Terrible shuddering noise when clutch is depressed

[Mtrhd0024]

Hi Guys,

I haven't been on here for a while, but I have a 1990 BII EB Edition with the stock 2.9, 5spd, etc. I purchased an 04' Honda S2000 about 8 months back, and have been pretty much driving that exclusively since then.

Now that winter is rolling around, I'm garaging the little S, and going back to driving my Bronco!

With that said, the Bronco has been mostly parked for the last 6 months.

I'm pretty sure one of my engine/tranny mounts is on its way out, as there is a loud clunking noise on sudden accel or sharp decel, but that was going on before I parked it.

Whats more alarming to me at the minute is the substantial increase in the amount of shuddering and vibration I get at around 2000-2,500 RPM, during acceleration, and then back through that RPM range on decel. If I feather the gas to keep the RPM's in that range, I get constant groaning, shuddering, and vibration. I don't seem to get any vibration if I rev the engine at a standstill with the clutch in.

In addition, I get this same vibration if I run the truck up to 45-65mph, and then dip the clutch and coast... It is easiest to replicate using this method, and its most severe this way... I was driving to work today on the highway, and as soon as I dipped the clutch and held it there, the thing was shuddering and complaining a bunch!

I will try to get a video of it tonight, which should better indicate what I'm experiencing.

Any idea what is going on? The truck was running great when I parked it, and since I started driving it again, its just not been nearly as smooth as it used to be. In fact, my dad borrowed it about a week before I first drove it, again, and he commented on the vibration first, so its not just me!

Just wondering what could be causing this after the truck was parked for so long!

Thanks guys!

 

[wildbill23c]

Maybe the clutch plate and disc are sticking or need the flywheel resurfaced and balanced. Had a similar issue with my Dodge Ram after the dealer screwed up a clutch replacement due to a throwout bearing coming apart and destroying the clutch. They didn't resurface the flywheel completely and didn't balance and shim it so it left me with a horrible vibration, shuddering, and noises it didn't have before. I'd take the thing apart and have it all checked out and resurfaced.

 

[adsm08]

Somehow I doubt the flywheel needs either shimmed or balanced simply from sitting.

A far more likely explanation, if the clutch has to be in for this to happen, is a bad TOB.

 

[Mtrhd0024]

Maybe the clutch plate and disc are sticking or need the flywheel resurfaced and balanced. Had a similar issue with my Dodge Ram after the dealer screwed up a clutch replacement due to a throwout bearing coming apart and destroying the clutch. They didn't resurface the flywheel completely and didn't balance and shim it so it left me with a horrible vibration, shuddering, and noises it didn't have before. I'd take the thing apart and have it all checked out and resurfaced.

Thanks for the input, I've been sorta suspecting the clutch myself... Its about the only thing that could be related to engine speed, but also road speed as well...

I just drove the truck again a few minutes ago, and in playing around with it, if I take it up to 45-60mph, dip the clutch (its making noise at this point) and then bump it out of gear, the noise stops. That points pretty heavily at the clutch.

I'm still a bit puzzled as to why it would be fine when I parked it, and then suddenly vibrate like crazy 6 months later, but maybe its suffered some corrosion or something... hmm... :icon_confused:

 

[kunar]

Somehow I doubt the flywheel needs either shimmed or balanced simply from sitting.

A far more likely explanation, if the clutch has to be in for this to happen, is a bad TOB.

unless i mis-read, the complaint is a shutter or vibration while driving, accel or decel, clutch in or out. my first guess would be u-joints. they were probably on the way out before you parked it, but since it sat for a while, the needles had a chance to corrode a little and its showing symptoms now.

 

[Mtrhd0024]

unless i mis-read, the complaint is a shutter or vibration while driving, accel or decel, clutch in or out. my first guess would be u-joints. they were probably on the way out before you parked it, but since it sat for a while, the needles had a chance to corrode a little and its showing symptoms now.

I replaced my front U joints last year, and my driveshaft the year before that... Fronts have maybe 15k on them, (hubs unlocked, so shouldn't be much wear on them) and the driveshaft is from Tom Woods and has 40-50k on it...

I only get vibration under these conditions:
Accelerating up through 2000-2,500 RPM
Decelerating down through 2,500-2000 RPM
Cruising along at 45-60mph in gear and disengage the clutch.

I Don't get any vibration when:
Cruising along normally at speed and in a gear where engine RPM is above 2,500
When cruising along at 45mph+ and disengage the clutch AND bump it out of gear.

Thats whats making me kinda agree with wildbill, since the clutch disc is only spinning if its A) engaged normally or B) disengaged but the transmission is still in gear.

 

[Mtrhd0024]

Somehow I doubt the flywheel needs either shimmed or balanced simply from sitting.

A far more likely explanation, if the clutch has to be in for this to happen, is a bad TOB.

Yep, it could be the throw out bearing as well... Between the throw out bearing, and the clutch disc, those are about the only two parts that meet the criteria of:

Spins with engine when clutch is engaged. (sorta)
Spins with transmission when clutch is disengaged and transmission is in gear
Doesn't spin at all if disengaged and transmission out of gear.

It could also go bad just from sitting, since a TOB + water = corrosion = not nice noises!!

Why does stuff always break during the winter when its cold as hell outside!?

I just got done troubleshooting that blasted electronic 4wd, and that was fun enough in the cold, crawling all over the thing while probing wires and playing with shift motors...

 

[Mtrhd0024]

Well... I figured out what the problem was! :icon_thumby:

unless i mis-read, the complaint is a shutter or vibration while driving, accel or decel, clutch in or out. my first guess would be u-joints. they were probably on the way out before you parked it, but since it sat for a while, the needles had a chance to corrode a little and its showing symptoms now.

Ding ding ding!!! Kunar gets the prize! :icon_thumby: Assuming you meant driveshaft u joints anyway!

Was driving on wednesday morning, and this happened:

Driveshaft carnage.

Sad thing is, that driveshaft has less than 50k on it.

Luckily for me, I was in town, accelerating, only doing about 35, and the driveshaft broke at the back u joint, not the front! :icon_thumby:

Got her towed home, and hopefully gonna get a chance to fix it tomorrow.

 

[kunar]

Glad you figured it out, too bad the truck had to break in the process.

 

[broncobuckinaround]

hahahaha damn you beat me to it. just dont do one. do them all. it never one that goes out, usually it all of them. i learned the same lesson but caught it before it fell off.