[Patrick]

Is it just me, or does the feel/action/engagement on this C6 clutch not that great? I always end up engaging at too low of an rpm ... or paying so much attention to it I over compensate and push too high of an RPM. I still can't find a really nice sweet spot for smooth engagement.

The DC Z can leave a stoplight like butter... I mean I can drive that thing so smooth it's like an automatic.

As for the C6, just about everyone that drives it, stalls it backing out of my driveway.... or is something wrong with the clutch? I just need to think about the clutch a lot.

Seems like I need more gas pedal pressure to get the rpm's up versus any other stick I've driven. That plus the dead-quiet exhaust (I can't hear or FEEL the rpms) and the finicky clutch kind of make stop/go driving a bit annoying. For stop/go I'd rather have the DC Z, I don't even have to think about shifting, the car just does what I want it to do nice and smoothly. The clutch on the C5Z has a HUGE sweet spot... seems like a very short sweet spot on the C6 clutch.

I've been driving manual transmissions for 22 years. I'm done rambling. If anyone has any ideas, let me know!:thumbsup:

 

[rdevaux2007]

yea, the too quiet exhaust kinda sucks, but after some practice you will get used to it, as I did. by the way, the vettedogs vids are pretty cool :thumbsup:

 

[Patrick]

yea, the too quiet exhaust kinda sucks, but after some practice you will get used to it, as I did. by the way, the vettedogs vids are pretty cool :thumbsup:

Thanks bro! We are having a lot of fun putting it together for you guys, and give you a glimpse of what these crazy events are all about.

I wish someone had done this before I went on the One Lap. I'll have some very frank opinions on the event as the episodes continue... but everyone will see enough to decide if it's something they'd want to do.

It's all good.:thumbsup:

 

[07-Z51]

Patrick i'm at 4500 miles and i still feel the way you do
it's just not that easy to be consistantly smooth.
If I'm thinking about it it's ok but like you said in traffic
sometimes i think i look a little ...iffy :huh:

almost setup a little to race, if you follow me.

 

[AFAMack]

Patrick, I hear ya... I've had a few embarassing stalls or unintentional burnouts at some local stoplights. I love the shifter on the C6, but the clutch is well... finicky would be a good way to put it. At first, i figured it was the 'break in' period that would make the sweet spot a little better, but after 750 miles, no such luck.

 

[06LemansC6]

Is it just me, or does the feel/action/engagement on this C6 clutch not that great? I always end up engaging at too low of an rpm ... or paying so much attention to it I over compensate and push too high of an RPM. I still can't find a really nice sweet spot for smooth engagement.

The DC Z can leave a stoplight like butter... I mean I can drive that thing so smooth it's like an automatic.

As for the C6, just about everyone that drives it, stalls it backing out of my driveway.... or is something wrong with the clutch? I just need to think about the clutch a lot.

Seems like I need more gas pedal pressure to get the rpm's up versus any other stick I've driven. That plus the dead-quiet exhaust (I can't hear or FEEL the rpms) and the finicky clutch kind of make stop/go driving a bit annoying. For stop/go I'd rather have the DC Z, I don't even have to think about shifting, the car just does what I want it to do nice and smoothly. The clutch on the C5Z has a HUGE sweet spot... seems like a very short sweet spot on the C6 clutch.

I've been driving manual transmissions for 22 years. I'm done rambling. If anyone has any ideas, let me know!:thumbsup:

I too have been driving manual transmissions for many years and many miles. I stalled the C6 twice since I owned it. The second time my wife was with me and was very surprised. Now I'm just shy of 1800 miles and starting to get a feel for it. Still not as smooth as I'd like to be, but it is getting better with more seat time. For me it is just a toy and an occasional driver so that makes it very hard to get use to. By the end of a long trip I can shift fairly smooth, but it sure is a bit touchy. I think the exhaust note, or lack there of, makes a big difference.

I guess to make a long story short......No it's definitely not you.

 

[OldVetteFan]

After some seat time in the DC C6, I know exactly what Patrick is talking about.

Oddly enough, I find it easier to launch from second gear than first. When my father taught me to drive his '69 Triumph Spitfire, he would make me practice my starts from second to get a better feel for where the clutch and throttle had to be to get a good launch - and I find myself doing that more frequently in the C6 when I'm in traffic.

The engagement point is very high, and at that point, there is very little pedal travel left. The feedback from the clutch is poor, in that you really can't tell you've started to engage, and by the time the engine begins to lug (and that's generally due to the car beginning to shake), you've almost reached the point of no return.

This problem also seems to be related to throttle tip in. At the bottom of the throttle's travel, it doesn't seem very responsive to small inputs. You give it just a little movement, and nothing seems to happen, but if you give it more, then the engine's up near 1500 - 2000 RPM, and you're launching hard.

Like Patrick, this car, when compared to my '95, makes me look like a manual transmission novice.

I think that if I ever can get a C6, I'll be going with the A6!

