Clutch Problem 1993 Accord

[Draco959]

I have a problem with the I am assuming the clutch. Here's what's happening. When I let the clutch out to change gears, especially when shifting from 1st to 2nd I get this vibration/shudder, it's not normal. It also does it when in 1st gear and starting to accelerate from a stop light. I try letting it out really slow (babying it) and it still does it. Once up to speed and going from 2nd to 3rd and on everything is fine and I don't notice any problem.

[jbuffethed]

my 93 cavalier used to do that. It ended up being a crushed motor mount. Check those and see if they look collapsed. It would be alot cheaper than fixing a clutch

[jeffcoslacker]

You may be leaking oil onto the flywheel if the motor mount idea doesn't pan out.

[Ehscrewdude]

I don't know if this is your problem, and no insult intended, but do you give it enough gas when you put it into 1st gear? I always overrev a little and let it settle in. That could be the problem, prolly not though...

[Draco959]

Yes, I do give it plenty of gas when putting it into 1st gear. I've driven 5 speeds all my life and wouldn't have it any other way. What I've noticed is that it does it when the car is cold, but once it's warm the problem seems to almost go away.

Originally Posted by Ehscrewdude

I don't know if this is your problem, and no insult intended, but do you give it enough gas when you put it into 1st gear? I always overrev a little and let it settle in. That could be the problem, prolly not though...

[TypeGsR]

check the slave cylinder for any lose bolts or anything uneasy

[jeffcoslacker]

Originally Posted by Draco959

Yes, I do give it plenty of gas when putting it into 1st gear. I've driven 5 speeds all my life and wouldn't have it any other way. What I've noticed is that it does it when the car is cold, but once it's warm the problem seems to almost go away.

This is typical of a leak onto the flywheel. As the car sits, oil leaks onto the friction surface, and leaves a stripe of fluid that causes clutch chatter (what your symptom is called) on engagement. As you drive, the oil is spread out, cooked and centrifugally spun off, and it improves as you drive, 'till you park it again.

Only thing I'm not sure of is if it is possible for a rear main to leak onto the friction side of the flywheel on a Honda. Don't remember what the setup looks like. Possible the slave could be leaking onto it, too, but I'd think you woulda lost all your fluid by now.

[Draco959]

Sounds logical to me. How do I go about correcting the problem? I don't believe I'm losing any oil from the engine. I checked it not too long ago and it still read full and I didn't have oil spots on the pavement.

The clutch fluid resevoir is good, in between the min/max lines. The clutch "feels" like it should, except with the problem I mentioned.

Is this bad news to have stuff leaking on the flywheel?

Originally Posted by jeffcoslacker

This is typical of a leak onto the flywheel. As the car sits, oil leaks onto the friction surface, and leaves a stripe of fluid that causes clutch chatter (what your symptom is called) on engagement. As you drive, the oil is spread out, cooked and centrifugally spun off, and it improves as you drive, 'till you park it again.

Only thing I'm not sure of is if it is possible for a rear main to leak onto the friction side of the flywheel on a Honda. Don't remember what the setup looks like. Possible the slave could be leaking onto it, too, but I'd think you woulda lost all your fluid by now.

[jeffcoslacker]

Originally Posted by Draco959

Sounds logical to me. How do I go about correcting the problem? I don't believe I'm losing any oil from the engine. I checked it not too long ago and it still read full and I didn't have oil spots on the pavement.

The clutch fluid resevoir is good, in between the min/max lines. The clutch "feels" like it should, except with the problem I mentioned.

Is this bad news to have stuff leaking on the flywheel?

It would be, but don't get fixated on that, I might be wrong. Used to see that a lot on older cars, but not so much anymore. It just sounded very familiar, based on your description of the problem.

Most cars have some kind of inspection plug or cover that can be removed to inspect the condition of the clutch friction disc without disassembly. On FWD cars, it is usually on the top of the trasaxle bellhousing. If you can locate this and pull it off, look down in there and if there is oily residue on any clutch components, that might be the problem. They are normally dry and dusty with disc residue.

It only takes one drop to roll down the friction face while the car sits to cause it, just like one greasy handprint on a brake rotor will make the brakes chatter and pulse until it gets spread out and burnt off.

You could test the motor mount theory by torquing the motor up in gear with the E-brake locked, forward and back and see how much roll you get. Some amount is normal, but more than a small amount with a noticeable flip at the extreme indicates a bad mount. Watch the motor and tranny as this is done, maybe have a helper. If you can get it to do what you are describing while doing this, see if there seems to be abnormal movement at the mounts while it does it.

If you aren't familiar with what is a normal movement, this will be kinda pointless, though. Most people are pretty shocked the first time they pay attention to how much the driveline actually moves around!

[jeffcoslacker]

A warped flywheel will cause this too, but it would act opposite as far as it would be good when cold, and get more severe as the parts heated up with driving.

[mpumas]

If you get hotspots on the flywheel, it can cause cluch chatter. A visual check would indicate different colors, usually a tint of blue, on the flywheel surface. The only solution is to resurface the flywheel and while you are in there also do a pressure plate and clutch replace. fcolorationVisibtho