1st Gear Shudder on Take-off, what is cause?
11-26-2014, 07:54 AM
#1
3rd Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: DE
Posts: 546
1st Gear Shudder on Take-off, what is cause?
So this problem just recently started showing up in my 2012 GT w/ MT82. The car has 47K miles. The car shifts smooth and goes into all of the gears the same way that it always has.
The shudder occurs when taking off from a stop in a straight line. It does not occur all of the time. I first noticed it after a 2 hour drive on the freeway, and the shudder occurred when I was near my destination in stop and go traffic. The shudder is only in 1st gear. It also happened again after about an hour drive on the highway and when I got into town stopping at red lights, etc. Once the shudder starts to happen, the only way for it to completely go away is for the car to cool off overnight. After sitting overnight and going for relatively short trips around town there is no shudder. This is all normal daily driving with normal launches.
It is NOT the motor hesitating or dropping RPMs. Could it be brake/clutch fluid needs to be replaced? Maybe heat soaking is causing the fluids to expand? Or my gut feeling, do you think throwout bearing and/or clutch are beginning to go bad?
The shudder occurs when taking off from a stop in a straight line. It does not occur all of the time. I first noticed it after a 2 hour drive on the freeway, and the shudder occurred when I was near my destination in stop and go traffic. The shudder is only in 1st gear. It also happened again after about an hour drive on the highway and when I got into town stopping at red lights, etc. Once the shudder starts to happen, the only way for it to completely go away is for the car to cool off overnight. After sitting overnight and going for relatively short trips around town there is no shudder. This is all normal daily driving with normal launches.
It is NOT the motor hesitating or dropping RPMs. Could it be brake/clutch fluid needs to be replaced? Maybe heat soaking is causing the fluids to expand? Or my gut feeling, do you think throwout bearing and/or clutch are beginning to go bad?
11-26-2014, 11:36 AM
#2
My initial guess is wheel-hop. The Coyote is powerful enough to make the GT wheel hop even n 3.31:1 rear gears. Even more so on low traction conditions such as wet roads. I can wheel hop my car on only 3 quarter gas.
For your case, are you taking off pretty hard from stops? Or does your problem exhibit itself even in normal daily driving accelerations?
If you are not driving spiritedly, my first guess is that your rear shocks could be giving our or some bad bushings in the control arms.
This is just my initial guess.
For your case, are you taking off pretty hard from stops? Or does your problem exhibit itself even in normal daily driving accelerations?
If you are not driving spiritedly, my first guess is that your rear shocks could be giving our or some bad bushings in the control arms.
This is just my initial guess.
11-26-2014, 01:28 PM
#3
Gentleman's Relish
Join Date: Feb 2005
Location: AZ
Posts: 13,090
Maybe it's clutch chatter as in the clutch plate is starting to get worn out or the disc is glazed.
Typically starts showing up on take off only then may eventually start showing up under spirited shifting into second or third.
Typically starts showing up on take off only then may eventually start showing up under spirited shifting into second or third.
11-27-2014, 12:10 AM
#4
My initial guess is wheel-hop. The Coyote is powerful enough to make the GT wheel hop even n 3.31:1 rear gears. Even more so on low traction conditions such as wet roads. I can wheel hop my car on only 3 quarter gas.
For your case, are you taking off pretty hard from stops? Or does your problem exhibit itself even in normal daily driving accelerations?
If you are not driving spiritedly, my first guess is that your rear shocks could be giving our or some bad bushings in the control arms.
This is just my initial guess.
For your case, are you taking off pretty hard from stops? Or does your problem exhibit itself even in normal daily driving accelerations?
If you are not driving spiritedly, my first guess is that your rear shocks could be giving our or some bad bushings in the control arms.
This is just my initial guess.
I'm in a v6 and still have the same issue. I've got 3.31 gears... I usually start in 2nd every time. This may be my issue, as I may have worn the clutch down a little. I'm at 20k miles.
11-27-2014, 11:15 AM
#7
3rd Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: DE
Posts: 546
Definitely not wheel-hop. I have LCA's w/urethane & Spherical bushings. As I said in my original post, it is happening during normal take-off.
@atomicpunk, good point. I will crawl under the car this weekend to see if there is any fluid leaking or dripping underneath the car.
Thanks for your responses guys. I have never personally driven a car where the clutch was failing or starting to go bad, so it helps to have some others confirm my thoughts about the clutch. I'll just keep driving the car and see how much longer it lasts. Any recommendations for an aftermarket clutch?
Happy Thanksgiving!
@atomicpunk, good point. I will crawl under the car this weekend to see if there is any fluid leaking or dripping underneath the car.
Thanks for your responses guys. I have never personally driven a car where the clutch was failing or starting to go bad, so it helps to have some others confirm my thoughts about the clutch. I'll just keep driving the car and see how much longer it lasts. Any recommendations for an aftermarket clutch?
Happy Thanksgiving!
11-29-2014, 01:13 AM
#8
5th Gear Member
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Redding, CA
Posts: 4,552
If it is wheel hop, which would only happen under decent acceleration, it could be a combination of things. Old tires, bad roadway, cool temps and poor suspension all contribute. With a built suspension, I only really know my tires are done when wheel hop happens. If it none of those things, than it's your clutch.
Tires may not be worn, but when they are old, they get brittle and they don't hook and they hop.
Tires may not be worn, but when they are old, they get brittle and they don't hook and they hop.
11-29-2014, 11:20 AM
#10
1st Gear Member
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: Maryland
Posts: 80
The clutch in my old car did something similar a few years ago. Unfortunately I didn't pay attention to the warning signs and one day it left me stranded on the interstate. That was an expensive fix since I didn't have a garage at the time and it was winter in the middle of finals so had to get the stealership to fix it.