ASK RAY
SHIFTY BUSINESS
Q: Last year, I purchased a 2001 Corvette Z06 online. With only 63,000 miles on the clock, the stock clutch felt fine… at first. Then I decided to try a higher rpm “speed-shift.”
Going into third at around 5,000 rpm on the tach, there was a grinding noise, the transmission would not go into gear, and the clutch pedal stayed on the floor.
I’ve never been a parts replacer, but at 69 years young and with a torque tube that requires hours of labor, I sent the car to a local speed shop to install a new heavy-duty SPEC (brand) clutch and new flywheel, hoping this would cure the problem.
And while they had it all apart, I had them install an aftermarket speed-bleeder hydraulic line and also had a new clutch slave cylinder installed.
Result: Same issues with the transmission not going into gear, but this time the pedal returned. Thinking it may be a stock shifter problem, I replaced that with a short-throw Hurst. Same problem, but all this occurs only when I go past 4,000 rpm between gears. I could “granny” shift it all the way from Connecticut to California with no issues, I just don’t dare try to wind out (not even close to redline) any gear.
The last item to be replaced
