Dark90
Member
I picked up my Vette today after a week long stay at the mechanics having the clutch replaced. I was slowly falling in love with my new ability to chirp the tires on the shift into 3rd when suddenly I started noticing a sound that was similar to a zipper coming from, what I assumed at the time to be, the clutch area.
Slowly the sound got louder, and louder and then I was losing power above 4k RPMs. Like something was holding the engine back. I kept giving the accelerator the goods for a little bit to try to pin point the sound. I drove about 30 miles before beginning to head back to the shop I picked it up from. As I rounded a corner I gave her a good bit of throttle. The RPMs rose and I let my foot off the accelerator, but the RPMs kept going up, and up, and UP until they hit the redline.
hnoes
Unfortunately I paniced and turned the key off, only to realise that I could no longer turn the steering wheel as I slowly began creeping off the paved road. I began fumbling around with the key and at some point, let up off the clutch pedal which roll started my engine, once again sending me and my car towards a wide open throttle insurance claim.
FINALLY I regained composure and yanked the E-Brake bringing my would-be coffin to a screeching halt right in the middle of the road which I had at some point found my way back to. I fired her back up and milked my
adBRAND NEW CLUTCHad long enough to get off onto the shoulder.
As the clutch dust settled, my hood was up and I began going over the throttle cables where I noticed that the throttle body seemed to not be closing all the way. I pulled the air duct and saw what I originally thought was a coat hanger poking out of the right port of the throttle body, holding that bad boy almost wide open. Careful not to push it in there further, I slowly pulled out the item in the attached picture. It was one of the little metal interior braces for the Corvette Induction Power Coupler from Ecklers.
https://www.ecklers.com/product.asp?pf_id=46462&dept_id=1758
From the looks of things, some smart guy at the shop my car was at either stepped on or ran over the Power coupler, crushing the interior braces which gave them enough play to come loose which could very well have ended my L98s life, my own, or even worse, somebody elses. Of course the shop owner denied everything but I'm just happy nobody was hurt and my car is still in one piece other than a little extra wear on the clutch.
Slowly the sound got louder, and louder and then I was losing power above 4k RPMs. Like something was holding the engine back. I kept giving the accelerator the goods for a little bit to try to pin point the sound. I drove about 30 miles before beginning to head back to the shop I picked it up from. As I rounded a corner I gave her a good bit of throttle. The RPMs rose and I let my foot off the accelerator, but the RPMs kept going up, and up, and UP until they hit the redline.
hnoesUnfortunately I paniced and turned the key off, only to realise that I could no longer turn the steering wheel as I slowly began creeping off the paved road. I began fumbling around with the key and at some point, let up off the clutch pedal which roll started my engine, once again sending me and my car towards a wide open throttle insurance claim.
FINALLY I regained composure and yanked the E-Brake bringing my would-be coffin to a screeching halt right in the middle of the road which I had at some point found my way back to. I fired her back up and milked my
adBRAND NEW CLUTCHad long enough to get off onto the shoulder. As the clutch dust settled, my hood was up and I began going over the throttle cables where I noticed that the throttle body seemed to not be closing all the way. I pulled the air duct and saw what I originally thought was a coat hanger poking out of the right port of the throttle body, holding that bad boy almost wide open. Careful not to push it in there further, I slowly pulled out the item in the attached picture. It was one of the little metal interior braces for the Corvette Induction Power Coupler from Ecklers.
https://www.ecklers.com/product.asp?pf_id=46462&dept_id=1758
From the looks of things, some smart guy at the shop my car was at either stepped on or ran over the Power coupler, crushing the interior braces which gave them enough play to come loose which could very well have ended my L98s life, my own, or even worse, somebody elses. Of course the shop owner denied everything but I'm just happy nobody was hurt and my car is still in one piece other than a little extra wear on the clutch.
