excited to see a ZR-1 at this little dealership (they had never seen one) they didn't charge me anything. Loved it, and was able to drive home via the notoriously congested I-80/94 corridor south of Chicago without incident. It would have been a nightmare with out a working clutch. --Bob __________________ 2016 Long Beach Red Z06 #10281 "POPS Z" 1995 Polo Green #409 "WARP TEN"--Haibeck 350/510 package, 4.10s, Hurst, Stock Exhaust with QTP Cutouts --Sold but still running strong 1993 Quasar Blue #161 "HIL KING" --Sold but still running strong, now with more than 120,000 miles 1967 Marlboro Maroon/Saddle Corvette Coupe 300 hp/4-spd --Sold a long time ago ZR-1 Net Registry Founding Member #95 NCM Lifetime Member Favorite Quote--Attributed to Mickey Thompson: "Too Much Horsepower is Almost Enough"