Long drive, then... This normal?

[iKevin]

So I just went on a trip to see the family which is about a 5 hour drive each way. Today I was on the way back home, so I was on the highway for about that 5 hours straight going about 115 km as the average speed. When I hit a patch of traffic about 30 min from home, I came to a complete stop; when I accelerated, I noticed something. While accelerating from a dead stop, just as I was about to fully release the clutch, the car jittered quite noticeably. It even did it--but slightly less--when going from 1st to 2nd gear.

Now, after a bit of stop and go traffic (and yes, it was still doing it) I got off the highway and onto normal streets. The first red light I got to, it didn't happen at all... Yeah I'm a bit confused because when I FIRST noticed it, I thought "Great, something has gone wrong with my car and I'm gonna have to shell out loads of cash to fix it."

So what I would like to know is, has anybody ever experienced anything like this? If so, what causes it and is it bad or just something that happens? If not, what MIGHT be wrong with the car? I'm not very good with car troubleshooting so I haven't the foggiest what it could even slightly be related to. Just so you guys know, it's a 2002 Protege5 with manual transmission and I was using the top grade gas during the entire trip.

I'm gonna go out just now to grab something before I stay in for the day, so I'll try and see if it happens again. I'll post the results.

 

[Tzar177]

How many miles on the car? You might need to run some fuel injector cleaner or seafoam. Maybe spark plugs need replaced

 

[iKevin]

How many miles on the car? You might need to run some fuel injector cleaner or seafoam. Maybe spark plugs need replaced

I currently have 135,000 km on it. I thought about the spark plugs too, but I only just bought the car (used) about a month and a half ago from a used car lot. I imagined that the guys there would have replaced them prior to selling the car, as they did replace brake pads, callipers ect. But I forgot to ask him about the plugs and all that. Maybe he just replaced the brake system because it was pretty bad... Dunno.

Either way, I just went out for a drive. Didn't seem to notice it TOO much but I did notice a small, very small bit just when accelerating from a complete stop.

 

[Tzar177]

I wouldn't assume they replaced spark plugs. Definately pull the plugs and check them or just buy a new set. Would only cost about $10

 

[Spiced MSP]

do you have a CEL? Does it idle fine? A while back, my msp started to randomly sputter every now and then. I didn't think it was anything though. Over time, it got worse and it became constant, then my CEL came on. Depending on how bad it would stutter, my CEL would blink. I replaced my coil packs and wires. Car has been running strong ever since. Im not saying that is your problem. But it is something to look at.

 

[drgnzadiel101]

I currently have 135,000 km on it. I thought about the spark plugs too, but I only just bought the car (used) about a month and a half ago from a used car lot. I imagined that the guys there would have replaced them prior to selling the car, as they did replace brake pads, callipers ect. But I forgot to ask him about the plugs and all that. Maybe he just replaced the brake system because it was pretty bad... Dunno.

Either way, I just went out for a drive. Didn't seem to notice it TOO much but I did notice a small, very small bit just when accelerating from a complete stop.

a month after i bought my car stuff started happening. come to find out they sold me the car with 1 cracked spark plug and a bad cam seal (they cleaned the oil before they sold it to me). also had to get the 3rd gear syncro replaced. i believe they didnt do anything to the car at all. they just got it as a trade in, cleaned it up, then put it for sale. i'll never trust dealerships again

 

[dmention7]

Sounds more like a chattery clutch than anything related to the engine. In my experience you'll notice it the most when gently releasing the clutch in 1st/2nd or when feathering the clutch.

 

[iKevin]

Sounds more like a chattery clutch than anything related to the engine. In my experience you'll notice it the most when gently releasing the clutch in 1st/2nd or when feathering the clutch.

Ok, let's say it is a chattery clutch, what does that mean exactly? Is there much that can be done to fix it or is it just something that happens?

 

[iKevin]

a month after i bought my car stuff started happening. come to find out they sold me the car with 1 cracked spark plug and a bad cam seal (they cleaned the oil before they sold it to me). also had to get the 3rd gear syncro replaced. i believe they didnt do anything to the car at all. they just got it as a trade in, cleaned it up, then put it for sale. i'll never trust dealerships again

Yeah I dunno, I mean the reason I trusted this car lot was because when I went into the place to see the car, they had JUST replaced a headlight, one of the hydraulic hinges for the trunk, and ALL the brakes and calipers at once prior to selling it. So it seemed like they were doing lots of work to get it up to snuff, but not sure if they did the plugs or not... Side question, is it hard for me to do the plugs myself? Keep in mind, I don't know much about cars, but I know where they are, just not sure how to remove and install them.

do you have a CEL? Does it idle fine? A while back, my msp started to randomly sputter every now and then. I didn't think it was anything though. Over time, it got worse and it became constant, then my CEL came on. Depending on how bad it would stutter, my CEL would blink. I replaced my coil packs and wires. Car has been running strong ever since. Im not saying that is your problem. But it is something to look at.

This might be a dumb question but what is a CEL? The car seems to idle ok so I'm not sure.

