Is a new clutch supposed to act like this....?

mustang gt 2003 · Jan 23, 2008

So i recently just got a new clutch kit installed in the car. It is a fidanza 3.2! Im using the stock flywheel however. The clutch has a pretty big break in period of 800 miles. At higher rpms, the clutch is nice. It seems to grab just fine and i have zero problems. However, at lower rpms, or bumper to bumper traffic the clutch slips and chatters a lot. It seems to have a really hard time grabbing. So hard, that there is a vibration and shaking coming from underneath the car. So i was wondering...do you think it was a bad install? Or will it get better after the 800 miles of driving? Because i dont want to burn the clutch out with excessive clutch slipping if it is not supposed to do that!

Thanks stangnet!!!! :SNSign:

COramprat · Jan 23, 2008

I'm not familiar with the brand so I can't say for sure but how is the pressure effort? Is it hard to disengage?

98COBRA281 · Jan 23, 2008

the chattering is probably the flywheel, did they have it turned down? thats a must when installing a new clutch

mustang gt 2003 · Jan 23, 2008

The only thing they said about the flywheel is that it must be re-surfaced.

mustang gt 2003 · Jan 23, 2008

COramprat said:
I'm not familiar with the brand so I can't say for sure but how is the pressure effort? Is it hard to disengage?

Yes, the pedal effort is alittle harder then stock clutch on my car.

98COBRA281 · Jan 23, 2008

do u know if they did it or not

mustang gt 2003 · Jan 23, 2008

98COBRA281 said:
do u know if they did it or not

Actually i do not. To be honest with you, I had no idea that was supposed to be done. All they said they were going to do with the flywheel is re-surface it.

98COBRA281 · Jan 23, 2008

did it chatter before u did the clutch? how many miles are on it?

mustang gt 2003 · Jan 23, 2008

98COBRA281 said:
did it chatter before u did the clutch? how many miles are on it?

No, the original clutch did not chatter. And there are about 130 miles on this new clutch. The stock one had um, around 43,000 miles.

98COBRA281 · Jan 23, 2008

wow i dont know u should take it back to how ever did it, was the orignal clutch bad, or did u just want to upgrade

stal94gt · Jan 23, 2008

yes your car should get clutch chatter from that clutch. nothing is wrong with your car. i have a zoom stage 3 clutch and it does the same thing. not to harp on people on this message board but unless you know an answer for sure or have the part on you car you should leave it up to some one else to tell him weather or not his car has something wrong. i know you do with the best intentions but your about to send a guy to raise hell about his car cause you have him convinced that it is wrong. i cant say much for what i am telling him cause i am not driving his car but i have a simmilar clutch and it does the same thing. before a part is purchised i belive people should look up how it should perform. it is stated pretty clear that stage 3 clutch kits will cause chatter at low rpms. im not making fun or trying to hurt peoples feelings but i have gone with several clutch set ups and every stage 3 has chattered.

mustang gt 2003 · Jan 23, 2008

stal94gt said:
yes your car should get clutch chatter from that clutch. nothing is wrong with your car. i have a zoom stage 3 clutch and it does the same thing. not to harp on people on this message board but unless you know an answer for sure or have the part on you car you should leave it up to some one else to tell him weather or not his car has something wrong. i know you do with the best intentions but your about to send a guy to raise hell about his car cause you have him convinced that it is wrong. i cant say much for what i am telling him cause i am not driving his car but i have a simmilar clutch and it does the same thing. before a part is purchised i belive people should look up how it should perform. it is stated pretty clear that stage 3 clutch kits will cause chatter at low rpms. im not making fun or trying to hurt peoples feelings but i have gone with several clutch set ups and every stage 3 has chattered.

Would there be any way to fix the chatter? I mean, it shakes pretty violently. From my understanding, fidanza stated that it is good for a DD, and also good for a little performance. Also, will it chatter forever? Another thing i have an issue with...is this little whinning noise coming from the car. It was really bad before i got the clutch install, but now it has gone down a tad. It is not as noticeable as before. But, it is still there. Would you think its a releasing bearing...or what...because that was changed in the clutch kit. Thanks

BobHyatt · Jan 23, 2008

mustang gt 2003 said:
Would there be any way to fix the chatter? I mean, it shakes pretty violently. From my understanding, fidanza stated that it is good for a DD, and also good for a little performance. Also, will it chatter forever? Another thing i have an issue with...is this little whinning noise coming from the car. It was really bad before i got the clutch install, but now it has gone down a tad. It is not as noticeable as before. But, it is still there. Would you think its a releasing bearing...or what...because that was changed in the clutch kit. Thanks

The chatter is a fact of life with high-performance clutches. "Good for DD" simply means you can drive the car on the street safely, without so much clutch pedal effort that you can't drive in traffic without having to stop frequently to rest your leg...

