Clutch Chatter/Vibration

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Nimai_SR5Wagon
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My tercel:: 1984 SR5 Wagon
Location: Espanola, New Mexico

Re: Clutch Chatter/Vibration

Post by Nimai_SR5Wagon »

UPDATE:

I finally got my flywheel back from machine shop after 3 months (he was doing my 22R block and flywheel also). Still a long time…

This weekend I replaced the clutch, kept it very clean, torqued down P/P bolts evenly, installed bearings and clutch, reinstalled the transmission. After some effort got the engine to run and idle, pushed in the clutch ran through the gears, and NO CHATTER!

I’m not getting my hopes up yet, I have the car on Jack stands so there is no resistance to drive when in gear. But before the replacement the clutch would violently chatter no matter what.

I also replaced the motor mounts as they were shot, may have helped (that was a possible cause of clutch chatter from the FSM)

Now my idle is acting funny, took me a while to get the distributor timed up but now the idle is fluctuating too much. Never really had issues with idle before, looking at the carb it’s not clean, the flap on the barrel isn’t engaged with the throttle, it either is stuck open or closed. I’m sure a full clean and rebuild would treat it nicely. I have a Weber but from reading on the forum most people like the stock so I might as well keep it. It always ran great.

I am optimistic that I the clutch isn’t chattering, now it’s a matter of getting her idling properly and back on the road.
Nimai

1984 Tercel Wagon SR5
1983 Pickup 22R full rebuild project
2018 Civic Sport Hatch
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NWMO
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Re: Clutch Chatter/Vibration

Post by NWMO »

Great to hear! The idle can be pretty finnicky, but not a huge deal most times.
Psalm 37:4 "Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart"

In remembrance of my friend ARCHINSTL:

T4WD augury?
"Oh, do not ask, 'What is it?' Let us go and make our visit."
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"Now and then we had a hope that, if we lived and were good, God would permit us to be pirates."
Mark Twain
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Nimai_SR5Wagon
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My tercel:: 1984 SR5 Wagon
Location: Espanola, New Mexico

Re: Clutch Chatter/Vibration

Post by Nimai_SR5Wagon »

Wasn’t bad at all, found that the HAC vacuum line to the distributor was cracked, replaced it and now it holds an idle. I will advance the timing a tad, Choke seems to be working well. But now when I pump the throttle it will rev up to around 1500 without me holding the pedal down then it drops back to idle. Seems like excess fuel dump or something in carb staying open. Not entirely sure but I will figure it out.
Nimai

1984 Tercel Wagon SR5
1983 Pickup 22R full rebuild project
2018 Civic Sport Hatch
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Nordical25
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My tercel:: 2 4wd 1987's. One with 4a, other with 3a
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Re: Clutch Chatter/Vibration

Post by Nordical25 »

Is it 1500RPM when cold motor or also with warm engine?
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Nimai_SR5Wagon
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My tercel:: 1984 SR5 Wagon
Location: Espanola, New Mexico

Re: Clutch Chatter/Vibration

Post by Nimai_SR5Wagon »

Cold start the choke is engaged and it idles around 1500RPM, after a little i'll pump the throttle and it will drop to "warm" idle around 850RPM (i plan to advance it a bit) while around normal operating temperature, at warm idle, if i press the gas pedal it will rev along normally, but once i get my foot off the pedal, it doesnt seem that the pedal is sticking, it will still be revving up higher to between 1500-2000RPM, then it will drop back down. A ghost rev
Nimai

1984 Tercel Wagon SR5
1983 Pickup 22R full rebuild project
2018 Civic Sport Hatch
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Nordical25
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My tercel:: 2 4wd 1987's. One with 4a, other with 3a
Location: Finland

Re: Clutch Chatter/Vibration

Post by Nordical25 »

I see. Could you repeat similar higher idle if you accelerate RPM from carb throttle lever? High RPM could be caused for example by a bit sticky throttle cable or by sticky carburetor parts, which could need some carb cleaner.
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Petros
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My tercel:: '84 Tercel4wd w/extensive mods
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Re: Clutch Chatter/Vibration

