[SFV]

My GTA has always had a bit of a heavy clutch, and recently developed a judder when reversing. Over the weekend when I started the car and depressed the clutch pedal, it was really light, but now has a judder pulling away in 1st, and judders if you change to 2nd gear at low revs.

Strangely, there is no slipping of the clutch or other clutch related symptoms in any of the other gears, so is this a clutch on it's way out, or could something else causing this lightness of the clutch pedal and juddering ?

 

[Pud237]

Juddering can sometimes be a failing input shaft bearing inside the gearbox. Has the bite point moved at all?

A heavy clutch does your engine no favours in the long run, it wears the thrust washers which can lead to you needing a bottom end rebuild. Its hard to know if its actually the clutch thats heavy or the mechanism that is stiff (clutch arm/fork stiff, release bearing stiff to move on the shaft).

 

[ransoman]

My clutch was very similar just as the release bearing failed, If it feels juddery when pulling away in 1st then don't go for any long drives....

 

[SFV]

The bite point of the clutch is still the same, and the heaviness of the clutch has been the same for the past 8 years since I bought the car. Currently the mileage is 71k, so would this be reasonable lifespan for a GTA clutch ?

 

[ransoman]

The bite point of the clutch is still the same, and the heaviness of the clutch has been the same for the past 8 years since I bought the car. Currently the mileage is 71k, so would this be reasonable lifespan for a GTA clutch ?

80'000 miles is what I am told is the average life expectancy so 71k isn't unreasonable.

How many miles have you done since it became juddery? Mine went from Juddery to loosing all gears in the space of 4 miles. The day before I heard a load bang from the underside of the car as I pulled onto a roundabout. At the time I thought I hit something in the road that I didn't see but then heard another bang as I went to move off. After this it drove fine with no noises but didn't feel right.

 

[SFV]

I've done quite a few miles since the judder started, and that is why I'm thinking that it may be something clutch related and not the clutch itself.

 

[ransoman]

What diff do you have?

The flywheel in a 3.2 is single mass so it won't be that. I doubt CV/driveshaft issues would show at low speeds only so I would rule that out too.

Check the hydraulics for leaks and if all is fine then I would say now is the oppertune moment to replace the clutch and upgrade the Diff.

 

[SFV]

I have a Q2 diff fitted, so am sure that is fine. Will see if I can have this issue looked at my local indie

 

[Chris155]

Friction plate could have failed. They are the next weak link after the diff imo. You can usually tell by a ticking noise that goes away when you dip the clutch.

 

[SFV]

Thanks Chris, I will have a listen this afternoon to see if the friction plate is the possible issue