Steven

 

[AK's Z06]

Patrick- IT'S THAT FRIGGIN SPRING! Getr under the dash with a flathead screw driver, pop that spring off the pedal, you'll like the feel. After 22K miles, I have zero clutch issues from this mod.:thumbsup:

 

[Demonbreun]

I've got just over 1000 miles on C6 which I mainly drive on the weekends. My daily driver is a 5 speed and when I drive my Vette it takes a little adjustment (especially since the Vette has 6 gears)

I think I may have stalled once and that was the first day I drove it home from the dealer and was in extremely heavy traffic (the day the Presidential debates were in our city - so cops were posted on every corner).:surprised

Since then things have been OK even at intersections on hills with cars behind me I've been able to smoothly take off:excited: . As a matter of fact my CAGS has only kicked in about 4 times total.

Still, like I said though there is an adjustment (that Vette has a whole different feel) and I think like others who have posted that as I get more seat time, I'll become more comfortable and even smoother with my rowing:thumbsup:

 

[nd4spd2]

I had the manual in my 05 and put 28k miles on it. It worked flawlessly but I agree it has a narrower sweet spot than ones I've had in the past. Probably doesn't help jumping back and forth between the two cars.

Love the videos man, I'm really glad you decided to do this. Missed catching you at BG but hopefully we'll meet up at some point and time. :thumbsup: :cheers:

 

[AFAMack]

I've got just over 1000 miles on C6 which I mainly drive on the weekends. My daily driver is a 5 speed and when I drive my Vette it takes a little adjustment (especially since the Vette has 6 gears)

I think I may have stalled once and that was the first day I drove it home from the dealer and was in extremely heavy traffic (the day the Presidential debates were in our city - so cops were posted on every corner).:surprised

Since then things have been OK even at intersections on hills with cars behind me I've been able to smoothly take off:excited: . As a matter of fact my CAGS has only kicked in about 4 times total.

Still, like I said though there is an adjustment (that Vette has a whole different feel) and I think like others who have posted that as I get more seat time, I'll become more comfortable and even smoother with my rowing:thumbsup:

Good to see you around again, Demon:thumbsup:

 

[Dan85Vette]

The clutch on the C5Z has a HUGE sweet spot... seems like a very short sweet spot on the C6 clutch.

You got that right.

I felt like a giant newb until I heard other C6 owners comment on the same thing at Spring Mountain. My milestone was making it through Vegas strip on a Friday night without a clutch issue... or being propositioned.

CAGS never kicked in for me.... until we were in small towns where there were 20 cops, on a hill, and I needed throttle to get through the traffic light. Literally.

 

[Demonbreun]

Good to see you around again, Demon:thumbsup:

Air Force Blue !!!!!!!!:buhbye:

Good to be back around !!!!!!!

Tommorrow the Truth and I are heading down I-95 for a quick jog to Orlando for the weekend:excited:. I'll get to see what my girl is about, So I'm all smiles !!!!!!!!!

 

[TreCool626]

I don't know if you guys push the clutch in all the way every time you shift, but Rick mentioned this to me the day I picked the car up and I completely disregarded for about the first 6 months of ownership. He said to just push the clutch in a little when shifting. That way you don't have to worry about all the play in the beginning. That works incredibly well at smoothing the shifts. I understand where everyone is coming from with the shifting though. I have over 23,000 miles on my C6 and it is pretty much the only car I drive and I still don't shift it that well a lot of the time.

 

[atomicc6]

Oh Come ON!!

If the biggest problem we all have is a little clutch play, oh well. Think about all the envious drivers out there that dream about stalling their vette backing out of the driveway!!! Focus boys!!artyon:

 

[07-Z51]

:laughing: well said atomic!

 

[OldVetteFan]

I don't know if you guys push the clutch in all the way every time you shift, but Rick mentioned this to me the day I picked the car up and I completely disregarded for about the first 6 months of ownership. He said to just push the clutch in a little when shifting. That way you don't have to worry about all the play in the beginning. That works incredibly well at smoothing the shifts. I understand where everyone is coming from with the shifting though. I have over 23,000 miles on my C6 and it is pretty much the only car I drive and I still don't shift it that well a lot of the time.

Yes - that works much better. I used to have to shift my '65 like that. Unfortunately, I tend to forget to do that, especially when I'm driving the C6 a bit more on the performance driving side. Maybe we should attach a chunk of wood to the floor to prevent full clutch pedal travel (believe me, I've given it some thought this past week!).

Steven

 

[07-Z51]

AKZO6 were you serious when you said?

Get under the dash with a flathead screw driver, pop that spring off the pedal, you'll like the feel.

did you do it to yours? man that would be an easy fix if so

 

[Big Sky]

While awaiting AKZO6's reply, I'll nonetheless support his recommendation. My struggles with the clutch aren't related to pulling away from a stop, but more so trying to up/down shift smoothly while underway. Couldn't seem to match the revs very well. Anyway, I popped that spring out and I find the clutch much easier to modulate now. The relative absence of any exhaust noise doesn't help the situation, but I'll correct that in due course. Some have swapped a C5 clutch assist spring into the C6 and found that helpful. But I'm sticking with no spring and happy with the result.

 

[07-Z51]

so at the end of the spring there is a white plastic holder
that just slides into the U shaped groove in the clutch petal
so just take a flat screwdriver and pry up and it should pop off?

that seems easy, and no worries about the petal placement?
(which is to say it doesnt drag at all) MAN!

Patrick we may have a fix!!!