Hey,

So I've just got back from a week away with my family. It was a 5 hour drive down and everything was fine, but the next day I went to set off from the site and there was what I can only describe as a heavy juddering with the car in the first gear. Since then it's happened almost every morning when setting off, but goes away and won't happen again until the car has been left still for the night.

I've done some reading and so far have had so many different answers, such as bad plugs, problem with the flywheel, driveshafts, engine mounts or just bad driving.

I've had the car since April and I know what it takes to stall it, the revs have not been low enough, and setting more revs just makes the juddering slightly more noticeable.

My theory is a potentially worn/damaged clutch as getting into first is slightly harder than it used to be, but not awful.

The juddering is definitely more aggressive than a stall, and noisier too.

Plugs are new as of May and have been fine, plugged in a scanner and no codes being read either.

Does anyone have any suggestions?

Edit: I should also add that this only ever happens in first, with my foot somewhere on the clutch. The juddering carries on for a second with my foot off the clutch.

Hi.

Petrol..or diesel ?

Dual mass flywheel maybe..
Single is still fitted to some engines

Sorry, forgot to add, it’s a 1.4 petrol.

I am still a newbie with these cars......

does it do this juddering when the engine has warmed up to working temp or just when the engine is cold?

Any juddering or banging in higher gears and between drive and over run??

Check the engine mounts for being loose/broken.......

Any history with this car like a new clutch fitted before you got the car???

How many miles on the car?

It’s hard to know exactly what’s going on for sure, and there are several things that could cause it.

Given the long drive and I’m assuming heavy loads in the car if it was a trip away. My gut feeling is the extra load has taken its toll on the big end seal and maybe some oil has leaked into the clutch housing and contaminated the clutch, that’s my theory and certainly not a definite answer. Realistically the only way you could know 100% is to take the clutch out, and if you’re doing that p, you might as well put a new one in.

puntodad19 said:

I am still a newbie with these cars......

does it do this juddering when the engine has warmed up to working temp or just when the engine is cold?

Any juddering or banging in higher gears and between drive and over run??

Check the engine mounts for being loose/broken.......

Any history with this car like a new clutch fitted before you got the car???

Click to expand...

Nothing in higher gears, only in 1st. And no past clutch replacement, the car had a patchy service history, no love for a couple of years unfortunately.

AndyRKett said:

How many miles on the car?

It’s hard to know exactly what’s going on for sure, and there are several things that could cause it.

Given the long drive and I’m assuming heavy loads in the car if it was a trip away. My gut feeling is the extra load has taken its toll on the big end seal and maybe some oil has leaked into the clutch housing and contaminated the clutch, that’s my theory and certainly not a definite answer. Realistically the only way you could know 100% is to take the clutch out, and if you’re doing that p, you might as well put a new one in.

Click to expand...

Car has just gone over 72k miles, and I'd agree that the load could have done it.

I guess my next question here is how hard is it to do the clutch myself? I've never done more than basic service parts, but I've got the tools (jacks/ramps etc). I know the clutch kits are cheap enough.

Hi.
At least a days work DIY

Personally.. work hard to rule out other things

Engine mounts being one.

Where are you based?

Charlie

varesecrazy said:

Hi.
At least a days work DIY

Personally.. work hard to rule out other things

Engine mounts being one.

Where are you based?

Charlie

Click to expand...

Sounds doable then, MOT's booked this week, so depending how that goes I'll try and see if I can find the source at the weekend.

I'm in Nottingham

Good luck.. it might just highlight an issue that is being heard..and felt

Charlie

Do you still have this issue as I'm having the exact same problem with my 2012 punto 1.4 petrol.
Thanks, Fred

PuntoFred said:

Do you still have this issue as I'm having the exact same problem with my 2012 punto 1.4 petrol.
Thanks, Fred

Click to expand...

I do, but I've just learnt to live with it. I suspect it's clutch related, but it only happens on cold/damp mornings.

I'll either leave it until the clutch needs replacing, or I replace the car, whichever comes first.