Transmission/Clutch shudder (when cold)

J

jsesq

Member
Has anyone else experienced a rather pronounced shuddering when attempting to engage the clutch, in first gear, when cold? I have had this problem off and on during the winter, but now it is coming back and it is anything but cold out here.

I was thinking of replacing the transmission fluid with Redline or some other synthetic, but was wondering if anyone had any other recommendations?
 
I have the same problem along with a ton of others, I have no idea what it could be and no idea how to fix it...bad tranny and clutch if you ask me, its just that. Mine usually goes away by the end of the first road I drive on, so I get over it...:(
 
I get over it too, but it makes me feel like a dork.

"Here we go. Vrrrrrooooommm m..m..m..m..m..m..m..m..m..m.." said the dork that couldn't drive as the Big Gulps spill all over the center console, the spare change flies out of the ashtray and the CD starts skipping: "Born to be wild. Born to be...to be...to be...to be...
 
Same here, only I live in South Florida and it's almost NEVER cold... well, the engine is cold when it first starts and thats usually when it happens. It's so frikken annoying. :mad: FIC is putting in an ACT clutch with my Turbo kit so we'll see if it does it after that. ;)
 
Yep. I have that too. It usually goes away in the first few miles.
 
Likewise. I tend to baby the clutch because of it (especially in the morning startup). The first couple of shifts from a cold start feel like you're nursing a car with 100,000m on the clutch. I have had the dealer look at it but they can't seem to duplicate the problem. I (at least) have the problem noted on almost every service order, so I can always yell at Mazda that I tried to have it taken care of when it expires early. (Not that I truly believe that will DO anything...)

I find the clutch and transmission to be the weak point in our cars. Also the damn soft motor mount issue: I was driving last night in the rain and lost traction at a light for a moment an with the @#$% wheel hop, I thought the engine was just coming out the bottom for a moment.
 
Same problem...I thought it was wheel hop that I am experiencing every now and again...I don't know, I'll pay attention better next time.

Happens in the morning usually when I am going home. Although it has happened at various other times, usually shortly after starting the car.
 
no problems here, not even in the middle of winter. Although I've had a few guys with p5's/ES's say they've expericed it.
 
i have the same problem, espesially when i try to bac kout it feel like im goin to stall then it starts jerking. after a few shifts it is gone though. happens every morning. im taking it in monday and i will tell them about it again. and im sure they wont be able to duplicate the prob. i want to get hte kartboy shifter but i am afraid they will say thats what is making it shutter.
 
I have the answer!!!!!!

It is indeed clutch or engine "shudder" in the form of wheel-hop. Just like if you tried to rev it to 2.5K and then drop the clutch, since our motors start at a higher rpm when cold (darn ULEV)
-- and lord knows we've all posted at THAT thread on this site--
we're starting at a high rpm, leading to some wheel hop. Just have to baby the clutch, and feather more than you would normally. The only thing we can do about it (and I recommend doing it anyway) is to install poly front motor mounts.
AWR Racing
MP3-owner has them, he can tell you about them.
they only do C.O.D., if you want credit go to
mazdamotorsports

They're about 130-140 USD, I beleive.
Maz2001MP has them installed as well. He could tell you how hard it is. Shouldnt be to diffucult for the fronts, the rears are impossible without lifting the motor.
 
This happeneds to me all the time. One of the techs at mazda told me to rev the engine higher then lift the clutch, and it should subside, but it still exists. I think that it is a bad pressure plate.
 
I think there is a new industry standard in clutch materials or build quiality because my friends with a WRX, Corvette, and Maxima all have a similar shudder when cold.

I usually rev circa 2,000 rpm then be gentle with the clutch and it's okay. Not sure what the high idle/ ULEV thing people mention is all about. Even when I first start my car it idles about 1,200 rpm and after 30 seconds it's down to 600-700.
 
the poly mounts def. helped correct alot of the wheel hop, in cold and warm weather.... the front mount was easy to install, all you really need is to jack the car up and bolt the new mount up... the rear is nearly impossible without having the car up on a lift. the only downside to the mounts is they tend to make the car vibrate a little... the vibration stops after you rev the car up past about 1500 rpms..
 
Kooldino said:
Yep. I have that too. It usually goes away in the first few miles.
Click to expand...

How the hell do you have this problem you don't have the stock clutch anymore. Oh christ I was realy hoping a swap would take care of this.
 
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