Club 80-90 Forums

My van has juddered every now and again when pulling away in first on a hill since I first got it 14 months ago.
Lately this has got worse and now happens nearly every time I pull away in first or when I reverse the van on to my drive (uphill). It was so bad this evening that it kept jumping out of reverse when I was reversing up the drive. However, if I hold the gearstick in place it seems ok.
So, is my clutch on the way out or could it just be that the engine mounts are shot?

engine type?
to start with might help

Good point, Louey!
It's a 2.1i DJ.

Probably the clutch..

You should be able to tell, at the instant it starts to take up, before it takes up any load, does it feel like its lightly juddering, rather than when you let it take the load - if so, its probably the clutch, but bad engine mountings might make it worse and help to tame it if changed.

Sticking centreplate on splines (don't just chuck a new one straight in, clean splines and lightly MOS2), deburr the clucth fork with a stone, flywheel face might be wavy (overheated, blued, mall surface cracks) - check with engineers quality steel rule, easy to see or feel - which case, will need grinding flat, or new flywheel etc. etc.

In English, Clive, not Engineerish.

Ok Thomas...

Probably the clutch..

You should be able to tell, at the instant it starts to take up, before it takes up any load, does it feel like its lightly juddering, rather than when you let it take the load - if so, its probably the clutch, but bad engine mountings might make it worse and help to tame it if changed.

Sticking centreplate on splines (don't just chuck a new one straight in, clean splines and lightly MOS2), deburr the clucth fork with a stone, flywheel face might be wavy (overheated, blued, mall surface cracks) - check with engineers quality steel rule, easy to see or feel - which case, will need grinding flat, or new flywheel etc. etc.

Lightly MOS2 ?

Sorry, it's a long time since I did my chemistry A-Level!

If it's the clutch we should possibly touch on oil contamination, which could come from the gearbox, or the engine - time to get down and check from oily filth and see if it smells nasty (gear oil)

Molybdenum Disulphide, de black grease

Check the gearbox mounting aswell as the 4 engine's ones .. the orange one did it all the time i had it ..

Thanks for all the replies chaps.
I've checked underneath and can't see any signs of an oil leak.
I think I'll renew the mounts and see if that makes things better. If not then new clutch.
If I do have to change the clutch is it an engine out job, or can it be done with the engine in place?

Engine in .. gearbox out / to the side

I think I'll renew the mounts and see if that makes things better. If not then new clutch

lever them about gently to see if ahich, if any are soft or have delaminated...

My clutch is on 45,000 and Im getting the judder when I dont keep the revs up in first or engage 2nd at too low a speed. There is no clutch slip though.. I lowered my idle speed a fraction the other day and I wondered if that had made it worse. I can get the faint judder when I just fractionally release the clutch. Ive just had new engine etc in so I dont suspect the mounts. Is 45000 high or low for T25 running heavy most of the time what a good average life span. I wont repair the clutch myself so I want to know what I can reasonably ask a garage to do for me. Any suggestions?

Ive just had new engine etc in so I dont suspect the mounts.

There's your answer then... who put it in, did they do all the normal clutch checks, cleaning and deburring?

Flywheel face, splines and operating forks?

Is 45,000 high or low for T25 running heavy most of the time...

Depends on the driver and time in traffic, time held on clutch Vs into neutral/handbrake on, clutch up etc.
I think they're pretty tough, others may disagree.
Juddering can be a problem though if all not right... an overheated clutch/flywheel can lead to this, as can normal wear and tear.

Took the van to work today and had to do a few hill starts. The juddering starts just after the clutch has engaged and the van has started to move. It's worse in reverse than in first.
Does this info' give a better clue to the problem?