Worn Clutch Disk?

Just had a little pondering. I have a 95 Escort manual transmission with 189k miles on it and at around 35mph, it starts missing and lurching while I'm accellerating, unless I just barely press on the gas pedal enough to speed up or maintain speed. I just recently changed the fuel filter and will hit the new plugs/wires and check timing this weekend.

I was looking into a bunch of other replies I got from a previous posting (thanks again to everybody), and noticed recently that one possiblity could be a worn clutch disk, or something with my clutch gone foul. Would this cause a car to behave like this under these conditions or would it happen at any speed or something?

Thanks in advance,

--Psibur

Reply to
Psibur
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What you *SEEM* to be describing doesn't sound very "clutch-ish" to me. I'd be expecting something like you report to be in any and all speed ranges if it were the clutch that was the culprit.

I'd be more inclined to think spark and/or fuel issues.

Reply to
Don Bruder

I agree. I would expect him to have problems accelerating from a dead stop or when trying to get up passing speed if it were the clutch. Also maybe a need to downshift when it wouldn't have been needed in the past. Anytime a higher load was placed on the drivetrain he should see a problem if it was the clutch.

Reply to
Brent P

I was thinking that also about it acting wierd at all speeds/gears. Just didn't know if one this was a sign of the ealier stages of wear & tear on the clutch disk. Probably because of the increased rpms(?) of the flywheel and the clutch disk not being able to grip at those higher speeds because of the wear. Is this actually logical or no?

Thanks,

--Psibur

Reply to
Psibur

Not really.

That would account for "not going when the gas pedal is mashed and the clutch is engaged", but your description sounds *A LOT* more like there's something wrong in the fuel or spark system - A worn/slipping clutch *DOES NOT* cause the engine to miss. It just prevents power from getting to the tranny, and in turn, the wheels.

Quite the contrary, in fact: If the clutch is slipping, the engine has no (or less than normal) load on it, so it should wind right up to whatever RPM is proper for where you put the throttle, with no sign of missing.

I'm reminded of an ancient joke: Person #1: Help me find my quarter! Person #2: Where'd you lose it? Person #1: Over there. (points down the block) Person #2: Then why are you looking for it here??? Person #1: The light's better here!

Sounds to me like you're "searching where the light's better"...

Lose your "clutch fixation", and start looking for an engine problem if you want to solve this one.

FYI/Personal experience: I exploded a clutch not too long ago (you can google it up using the subject "Grenaded clutch - anything to do besides the obvious?") by mis-shifting coming off the freeway. When I opened it up, there was a mass of stinky "hair" and chunks in the bell housing - The friction material of the clutch plate had completely disintegrated, leaving nothing but the little "tabs" it had been riveted to to scrape against the flywheel/pressure plate. The *ENGINE* never gave any sign of the problem. Not so much as a hiccup, miss, or slowdown - Total symptoms: Car don't go.

So again I tell you, stop worrying about the clutch, and look to the fuel or ignition system for the actual problem. Based on what you've said, that's all but guaranteed to be where you'll find the *REAL* problem.

Reply to
Don Bruder

Exactly my reasoning too.

Reply to
Don Bruder

Psibur wrote in rec.autos.tech

Not a clutch problem. When a clutch goes bad it slips. What happens is when you accelerate the engine will rev up faster than the car accelerates. Most noticeable in higher gears under load, such as driving on the freeway and trying to accelerate, or going up a hill. And the worse the clutch gets the worse the slippage. What you are describing could be your plugs, could also be fuel related. Replace the plugs and wires, check the ignition system, and if you still have a problem check fuel pressure.

Reply to
Dick C

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