 

[Spiced MSP]

Yeah I dunno, I mean the reason I trusted this car lot was because when I went into the place to see the car, they had JUST replaced a headlight, one of the hydraulic hinges for the trunk, and ALL the brakes and calipers at once prior to selling it. So it seemed like they were doing lots of work to get it up to snuff, but not sure if they did the plugs or not... Side question, is it hard for me to do the plugs myself? Keep in mind, I don't know much about cars, but I know where they are, just not sure how to remove and install them.





This might be a dumb question but what is a CEL? The car seems to idle ok so I'm not sure.

Check Engine Light, the more I think about it, Im starting to think it is your clutch too. You said it only shudders coming off of the clutch right? It doesn't do it while driving once you are already in gear?

 

[iKevin]

Check Engine Light, the more I think about it, Im starting to think it is your clutch too. You said it only shudders coming off of the clutch right? It doesn't do it while driving once you are already in gear?

Yeah, but again, it only seemed to happen after a really, really long drive. I mean, the car has been sitting in the driveway for a few hours now and I'm willing to bet that it's not gonna happen now, at least not at a noticeable level. Like I said, after I had come off the highway earlier and drove around main roads a bit, it seemed to stop, or just wasn't really noticeable. Once I'm moving, unless the bumps in the road are masking it, I don't really feel anything wrong with the car while already in gear and in motion. Oh, and the CEL wasn't on at all.

If it's the clutch, is the only thing that can be done to replace it completely? Cause to my knowledge, that's damned expensive.

 

[dmention7]

Yes, it can be a symptom that your clutch needs replacing. But mine has had a bit of chatter for over a year now, and it's still going strong (though I'm replacing it next weekend)

 

[iKevin]

Yes, it can be a symptom that your clutch needs replacing. But mine has had a bit of chatter for over a year now, and it's still going strong (though I'm replacing it next weekend)

Sigh, yeah I just took the car around the block for a test-run, I still feel it ever so slightly at the end of the shift in first and first to second.

Can someone tell me, how long do clutches usually last for on average? Is it normal for them to wear out or is it usually only a result of bad shifting? (previous owners, who knows how they drove it)

How much does a clutch replacement cost usually? Close to $1000?

EDIT:
I think tomorrow morn I'm gonna head over to a transmission shop, their website mentions they have a free inspection to determine if there's anything wrong. At the very least, I'll see what they say.

 

[drgnzadiel101]

plugs are easy. go to autozone or where, buy NGK-R plugs (basic plugs), take a ratchet with extender, take out old spark plug, insert new, tighten (up to specs if thats your thing), done. real simple. make sure to put some anti-seize on the plug's threads as well

 

[iKevin]

Update

This morning I took a drive down to a transmission shop (it drove there fine), let them do a quick test drive, and then the owner of the place came up to me and said "Well it looks like a problem with the clutch, to know for sure we're gonna have to take it out and have a look, it's a few hours of a job." I then asked how much it was gonna be JUST to look at it. He said "It's gonna take a few hours since we have to take it out, look, then put it back. It'll be around $500 for the labour."

WHAT?!

So without them knowing for sure since we couldn't replicate the problem (because it seems to happen when the car has been driving for a while, likely due to heat), he needs to look but geez, it could be nothing and I'm out $500, that's not even to put a new one in!

I spoke to the guy that actually took it for a drive, he said it didn't do it, the transmission itself seems really good, but he said that he believes the clutch feels a bit "tough" and "a bit too springy". He said otherwise, he thinks it's fine.

I walked out of there saying I'll be back next week when I'm on my days off from work, but I walked out because it didn't seem right to me; I didn't wanna pay that much just for a "hunch" on their part. Does this sound right or does it sound like I'm being taken for a ride?

 

[CheeseHelmet]

I sometimes get some chatter on the clutch, it seems to happen more in warmer weather. If the clutch isn't slipping, I wouldn't be too concerned. Plus I always thought chatter was a symptom of an unbalanced flywheel...

Anyway, if "looking" at the clutch is going to cost $500 (that seems a bit high), you should get it changed at the same time, parts are less than $300 for a clutch change and it should take about the same amount of time in terms of labor.

 

[ornithology]

That is quite expensive for something that isn't a repair but only a diagnostic. I say hire a private mechanic to look at it (unless you want to do it yourself). $500 can get you a new clutch already!

This morning I took a drive down to a transmission shop (it drove there fine), let them do a quick test drive, and then the owner of the place came up to me and said "Well it looks like a problem with the clutch, to know for sure we're gonna have to take it out and have a look, it's a few hours of a job." I then asked how much it was gonna be JUST to look at it. He said "It's gonna take a few hours since we have to take it out, look, then put it back. It'll be around $500 for the labour."

WHAT?!

So without them knowing for sure since we couldn't replicate the problem (because it seems to happen when the car has been driving for a while, likely due to heat), he needs to look but geez, it could be nothing and I'm out $500, that's not even to put a new one in!

I spoke to the guy that actually took it for a drive, he said it didn't do it, the transmission itself seems really good, but he said that he believes the clutch feels a bit "tough" and "a bit too springy". He said otherwise, he thinks it's fine.

I walked out of there saying I'll be back next week when I'm on my days off from work, but I walked out because it didn't seem right to me; I didn't wanna pay that much just for a "hunch" on their part. Does this sound right or does it sound like I'm being taken for a ride?

 

[drgnzadiel101]

500 dollars can get you a new clutch, flywheel AND labor for install lol