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car starts without clutch. Yup you read that right.

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Dirty Dans dsm

Probationary Member
21
1
Feb 23, 2019
Olathe, Kansas
So I recently pulled the motor and transmission out of my 95 eagle talon tsi fwd, and I got the motor and the transmission back together got everything redone.. and now I have an issue, at first I noticed my wheels didn’t lock up while in first gear, while I was standing on the wheel to get a better angle under the hood, and then I went to turn it on and it cranked but wouldn’t fire up, then noticed I could shift through the gears without my clutch while the car was off, and then I finally did get it fired up and I let the clutch out while in first gear to stall it and make sure the clutch was working properly.. and uhh.. well it kept running. And then I tried starting it without the clutch at all. And it started. I don’t know if somehow I messed up the clutch, or if it’s a flywheel issue? I have no idea I’m dumbfounded to say the least. But uhh yea.. first time pulling a motor and I got everything hooked up but I screwed up somewhere along the way of hooking the tranny up. Please help any information on what could be wrong would be much appreciated.
 
Did you forget the clutch disk? Have to ask....
 
^^
That, or is the clutch fork broken, step height incorrect, clutch pedal assembly adjusted correctly?

Other than that the only thing I can think of is a busted transmission, in the center diff or viscous coupler, that will stop power from going to the wheels and the clutch is still working perfectly.
 
So if I get this correct, the car starts but doesn't move, as if the clutch were pushed in? Or is it engaged in any gear anytime? Anytime the flywheel is spinning it is spinning the input shaft on the transmission....or should be.
 
So I just started it and when I did so I made it so I didn’t start it all the way and I could hear something turning after I put the key back to the on position I couldn’t tell if it was the crank or not but I think my flywheel was spinning like the clutch was pressed.
 
Dan, I see your comment on not knowing how to post a picture. Sometimes you have to reduce the size of the picture. I take a picture then email it to myself, which prompts me if I want to resize it, and I resize it to 30% then send it. When I receive it, it is small enough to post with the "Add Photos/Files" button. Save it in a place where you know where it is at (your desktop is handy), then look for it after you have hit the Add Photos/Files button and it will load up.
I was going to ask if you had a picture or a short clip video of the odd deal that is going on so we could all get a better idea. I am scratching my head as to what in the world the problem is. I am betting it is something simple that was overlooked. Does the pedal feel "normal" or not?
 
Yes pedal feels normal, but there’s this little black plug I found broken off if you look up 95 eagle talon tsi transmission, and get a picture by the back most motor mount, there is this little black plug thing sticking up, when my friend helped me with the motor that’s when I went outside and after he left I found it on the floor.
 
So if I get this correct, the car starts but doesn't move, as if the clutch were pushed in? Or is it engaged in any gear anytime? Anytime the flywheel is spinning it is spinning the input shaft on the transmission....or should be.

I am having trouble understanding this... Isn't the purpose of the clutch to decouple the engine and transmission? Does the pressure plate drive the disk (and thus the input shaft) when the clutch pedal is depressed (pressure plate released)?

I feel like you couldn't put your car in gear without it moving if the above is true.

Please don't take my questions to be an attack, I simply see an opportunity to possibly learn something new.

As for the OP, the car will start without pressing in the clutch if the clutch switch is disabled. If the car sees the electrical signal that the clutch is depressed, it does not care if it actually is or not.

My best guess at this point is no disc.
 
No problem, I am taking it that the car will start, in gear, but not move. YES the PP couples the transmission to the engine via the clutch disk so when you press in on the pedal it uncouples.
Maybe I am over thinking it but......
Refer to post #2 :ohdamn: and I hope I'm WRONG. LOL
 
Or put it on jack stands, put it in gear and turn the tires by hand to see if the engine bumps back compression.

Was the transmission and everything else in working order before you pulled it?
 
I'm wondering if you have an axle that is not all the way back in the transmission, as far as starting without pushing in the clutch, someone might have pulled the clutch switch, this is common, the sensor in the back that you broke is the speedometer sensor, it wont stop the car from working.
 
OP, can you push the car forward while the transmission is in reverse (engine off, not pushing the clutch in)?

Did you change the flywheel, clutch disk, or pressure plate? What parts did you use? Where did you buy them?

How are are you confirming the clutch disk is, in fact, installed?
 
Because I didn’t swap anything out related to the transmission, I actually just put everything back together essentially. But where is the clutch switch located because that’s what I was thinking. I feel like it is a sensor of some sort because I tried starting it in first with no clutch and it started to crawl forward and I pushed the clutch and it relived pressure, because I had the brake on since I didn’t wanna hit anything.
 
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