Sorry for the stupid question: how do you tell if your clutch has the chatter problem?

I know conceptially why this happens, but can someone please educate me exactly how this problem is seen / felt / heard behind the wheel?

Thanks!

 

This thread has a pretty good description:

http://www.protegeclub.com/forum/sho...threadid=29675

 

try dumping the clutch at 1800-3500 rpm. if you cant get it to do it then you might have trouble convincing your dealer

 

to toucci:

I don't actually know if I have it or not, just trying to see if I do....

Dumping the clutch is what, letting it go instantly instead of gradually? Does that mean I would be sitting still, in first, with clutch pressed in, then rev up to 1800-3500,hold the rpms, then let the clutch go in one shot at those revs to launch?

Thanks

 

Alex2B...
Hopefully I can help you out some. I am a Quality Engineer for a clutch manufaturer to the automotive industry and I have seen a lot of chattter cases. The best way to evaluate or diagnose clutch chatter is to find some level ground where your car is not going to roll (when you let off of the brake) and slowly lauch the vehicle with NO THROTLE!! This is exatly what the dealership will do to check for chatter. You don't want to just dump the clutch at about 1800 rpm's. That is a good way to break something! You don't want to let the clutch out too fast or you might stall the vehicle and you don't want to let it out too slow or you will over heat the clutch. You should be able to tell if there is chatter just before and /or just as the vehicle starts to roll. If the vehicle starts to shutter or vibrate just as the car starts to roll then it is very possible that you have a chatter problem. If you need more help just let me know.

 

Thanks Proto!!!! That's a great big help. Thanks again for the advice.

 

You may not notice it this time of year. The overnight temps have to be pretty low to set it off, mine wouldn't have issues unless the temps got down in the thirties for a good while. BTW.. Mazda's fix for that works great.

 

To: ProtoJ - THANK YOU!

Looks like I am clean, although the low temperatures would be a true test. A very sensible test method indeed. Thanks!

 

Cold weather can make a difference. You may notice that once the clutch gets heated up that the chatter might not be as bad or might go away. I would suggest checking it again when winter gets here. I know that I work for a clutch manufaturer (head of our warranty program to boot) and that they would kill me to hear me say this but if you find out that it does it you can get a double bonus, the chatter gone and A NEW CLUTCH!! I can say that though, we don't make this clutch. I am glad I could be of some help!

 

BTW..... It is not the clutch's fault that the chatter exists. It is the flywheel developing hotspots.