Post by Petros »

check all your vac lines are good, not cracked or leaking, and routed properly (that always comes first...consider all of them are the same age as the one you found leaking), and check for all other sources of vac leaks. than run through all of the carb adjustments in the FSM (available for down load from this site), you also might spray some carb cleaner on all of the linkage and than spray some light lubricant to prevent any of the linkage from sticking. Between those two issues, vac leaks, and linkage adjustments, usually it will run well again.

there is one particular adjustment the behavior you describe may be out, it is a diaphragm on the front side (relative to the front of the car) of the carb that holds the throttle open slightly and allows it to slowly return to idle (it prevents the throttle from slamming shut between shifts so it does not spike the emissions). if it is too much or too little it will drive poorly between shifts. You blip the throttle while watching it, and it should slowly return the throttle to idle within 2 to 3 seconds. it is easy to adjust (see the FSM). too much it will not slow down fast enough for normal driving, and too little it can stall out between shifts.

good luck.
'87 Tercel 4wd SR5 (current engine swap project)
'84 Tercel 4wd (daily driver, with on going mods)
'92 Mazda MPV 4wd (wife's daily driver)
'85 Tercel 4wd DLX auto(daughter's daily driver)
'01 Honda Civic (other daughter's daily driver)
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Nimai_SR5Wagon
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My tercel:: 1984 SR5 Wagon
Location: Espanola, New Mexico

Re: Clutch Chatter/Vibration

Post by Nimai_SR5Wagon »

Petros and Nordical,

The TPS was what it was, and ive been referring to the FSM like crazy, its my savior.

The linkage was sticking so when i would blip the throttle the TP decelerator mechanism would extend to help with the deceleration - but as my foot came off the pedal the throttle linkage came to touch the adjustment screw (so that it could slow down the deceleration) but the TP linkage was still extending - therefor re-opening the throttle causing it to accelerate. If that makes sense.

I did exactly what you said with the carb cleaner and light lubricant and it definitely helped., so far it seems fixed but we will see- at least the problem was identified, pretty obvious once i understood that decelerator TPS mechanism.

This weekend i will be putting mostly everything back together - i need to install CV axles, replace ball joints, adjust some alignment, plumb up the exhaust. I think it will be ready to get back on the road. Fingers crossed my trans/clutch behave...

Very thankful for everybodys help, makes owning this car even more cool because i feel like a part of a little niche community.
Nimai

1984 Tercel Wagon SR5
1983 Pickup 22R full rebuild project
2018 Civic Sport Hatch
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Nordical25
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My tercel:: 2 4wd 1987's. One with 4a, other with 3a
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Re: Clutch Chatter/Vibration

Post by Nordical25 »

I am glat that you got it running with so small fix. Carb cleaner is really good stuff so it is good to have around with Tercels.
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Nimai_SR5Wagon
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My tercel:: 1984 SR5 Wagon
Location: Espanola, New Mexico

Re: Clutch Chatter/Vibration

Post by Nimai_SR5Wagon »

I got the car back on the ground, won’t go into gear….

So sad..
Nimai

1984 Tercel Wagon SR5
1983 Pickup 22R full rebuild project
2018 Civic Sport Hatch
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NWMO
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Re: Clutch Chatter/Vibration

Post by NWMO »

Make sure you have gone through the clutch adjustment properly.

Chris
Psalm 37:4 "Delight yourself in the Lord and he will give you the desires of your heart"

In remembrance of my friend ARCHINSTL:

T4WD augury?
"Oh, do not ask, 'What is it?' Let us go and make our visit."
T.S. Eliot - "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock"

"Now and then we had a hope that, if we lived and were good, God would permit us to be pirates."
Mark Twain
User avatar
Nimai_SR5Wagon
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Posts: 26
Joined: Tue Jan 11, 2022 9:58 am
My tercel:: 1984 SR5 Wagon
Location: Espanola, New Mexico

Re: Clutch Chatter/Vibration

Post by Nimai_SR5Wagon »

Thank you for helping me look at the simple things first, i was dreading having to get into the clutch assembly again.

I looked at the sector and paw mechanism and it looked perfect in relation to the FSM, so i decided to try to put washers on the cable where it meets with the bellhousing above the starter - adding the washers basically made the cable shorter and in turn allowed the proper engagement on the pressure plate, the tercel is now shifting like a dream.

Very happy
Nimai

1984 Tercel Wagon SR5
1983 Pickup 22R full rebuild project
2018 Civic Sport Hatch
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