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View Full Version : Car is shuddering -- clutch problem?



Matz
06-16-2005, 10:28 PM
Hi guys, I'm hoping that someone here can tell me what's going on. For a while, my car would start to shudder when I try to get out of 1st gear. It wouldn't happen all that often, but was kind of annoying. I can hear a CLACKCLACKCLACK sound... if I push in the clutch and release again, it would go away.

But now, it's happening almost every time. And it isn't always easy to get rid of the shuddering by pressing and releasing the clutch. So I'm wondering (oh boy) -- is my clutch biting the big one?

Thanks!

Matz
06-17-2005, 05:53 AM
Oh, and the shuddering problem seems to go away after I drive around for a while...

earlyapex
06-17-2005, 10:41 AM
So it goes away when the car warms up?

That's clutch chatter. Some do that towards end of life or if you have driven really hard on it.

How many miles on the clutch?

Matz
06-17-2005, 11:14 AM
20000 miles total. I only had the car for 5000 miles, and haven't been rough on it at all. Even my day at Infineon shouldn't have caused any problems, as I don't shift hard. However, the guy that owned the car previously may have abused it. After all, when I asked him if he ever modified it, he told me no... but I found out later that he changed the cat / downpipe when WORKS installed their parts, and he also apparently installed a new intake cuz the honeycomb was damaged and the bolt retainers were cracked. Crap.

dohcvtec
06-17-2005, 11:21 AM
I've noticed mine is starting to do the same. I'm also at 20,000 miles. :?

earlyapex
06-17-2005, 11:28 AM
If it makes you feel better, I have slight clutch chatter in the morning sometimes on my car. it's not audible, more slight chatter feeling.

I only have 9000miles with no launches yet.

But the car has two track events, with about 400 on-track miles of drove-it-like-you-stole-it fun.

Most of my cars had slight chatter no matter what. I think it's just part of the game when you drive cars hard.

hearing a CLACK CLACK sound could be really bad. I never had audible chatter. Is your transfer case going out?

Matz
06-17-2005, 01:46 PM
Thanks for the post... I have no idea if my transfer case is going out. It's not always audible, though. It's only audible if I keep trying to accelerate through the shuddering. If I back off enough times and try to slowly engage, I can't hear anything. But when there is sound, it's really loud.

Matz
06-17-2005, 01:59 PM
I just emailed SRM, and hopefully, they'll be able to tell me what they think it is, and whether or not it'll be covered by warranty.

dohcvtec
06-17-2005, 04:17 PM
Mine is not audiable at all, i can feel it though. And mine is also when cold in the mornings. Seems to get better after warmed up.

Matz
06-17-2005, 04:24 PM
SRM just called me, and they are going to check it next Tuesday AM. I think my chances of warranty service are pretty good, as I haven't modified that part of my car at all.

Unowned
06-17-2005, 04:52 PM
my Eclipse clutch made that noise when it was going out... Push in the clutch it stops right?

earlyapex
06-17-2005, 04:59 PM
my Eclipse clutch made that noise when it was going out... Push in the clutch it stops right?

That's usually the throwout bearing, although sometimes it can be the output shaft.

Matz
06-17-2005, 05:17 PM
my Eclipse clutch made that noise when it was going out... Push in the clutch it stops right?

Yup, disengaging the clutch eliminates the noise... and any forward motion. :lol:

Matz
06-21-2005, 01:46 PM
Well, I just got back from SRM and of course my car wouldn't chatter. However, the service tech there thinks that is really is just clutch chatter. I asked him if it was a bad idea to put in a clutch that can hold lots of power, and he said Stage 1 should be just fine... so then I asked about the warranty implications.

Unfortunately, recently Mitsubishi cracked down on SRM because word had gotten out that they were mod-friendly. There's a district rep that goes there a few times a week and checks out the cars that they are servicing. So the bottom line is, SRM will do the best they can to service your car under warranty if it's got mods, but don't count on it happening!

I'll have to consider getting a new clutch soon, I guess. I don't know if I'll go with the WORKS Stage 1, or RRM's No Name Clutch.

zyounker
06-22-2005, 09:16 AM
comming up on 6K miles and mine has chattered for ~1K miles.. its not that bad really.. you can feel it though..



I drive the car hard though, so its no wonder.