If you want a stock feel, get a stock clutch. It will do just fine unless you have upped the horsepower significantly. A beast of a clutch is wasted on a stock motor. You get excessive pedal effort, significant chatter, and a less enjoyable drive. With no benefits whatsoever. If your clutch slips because of non-stock engine mods, a beefier clutch is a must, but then you have to accept the bad that goes along with the increased grip the heavier clutch offers. You can resurface all you want, but a good HD clutch is going to chatter...

Best way to reduce chatter is to rev up the motor a bit more on takeoff and stop trying to sissy it when you start to move. Chatter comes from low revs with a stopped transmission...

40thmustanggt · Jan 23, 2008

the chatter will calm down after you get some miles put on it my spec did the same i now have 3000 miles on it and the chatter is gone

stal94gt · Jan 23, 2008

the sound you describe could be a number of things. you have to be real detailed about the noise if you want some one to help you. when installing a new clutch almost ever mechanic will replace the throw out bearing and pilot bearing. reasons for this is the parts are cheap and they are generaly the first things to make noise when they go bad. now he may have put in cheap parts to try and save some cash but that is another story. i would take off your shifter boot and the rubber thing under it and drive it around to get a better listen. if the sound is not there when you stop it could be tranz or possibly pilot bearing related. a throw out bearing is a real distinctive noise and could be caused by bad splines on the clutch.

mustang gt 2003 · Jan 24, 2008

stal94gt said:
the sound you describe could be a number of things. you have to be real detailed about the noise if you want some one to help you. when installing a new clutch almost ever mechanic will replace the throw out bearing and pilot bearing. reasons for this is the parts are cheap and they are generaly the first things to make noise when they go bad. now he may have put in cheap parts to try and save some cash but that is another story. i would take off your shifter boot and the rubber thing under it and drive it around to get a better listen. if the sound is not there when you stop it could be tranz or possibly pilot bearing related. a throw out bearing is a real distinctive noise and could be caused by bad splines on the clutch.

I did that exactly last night....while just waiting in a family video parking lot i noticed a "little grinding noise." The car was in neutral, running, and obviously my foot was off the clutch pedal. That was when that noise was happening. The second i pushed the clutch pedal in the noise stopped. As described before, it sounded as if something was rubbing down there. Also, while driving the car, in
4th gear, there is a loud...grinding noise coming from the shifter....or actually underneath the shifter. I think my sister's car had the same problem...and it was actually a loose bolt on the shifter...if im not mistaken. But i will have to check that out. If my clutch is supposed to act like this, then i dont care. But if not...then obviously something is wrong.

stal94gt · Jan 24, 2008

if you want to check your throw out bearing jack your car up so you can fit under it. take off the inspection window and unhook your clutch cable. pull back the clutch and look at the splines on the clutch make sure they are all even. then with a small mirror look up and check the clearance of your clutch fork where it connects to the pivot ball. if every thing looks good and strait with out hooking up your clutch cable and start the car. crawl back down and pull the clutch fork away from the cluth. if the sound goes away the throw out bearing is bad. be sure to touch the bearing back on the pressure plate to check for excess vibrations and to listen to the noise. once your down there you can get a pretty good view on what is goin on. if the splines are not even you can ajust your clutch from the inspction window... hope this helps.

mustang gt 2003 · Jan 24, 2008

stal94gt said:
if you want to check your throw out bearing jack your car up so you can fit under it. take off the inspection window and unhook your clutch cable. pull back the clutch and look at the splines on the clutch make sure they are all even. then with a small mirror look up and check the clearance of your clutch fork where it connects to the pivot ball. if every thing looks good and strait with out hooking up your clutch cable and start the car. crawl back down and pull the clutch fork away from the cluth. if the sound goes away the throw out bearing is bad. be sure to touch the bearing back on the pressure plate to check for excess vibrations and to listen to the noise. once your down there you can get a pretty good view on what is goin on. if the splines are not even you can ajust your clutch from the inspction window... hope this helps.

Ok thanks, i will try that when i get home tonight!

stal94gt · Jan 24, 2008

listen close cause if it is not any thing clutch related it could be a bad imput shaft bearing.

yomadmike · Jan 24, 2008

From what ur saying, I'd get it looked at. It could be many things none of them good. If it was just some chatter, I'd say let it go but grinding noise......... nothing should be grinding. I used a RAM HD good for applications up to 600hp. I had no chattering at all with no miles on it. I went from a McCleod Stage 3 to the RAM HD and it was a great decision. But it could cost alot more if you wait too long. The most they can say is "it's fine".

Is a new clutch supposed to act like this....?

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