Shuddering sound

[walter]

I've been noticing this for a while but seems more prominent now that the weather is cooler. When the car is about to come to a complete stop the front end makes this low shuddering sound. Also when I'm backing out of a spot turning it makes the same noise. Is it the brakes doing their normal work or is it something else?

I have stock brakes.

 

[kooldawg6]

 

[walter]

Actually upon close inspection It happens right as I'm about to let off the clutch pedal...

That's why I was thinking it was the brakes because it is most noticeable coming to a stop or starting.

 

[Radman]

Passenger or drivers side? or both equally?

 

[walter]

Mostly driver but my girlfriend hears it too so I guess both.

It's mostly a low rumble that is heard not really vibration that you can feel.

 

[Radman]

Maybe springs? I wish I had a rack to put it up on.

 

[walter]

I don't think it's the springs, I'm pretty sure it's the clutch.

I'm pretty easy on the car could it be going out at 19K miles already?!?

 

[Spdfreak]

Could it be a little backfiring in your exhaust as you slow down in gear? Does it happen if you diengage the clutch slowing down?

 

[walter]

It happens when the clutch just starts to grab as you let your foot off it. The slower you do it the better the chance of hearing it.

To test the theory I had the car running in neutral and stopped and i just started easing off the clutch. first you hear the shudder, then you hear the drivetrain bucking (still stock 2 piece driveshaft) from the car trying to stall. This of course is in addition to coming to almost a stop while still in gear.

 

[bradleyem]

I have a similar shudder, sounding like its coming from the clutch/throwout bearing. Mainly happens at low speed when letting out the clutch (in a drive through, backing into the driveway, etc) Sounds to me like a throwout bearing, or warped pressure plate, but I'm not sure. Dealership says that I'm babying it too much and need to raise the RPMs Hopefully I'll just upgrade the clutch, and the problem will go away.

 

[STANGmole]

I don't think it's the springs, I'm pretty sure it's the clutch.

I'm pretty easy on the car could it be going out at 19K miles already?!?

I don't even have 3k on mine and I think it's making a similar sound....

 

[walter]

Little update. It may not be the clutch itself but it is somehow related. I noticed that sitting at idle and turning the wheel the car makes the sound just at the point that the RPM drop from the power steering operating. It appears that this sound happens then when the engine starts to bog at idle or close to idle when load is put on it either by releasing the clutch or by operating the steering.

Anyone ran into the same sort of thing?

Also my PS is starting to make a bit of a whine when turning all the way at idle is it time to add some fluid or is this normal. Again the car has 19K miles on it.

THANKS!

 

[STANGmole]

I'm still thinking it's throwout bearing related (or at least that's what mine sounds like)...

 

[bradleyem]

These have been my observations so far on the shudder that my car exibits:

It doesn't happen all the time.

It mainly happens at idle or low RPMs, and moreso under load (such as pulling into my sloped driveway). It doesn't matter if I'm going forward or in reverse. It seems as if the lower the RPMs, or the slower that I go, the worse it is.

If I'm sitting stopped I've noticed that if I push in the clutch, the noise winds down and goes away (as if it has something to do with the rotating mass of the transmission input shaft). If I release the clutch it comes back.

Sometimes it can bee quite loud, and the car will shudder and buck quite violently when taking off from a stop.

The fact that the noise goes away when the clutch is pressed all the way in would point toward the transmission (input shaft bearing maybe?), BUT it could also just be the unloading of the throwout bearing, pressure plate, etc.

 

[stangdistortion]

i've noticed this shuddering too, i thought that maybe there was a slit in the clutch or after hearing what stangmole said i agree i think its related to the throwout bearing because it only happens when i let off the clutch. i only really notice it when im starting in first. i first noticed it after i launched the car a few times while racing friends. i thought i might have slit the clutch or damaged it alittle because i launched at 3K rpms

 

[fullboogie]

My '08 did that for the first several thousand miles then stopped. It's clutch chatter. I've never had a stock clutch that needed to be "broken in", but this one apparently did.

 

[justpball]

sounds like clutch chatter to me...

 

[bradleyem]

Thats what I'm thinking too, and I would think that throwout bearing noise would be heard mainly when pushing the clutch in, not releasing it, since thats when the load is on the throwout bearing.

I bought the car used at carmax with 30,000 miles on it. I've only had it for just over a month, and I've had the noise since day one. The factory warranty is expired, but I did buy the 1 year extended warranty (from Carmax). So now I'm wondering if I should take it in and make them replace the clutch with an OEM replacement, or should I just save up for a better aftermarket clutch

 

[STANGmole]

My '08 did that for the first several thousand miles then stopped. It's clutch chatter. I've never had a stock clutch that needed to be "broken in", but this one apparently did.

HOW MANY thousands of miles did it take?

Also, is it normal for these transmissions to 'bump' into gear? At times my shifts are smooth but when the car is cold it's difficult to get it into reverse, the noise we're talking about (chatter, throwout bearing, whatever) is present, and often times (almost always) I can feel it 'bump' before going smoothly into gear. It doesn't seem as smooth as any of my late-model previous Mustangs (90GT and 95 Cobra) but is probably smoother than my 65 3spd was.

I'm thinking of going with synthetic in the transmission but now I'm scared of voiding my warranty (if I haven't already by installing an MGW shifter)...I've been reading horror stories of Ford not honoring warranties for mods.

 

[walter]

I dunno about the clutch chattering. That usually sounds like a relatively high pitched chattering sound. The noise I'm hearing is more of a low rumbling shudder and as I mentioned it happens when the engine bogs either from steering at a standstill, coming to a stop, or the clutch grabbing.

I may just have to go take it in to the dealership and see what they come up with. Hopefully the warranty should cover it.