Think its time for a new clutch

[96Firebird]

Not sure if this is the clutch, throwout bearing, or another problem.

After my car ('02 WS6, bolt-on LS1/T56) sat for a week or so (bad weather), I drove it to work this morning. Felt a little hard to shift this morning, but figured it was because it was cold outside (~48°F). Leaving work, the car would not go into reverse. It was hard to get into first, and I rolled forward a little. Finally it went into reverse so I could get out of my spot. After reversing, with the clutch in and the shifter in first, I heard something squealing. It got louder and stopped, then my car started trying to move forward with the clutch still pressed. This sound like the throwout bearing is done for? It did it the whole way home, and was very hard to get into gear from a stop.

I've never really liked the clutch since I got the car a couple years ago, but lately it has been acting up. From a stop, clutch chatter has been getting worse and worse. It used to happen every now and then, but lately it has been happening pretty frequently.

Knowing the above, time for a new clutch? If so, what is my best bet? Car made 336hp/350tq with a dynotune when I first got it. Mods include lid, AR headers, AR OR Y-pipe, Borla exhaust, MGW shifter, and some suspension mods that won't really matter. Should I stick with a stage 1? Would stage 2 be better? Which brand? I never race it, just my fun car.

Thanks for any help. Luckily it is the end of the season here in NY, so I'm not missing much fun time with it.

Edit - Just pulled it into the garage, didn't even take my foot off the clutch and it was moving on its own.

 

[boomerang]

Hydraulic clutch? Check for leaking master or slave cylinders. With headers, I'd be looking at the slave first. Heat can be a real enemy.

 

[96Firebird]

I checked my clutch fluid level when I got home, it was normal. Or do you mean leaking around the cylinder and relieving the pressure?

 

[boomerang]

I checked my clutch fluid level when I got home, it was normal. Or do you mean leaking around the cylinder and relieving the pressure?

Yes. At the slave, you'd see signs of leakage and the fluid level would be dropping. At the master cylinder, it could be an internal leak which would not lower the fluid level.

I'm just trying to point out that it's not necessarily the clutch itself. If you can get under the car you should be able to inspect both for a leak at the slave and get a look at the clutch.

 

[OILFIELDTRASH]

Lies. Clutches are not wear items and should last a "real" driver at least 200k.
/atgarage

 

[JCH13]

I checked my clutch fluid level when I got home, it was normal. Or do you mean leaking around the cylinder and relieving the pressure?

This.

When was the last time you flushed/bled the clutch lines?

 

[NutBucket]

Don't those cars have a slave cylinder that's basically inside the bell housing? Talk about a bear to replace.

Just checked and it does: the slave basically fits around the input shaft. So yes, looks like it's most likely time for a new clutch.