My car shakes when I apply gass at 1.5 RPM It's a 5 spd 92 firebird I think it needs a new cluch but my friend says it could be the hydraulic fluid might be low, any ideas??

 

Is it clutch chatter? You can tell usually where the vibration seems to be coming from, if you feel it more towards the front it could be your clutch. I doubt the hydraulics would do it except during shifting. Other things to check are your driveshaft, the stock one's were rated for something like 80 mph, I got a horrible vibration right about there. Check your yokes on the driveshaft, also, you want to check your tires, make sure they are properly inflated and aligned.

Also, if you think it is the hydraulic fluid that is low, right near the firewall on the drivers side is the master cylinder reservoir, its a small plastic with a round cap, thier should be a solid line embossed on the outside of the plastic, thats the fill level. Uses standard Dot 2 braking fluid I believe.

 

The car lurches forward rapidly so its not one part of the car it’s the whole car and it happens at all speeds

 

If thats the case, it could be your timing or some other suspension component. I have no clue in that department. More info would help.

 

Can’t be timing because after 2 RPM the car is fine, the whole car shakes under 2 RPM at any speed and sometimes makes a slamming sound coming from the transmission. It feels like the gear is letting go and grabbing agene over and over agene. It’s got to be the transmission.

 

Are you trying to let the clutch slip a little by easing the pedal out for a smooth start? Does the whole car shake violently? If so, along with the slamming from the trans area, it sounds like chatter. Try some different launch techniques and at different rpm's. Also, when you start to feel it shake, disengage the the clutch. If the shake goes away, then it is chatter.

 

Is this only when launching from a stop, or is it all the time, while driving?

In either case, the hydraulics can't cause that.

If it's only when taking off from a stop, it's the clutch; probably the flywheel needs resurfaced, in addition to a new clutch.

If it does it while driving down the street, like you're in bumper-to-bumper traffic and you give it a little gas and the car sort of lurches and then hangs back and then lurches and then drops back and keeps doing that until you push in on the clutch, it's not a transmsission or clutch problem at all. It's called "surging". It's a tuning issue. It's caused by running too lean under those conditions.

If you give it gas and it does that and the engine speeds up but the car doesn't, and it's worse in high gears, then the clutch is slipping and it's totally worn out, and you need a new one. Don't forget to get the flywheel resurfaced, beacuse it's going to be trashed by the heat from the slipping clutch.

 

When I start going from a stop I let it slip alittel for a smooth start. But its when i'm going down the road in 5th and i'm going 50 the car will be fine becuase i can apply alittel gas to not shake but then I apply alittel more to go alittel faster it will start to shake.

Would puting in a new clutch be hard to do?? Because I'm starting think its the clutch.

 

Before spending money, answer the critical question:

• Does the engine speed change when this happens?

Look at the tach, and be certain of this.

If the engine speed does not change, it's not the clutch. If the engine speeds up but the car does not when you start feeling it "shake", then you need a clutch desperately.

 

The RPM changes very little its kind of hard to see that it jumps a little. I think before it gets a chance to raise the rpm it grabs the gear. What else could it be???

 

If the engine speed does not change, it isn't the clutch. It's lean surge. You have a "driveablity" issue, basically a tuning problem; not enough fuel.

Try a new O2 sensor if you haven't changed it lately. Also check your TPS and make sure its voltage increases smoothly as you oprn the throttle.

 

Ok ill give it a try, thanks. So should I do a tune up?? I know the car needs a tune up because the distributor arches and it still has its stock wires. I don’t know when the O2 sensor was last replaced I just bought the car 3 months ago