Clutch or something else

[Primalzer]

Okay, so the Contour has just been acting really goofy lately (more so than normal). Shifts fine, but when i'm pulling away normally, just as i am completely off the clutch in 1st the car stutters for a second. Or when I'm going around a turn and am in 1 gear too high (which normally was fine, and it would torque out fine without any fuss) now it lurches pretty bad. I can't really tell if the cltuch is slipping as I've never driven a car before that has had a bad clutch. I tried to do the 4th gear from a stop to see if it would just spin the clutch and not stall, but it stalled (I know not very smart, but that's what everyone I've talked to with a Contour has said to do). Thoughts?

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[DarkShadow]

You sure its not misfiring? tune up time? maybe bad motor mounts causing engine movement?

just throwing those out there....

 

[Primalzer]

It definitely could be misfiring. It is a PITA to change the plugs as the upper intake manifold has to come off, and she's a big boy...

 

[Dasfinc]

Sounds almost like a chunked diff?

 

[Primalzer]

Quite possible as these diffs are quite weak, however, they really only chunk out when you really launch them, and I don't do that at all. I think I've launched it once...

 

[Dasfinc]

Quite possible as these diffs are quite weak, however, they really only chunk out when you really launch them, and I don't do that at all. I think I've launched it once...

When the spiders chunked in the diff of my B18 hatch, it had some bizzare characteristics, including exactly what you described, albeit a little more severe than you are mentioning. We were 'beating' on it, not really launching it.

 

[Primalzer]

Yeah i don't really beat on it all that hard. I mean once every two weeks I'll run in WOT through 3rd keeping the shifts pretty safe and about 500 rpm below redline just to clean everything out. Driving around today it doesn't seem to be a driveline issue but more so a fuel issue. Me and Poopshinanigons are gonna swap out the fuel filter tomorrow and clean out the MAF and do any other quick little things to see if that solves it.

 

[Dasfinc]

Yeah i don't really beat on it all that hard. I mean once every two weeks I'll run in WOT through 3rd keeping the shifts pretty safe and about 500 rpm below redline just to clean everything out. Driving around today it doesn't seem to be a driveline issue but more so a fuel issue. Me and Poopshinanigons are gonna swap out the fuel filter tomorrow and clean out the MAF and do any other quick little things to see if that solves it.

I assume you are intellegent enough, but just as a friendly reminder, use "Electrolyte" cleaner, or another 'electronics' specific cleaning spray on the MAF, and not carb or brake kleen.

after doing the fuel filter, I'd also sea-foam the car through the brake booster, and toss a bottle of lucas in the fuel tank just for good measure.

if you are still having issues after that, I'd say its a safe assumption that its not fuel related unless an Injector is Conking out.

Also if you have a MAP sensor as well as a MAF, be sure to clean that as well.

 

[Primalzer]

I assume you are intellegent enough, but just as a friendly reminder, use "Electrolyte" cleaner, or another 'electronics' specific cleaning spray on the MAF, and not carb or brake kleen.

after doing the fuel filter, I'd also sea-foam the car through the brake booster, and toss a bottle of lucas in the fuel tank just for good measure.

if you are still having issues after that, I'd say its a safe assumption that its not fuel related unless an Injector is Conking out.

Also if you have a MAP sensor as well as a MAF, be sure to clean that as well.

Yeah this is the 3rd Ford I've owned, and they tend to go through MAF's like gasoline. I went through like 3 MAF's on my T-Bird because of the poor ford design

 

[SRT41320]

are those hydraulic clutchs??? if so check the clutch master cylinder - my shitty honda was doing that .... turns out i had no fluid in the clutch master - wierd

 

[Primalzer]

Yeah just changed out the fuel filter, and it did a whole lot of nothing for the initial problem I am having. But now the car doesn't stutter while its warming up, and doesn't stall out, so I am making some progress.