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OT - Clutch Shudder
- Thread starter vping
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Harry_Ward
Jedi Knight
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engine or tranny mounts worn or broken, oil or grease contamination, misalignment between engine an gearbox, pressure plate not parallel with flywheel, bent outputshaft, warped flywheel, u-joints worn, worn rear suspension. too name a few.
tony barnhill
Great Pumpkin - R.I.P
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Main reasons I've found were clutch disc or throwout bearing....of course, it could also be the harmonic balancer
Shinsen774
Jedi Warrior
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Miatas had a clutch shudder problem for several years of manutacture including mine (2003). Mine was replaced under warranty. Only did it when it was cold.
AweMan
Jedi Knight
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The clutch shuddering I have encountered on several vehicles over the years, has been caused by badly worn clutch and or pressure plate.
Some other causes are,
if the clutch has been overheated {severe slippage at one time or another} {burnt clutch/brake smell} causes the temper in the pressure plate springs/fingers to loose some of thier temper, thus rendering them weakend and unable to maintain a constant pressure on the clutch plate to the flywheel. {the symptom is as you describe, a shudder on initial start off.}
Not IF but When you replace the clutch and pressure plate check the flywheel for heat checking {cracks} and/or blue streaks, this indicates the overheated clutch condition I mentioned above. IF the flywheel has checking {cracks} and they are minimal {small} the flywheel can be reused, but it is of my opinion that it`s best to have it at least turned to ensure it is true and smooth. Most automotive stores have either facitltys to do this job or a jobber that does thier machine work for them. In either case they will let you know if the flywheel is beyond resurfacing.
Trans mounts as described above could be somewhat responsible {Hard to tell without actually driving/hearing the effected vehicle.}
my money is on a deffective {worn} pressure and clutch plate
Some other causes are,
if the clutch has been overheated {severe slippage at one time or another} {burnt clutch/brake smell} causes the temper in the pressure plate springs/fingers to loose some of thier temper, thus rendering them weakend and unable to maintain a constant pressure on the clutch plate to the flywheel. {the symptom is as you describe, a shudder on initial start off.}
Not IF but When you replace the clutch and pressure plate check the flywheel for heat checking {cracks} and/or blue streaks, this indicates the overheated clutch condition I mentioned above. IF the flywheel has checking {cracks} and they are minimal {small} the flywheel can be reused, but it is of my opinion that it`s best to have it at least turned to ensure it is true and smooth. Most automotive stores have either facitltys to do this job or a jobber that does thier machine work for them. In either case they will let you know if the flywheel is beyond resurfacing.
Trans mounts as described above could be somewhat responsible {Hard to tell without actually driving/hearing the effected vehicle.}
my money is on a deffective {worn} pressure and clutch plate