Clutch behaviour driving me demented...

H3llR4iser

Hi guys and gals,

I'd like to hear your take on this odd thing my 159 recently started doing.

In a nutshell, when starting from stationary the car judders and vibrates like there is an earthquake - until the clutch is fully engaged, when it just goes smoothly as always.

The odd thing is...it doesn't always do so. On some days it drives absolutely fine, on others it's almost undriveable. When it does the juddering trick, I also feel like the biting point changes each time I engage the clutch, but that might just be me.

Other than that, there is no slippage whatsoever with the clutch engaged. I had the mechanic take a look but, as you'd imagine, it more or less ran fine when we took it out for the test drive

Ideas?

bazz26

Flywheel on it's way? What mileage is on the car?

*Kol*

I would say the clutch plate is worn or warped.

StereoSound

*Kol* wrote: »

I would say the clutch plate is worn or warped.

Yes this is what happened in my case in my second run about car. Its an old Honda civic. However mine wasn't as severe as what the ops sounds like. I lived with it until the clutch started slipping and then changed it all out. Worn clutch plates can make a groaning noise as well, the best way to describe it would be like opening a big heavy rusty steel industrial type door if you can imagine that sound.

H3llR4iser

It's a bit shy of 130.000 KM; 129k something, if I recall correctly. I did consider the flywheel, but it doesn't have any of the other signs (noise when idling in neutral, pedal vibration). Doesn't mean it can't be the case, either.

The warped clutch disc makes sense as well. I've also considered the clutch slave cylinder. It would definitely help if it did its "dirty trick" in the hands of the mechanic, rather than just behave herself in that specific occasion :mad:

Any possibility about the brake fluid having gone to ****3?

H3llR4iser

StereoSound wrote: »

...However mine wasn't as severe as what the ops sounds like...

Yes, this is the "funny" part. On the days it runs fine, it just runs fine. As if it was a perfectly OK clutch/flywheel.

When it judders, you can actually see the nose of the car vibrating from the driver's seat...I better start saving some money for the clutch jobs (a total b1tch on the 159/Brera, essentially 50% of the car has to come off!).

walus

Look into it before the gearbox goes. If the whole car vibrates then it is about time to sort it out.

crazygeryy

just out of curiosity is there an easy way to tell if your clutch is going?