96 Honda Civic Clutch,?

Question

When letting out the clutch, it sometimes shakes, shudders.. vibrates... I've been driving a stick for a while so i know it's not me. I'm not sure, but it seems to be only when the car is cold, hasn't warmed up yet. Anyone have any suggestions as to why it's doing this? It's annoying!

Answer 1

the clutch on that car is operated hydraulically in the same way that the brake system is. It uses a clutch master cylinder to transfer the force of pressing on the clutch pedal to the slave cylinder that operates the clutch fork (the working end of the clutch system) through hydraulic pressure.

typically when there is a change in the feel of the clutch it is because the hydraulic fluid is low. The fluid in the master cylinder can become low from normal wear on the clutch disc or from leaks in the system, so the first thing to do is to check the fluid level of the clutch master cylinder and adjust it if necessary.

the second reason you could feel a change in the engagement is simply clutch wear. Honda clutches on the civic are usually good for about 150,000 miles depending on how they are driven, so it may be that the pressure plate is weak or the clutch is worn to the point where they need to be replaced. You would notice it more when cold because the clutch expands with heat and makes up for any excessive clearances caused by wear as the clutch components expand.

The third possibility is that you have an oil leak in the rear of the engine (rear main seal) that is causing oil to get on the clutch disc when the car is parked. That oil would cause the clutch to chatter as it engages until the heat of operation burns the oil off.

those are the three most common causes in order of probability. If it is the clutch wear or a leaking rear main seal the transmission would have to be removed and the clutch replaced. Its typically about $700 to do that.

Hope that helps answer your question