96 eclipse 420a tries stalling when letting clutch out

91-talon-tsi · Apr 12, 2012

So my 96 eclipse rs has this issue with trying to stall when letting the clutch out. It seems to only do it when first starting out in 1st gear from a dead stop. If I try to take off normally, there's this harsh knocking noise in the trans area and the car jerks a bit. You can feel it in the floorboard as if someone was underneath the car hitting the undercarriage with a big rubber mallet.

When I first let off the clutch pedal (to enage the clutch) The engine idle drops real low and acts as if it's going to stall out. This is accompanied by the oil pressure light coming on once in awhile, but not often. If I ease the clutch just right and give it a little gas before letting off the clutch pedal it doesn't jerk or try to stall out.

It does not seem to be slipping at all. It's just real touchy for some reason. Clutch fluid level is full, engine oil is full and proper viscosity (5w30) I always have to take off real slow and easy and it seems to be pissing other drivers off because I can't take off from a stop as quickly as they can.

What could be the cause of these issues ? :confused:

If the clutch were going out wouldn't it slip ?

chadillac2820 · Apr 12, 2012

I'm not trying to be an a hole here, but are you familiar with how to drive a car with a manual transmission?

91-talon-tsi · Apr 12, 2012

chadillac2820 said:
I'm not trying to be an a hole here, but are you familiar with how to drive a car with a manual transmission?

I've been driving vehicles with manual transmission since I was 17 and I'm now 24. I know it's nothing that I'm doing because the eclipse that I had before the one I have now (97 gs) Did not act up like this one. I could slip the clutch from a dead stop or launch it at 2k rpm and it did not jerk or try to stall out like this one does.

chadillac2820 · Apr 12, 2012

You may have an upgraded clutch or pressure plate in it. That would give you a more harsh engagement.

95TalonOwner · Apr 12, 2012

Post a video.

91-talon-tsi · Apr 12, 2012

chadillac2820 said:
You may have an upgraded clutch or pressure plate in it. That would give you a more harsh engagement.

I wish that was the case here, but I'm sure it's not. When I first aquired the vehicle it had a bad trans. I swapped it out with a good used trans from a sebring, but I didn't replace the clutch assembly (modular clutch) I'm aassuming it's the original clutch assembly and if so, this means it has 188k miles on it.

Also, not sure if this would matter, but I don't think that I got those little tabs on the throw out bearing seated properly on the shift fork when I replaced the trans. A lot of people on neons.org say that those tabs are only there to keep the throw out bearing in place during installation. The thumping noise/feeling and harsh engagement was not apparent until after the trans swap.

99RedGs · Apr 13, 2012

How far off of the floor does it engage? Did you adjust the pedal free play or master cylinder after this transmission swap? Is it hard to actually shift into gear?

91-talon-tsi · Apr 13, 2012

99RedGs said:
How far off of the floor does it engage? Did you adjust the pedal free play or master cylinder after this transmission swap? Is it hard to actually shift into gear?

It seems to enage about halfway from the floor maybe. I did not make any adjustments after the trans swap. It goes into gear just fine and doesn't grind or anything. Once in awhile reverse is hard to catch, but I think it's because the
shift linkage is missing the u clip that holds it to the trans. I have it sort of strapped in with wire for now until I can find a replacement u clip.

95TalonOwner · Apr 13, 2012

91-talon-tsi said:
shift linkage is missing the u clip that holds it to the trans. I have it sort of strapped in with wire for now until I can find a replacement u clip.

THAT is certainly causing most of your problems. Get it fixed and report back.

91-talon-tsi · Apr 13, 2012

95TalonOwner said:
THAT is certainly causing most of your problems. Get it fixed and report back.

Would it really cause issues like the issues that I'm experiencing ? I have it held in place pretty well, but It's held in place with wire which isn't solid like the u clip.

91-talon-tsi · Apr 15, 2012

A better way to describe what is going on with my car is as follows :

From a dead stop I push the clutch pedal to disenagage the clutch, I shift from neutral to first and then as I start to depress the clutch pedal (to engage the clutch) and give it gas to start to take off, there's this thumping/knocking noise that comes from the trans area and you can feel it through the floorboard as if someone were underneath the car rapping on it with a rubber mallet.

It does this only when taking off from a dead stop and happens for a few seconds until the clutch fully enages. It goes thump thump thump thump. If I take off real slow and let off the clutch pedal (to engage the clutch) real slow and easy, it does not thump or knock. What could this be ? Bad clutch ? Warped pressure plate or flywheel ?

I think this is the original modular clutch with 188k miles on it.

cdkelly91 · Apr 15, 2012

Sounds like something could be bent a little. Another possibility is a really messed up mount allowing a lot of movement when the clutch reaches the friction point.

mikedsig · Dec 6, 2013

If anyone ever figured this out, or has any new I fo, please let me know! Im having the EXACT same issue with my eclipse. I have the repedative thumping as I depress the clutch into 1st gear. Its only as the gear catches and only for a few seconds (or until ive completely released the clutch) . Im not a mechanically inclined person, so I have not the slightest clue what it would be, but im afraid it may be the tranny, or basically just something expensive to fix. I just bought the car a couple days ago and didnt really notice it untill later that night while I was driving, but I dont really know much about the cars history.

1996 eclipse rs 5spd 137k miles. Any hints tips or ideas is appreciated, id prefer not to pay a couple hundred dollars just for a diagnosis.

Thank you!

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