Originally posted by ctmystique:
Overheating = Clutch overheating.
you got it, thats what I meant and unless you drive like an animal or spend lots of time in traffic you won't overheat the clutch. if you do you'll smell it.
Originally posted by ctmystique:
I also don't think an oil pan leak would cause any problems with a clutch. If your rear main seal is leaking though... that would definitly not be good. That would be evident by oil dripping from the point where the trans. mates up with the block.
Right, an oil pan leak won't likely casue it but on some vehicles it is possible. A rear main seal, clutch slave cylinder or transmission input shaft leakage can all generate enough oil deposits on the clutch to cause chatter. But unless you see oil drops forming on the drain hole at the bottom of the inspection plate you don't have anything to worry about.
If the clutch hydraulic system gets air in it, that could cause it too. It is possible that the oil in the resivor got too low and let air into the system. On the Contour the clutch and the brakes share the same resivor. The clutch is connected by a hose that attaches to the resivor on the side of the driverside fender, there's a little nipple that sitcks out of the side of the resivor with a hose attached to it that attaches to the clutch master cylinder. Take a look at the kinda clear resivor and make sure that the oil level is at least above where this hose attaches or preferably at the MAX line, if it is then you can probably rule out the possibility of air in the system.
With this recent cold spell we had I'd say that its very likely that low temperatures played a big role in the chatter becasue everything works different to one degree or another when it gets real cold. When I had my SVT if I was a little to light with the clutch on cold days it would give a little shimmy while taking off from a stop.
In your case I wouldn't worry, just be aware of it to make sure it doesn't get any worse and see if you can notice a pattern with chatter vs cold weather. If it goes away when its warm and somes back when it gets real cold then I'd say don't worry about it. Just do what you need to in order to keep the chatter to a minimum when it is happening.
If you start loosing sleep over it then have the clutch inspected to make sure its in good shape.
I feel sorry for the people who don't drink. When they wake up in the morning, thats the best they're going to feel all day - former President Lyndon B. Johnson
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