I have a v-8 4 speed manual trans. Today as I was getting on the freeway I went to shift and the clutch suddenly felt differand and the gear grinded. When I got off the freeway and had to stop, the clutch did work but the car would not go into gear. I had to shut the car off, put it 2nd and limp home. The cluth did still work but as I said it felt strange.

Depending on the year, make, and model car you drive, the clutch master cylinder or the slave cylinder may have failed. If air gets into the clutch hydraulic system, you may be able to depress the clutch pedal but the clutch won't disengage from the flywheel. If you have a concentric slave cylinder/release bearing, and it has failed, it will require dropping the transmission. Obviously, you need to provide more information.

Thanks for the answer. When I press the clutch in it does seem to work. The car is a 84 Corvette 350/4+3 manuel.

What do you mean the clutch worked? Apparently it isn't. Hydraulic clutch? Bad throwout bearing?

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Originally Posted by ma0641

What do you mean the clutch worked? Apparently it isn't. Hydraulic clutch? Bad throwout bearing?

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Well, I could shut off the car then put it in gear then start it again and let out the clutch like normal but I couldn't shift.

Recommendation:

Drop the transmission, resurface the flywheel, install a new pilot bearing, and install a new release bearing. During the rebuild, thoroughly clean and grease the input shaft, release bearing annular groove, release fork, and release fork pivot with super high temperature urea grease. Afterwards, adjust the clutch pedal height to spec.

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Originally Posted by TxGreaseMonkey

Recommendation:

Drop the transmission, resurface the flywheel, install a new pilot bearing, and install a new release bearing. During the rebuild, thoroughly clean and grease the input shaft, release bearing annular groove, release fork, and release fork pivot with super high temperature urea grease. Afterwards, adjust the clutch pedal height to spec.

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Ouch! Thanks for the answer. I checked the clutch fluid level and its full so I assume your answer is the next step? Do you have any idea what that job would cost?

You can buy a new Perfection Clutch Set for $99.99, at Advance Auto Parts, which includes a new clutch disk, pressure plate, clutch alignment tool, pilot bearing, and release bearing. If you don't do it yourself, it could run $1,400.

Before you do this, check the clutch master cylinder and slave cylinder for leaks. Ensure you can see the clutch release fork work properly. That's the arm you see in the picture to the left.

On older cars, it's common for the grease in sealed bearings (i.e. pilot and release bearings) to dry out and cease lubricating. It's not long, then, until the bearings fail. Release bearings really take a beating.

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Originally Posted by kooldeputy

Ouch! Thanks for the answer. I checked the clutch fluid level and its full so I assume your answer is the next step? Do you have any idea what that job would cost?

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Thanks a lot for your help. I don't have the know how or the means to do this myself but I do have a mechanic that does this stuff on the side so hopefully this is in his knowledge base and will charge a lot less. Plus as you said there are some other things to check first. Thanks again.