My clutch works fine when i start my car in the morning or when my engine is cold. But when my clutch acts up after driving for awhile or when my engines gets hot and driving around town. It only does it in first gear. It feels like it does mesh. When i am at a complete stop and i put it in first it shakes the car violently, shifting into all other gears work just fine. It only happens when i am at a complete stop. But if i am moving slowly and put it in first, it doesnt shakes the car. does anyone know whats the problem is? i dont know anything about clutches, thanks

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84 z28
http://www.geocities.com/yuelb/Car.jpg

 

yuel ... I've got a similar problem on a 91 TA but I don't think it's as bad as yours. OK when cold but clutch starts to chatter slightly after car had been driven and warm, just as clutch is engaging in first gear.

I believe it is related to how the pressure plate and/or clutch plate are mating with flywheel. My understanding is this can be oil getting into bell housing or the pilot bearing that is pressed into the end of crankshaft.

If you have a bad oil leak back there, correct it first and then maybe things will clear up eventually.

If the inside of bearing is worn it will let the transmission shaft misalign slightly and then clutch will not mate perfectly parallel to flywheel.

Sometimes when the clutch and pressure plate are changed, the simple pilot bearing is overlooked. I did this once on a Corvette because I didn't know better and it ultimately resulted in cracking the metal center disk of the clutch plate and one of the springs popped out and lodged in pressure plate in a way it was impossible to press the clutch in. After that I always change the pilot bearing when in there. Mine isn't bad enough yet to make me want to do anything.

Maybe someone knows a way to check this without a teardown.


[This message has been edited by Jcpstrat (edited October 18, 2001).]