EyeMaster

Don't you just hate when you're going on a 2 hour drive and the car starts making noise 1km from your destination? Well I limped to destination anyway since the car was still moving and the engine still sounded nice. The awful mechanical noise only happened when I engaged the clutch. I thought to myself it's either a clutch, thrust bearing or transmission issue. I hope it's not a transmission, I don't want to spend 6k on parts alone!

Well, the dealership I brought it to has loaned me a Cadillac XT5, which is very nice of them. I don't like the vehicle even though it is a very nice vehicle. It's too plush and luxurious for me.

Anyway, back to the Corvette. Turns out it's the torque tube. Upon inspection, there was a bolt or something that really went to town in there and so they recommended I get a whole new torque tube assembly from GM instead of having it rebuilt (rebuild was the original plan). I asked for a new clutch while they are in there. And since my transmission seems wet, but no drip, I asked that they check the levels and let me know in that too.

I don't have the final repair bill yet, and they mentioned that because I have a complete aftermarket exhaust, it adds to labor costs (I don't see why, but whatever), the estimate is at around 5000$ taxes in. so about 3k$ in parts, 1500$ labor + taxes. Seems reasonable to me, although expensive, this is Canada...

Anything I should ask them to do while they are in there? I'm open to suggestions.

Eritosthenes

I wonder if your dealership actually has access to a new torque tube. GM stopped making them a long time ago, and even then new ones were hideously expensive. I had to have my torque tube rebuilt a couple of months ago. It was vibrating something awful in a way I've never felt before. The rebuild required three new bearings (one at the front and two at the rear) and two new elastomers ("guibos" - modern U-joints). Like the torque tube itself, the bearings and elastomers are out of production, and I was very lucky to find them. While the torque tube was out, I had the torque converter replaced with one more suited to the E-Force supercharger's 600hp. I had the A6 completely rebuilt with new heavy-duty clutches and solenoids. And for good measure, I swapped out the 2:56 rear end with a used (but much newer) 2:73. Lather, rinse, and apply Chuck/CoW's A6 tranny tune. The result is an '07 vert with 135,000 miles that drives like new again.

torquetube

Slave cylinder, of course, and an aftermarket remote bleeder! Thereafter you'll be able to properly bleed your clutch in minutes and won't have to rely on repeated dilution (i.e. the Ranger method) to change hydraulic fluid.

0Chuck CoW

Thank you Doc!

Certainly drives a LOT better now!

Chuck CoW