99 Ford Escort ZX2 Crappy Clutch

[95ImpySS]

I have been fighting with theses cars for a a year or 2 now. This is my second one. I fell in love with this quick 40MPG gas saver wile my Heavy Chevy is dormant lol. The tranny in my 98 took a poop after I put a bunch of new parts on it so I purchased another one. Anyway, I have driven manual cars and trucks before but nothing has been as hard to drive as these 2.0l Zx2's. I CANNOT shift it smoothly. Engine flops around inside the engine bay, car lurches. Starting from a stop is very tricky. I have to ride the clutch big time. Engine braking feels like the engine is about to plop out. I installed new, clutch master cyls and slave cyls on both cars getting only marginal improvement. I changed engine and tranny mounts 3 times on the other car. The last time I filled the mounts with polyurethane. They only held up for about 2 weeks. My new car is a PIA to drive just like the old one.

I changed the clutch master and slave last night. No change, just more pedal feel. It feels like the clutch grabs at the very bottom of the peddles travel. With less than 1/2 of movement will cause the clutch to engage or disengage. Motor mounts will be changed again. I don't know what to use. Maybe Motorcraft parts. The parts provided by the local parts stores were absolute junk.

I am %99 sure all the air is out of the system. I have bled it every way I know how. Dripping, vacuum, pumping slow, pumping fast, holding the slave fully inserted and pressurizing the reservoir. I highly doubt there is air in the system. But I have been wrong before.

Any ideas?

[z28cam70]

can check for TSB's for you tomorrow when i get to work . but have you checked the actual clutch itself or the pilot bushing/bearing ? when you release clutch pedal does the engine/drivetrain buck or jerk maybe breaking the mounts ? possibly contamination on the clutch disc ? maybe its the blue oval infecting the car lol, but seriously i'll check for TSB's and call someone i used to work with that now works at a ford dealer and see if there is a common problem with these cars that could cause this .

[z28cam70]

sorry it took so long but my buddy at ford finally got back to me. he wasnt able to help with anything and i checked for TSB's and there was none. is it possible you have something contaminating the clutch disc causing it to grab and chatter? what is it doing that makes it so hard to start off from a stop? is it vibrating badly ,shuddering?

[MidwestTA]

I have also had 2 zx2's, and one was heavily modified. They are slightly tricky to drive, but they like to be shifted quickly, but dont get ham-fisted, the shift forks bend when you slam the gears. Now to give you a couple idea's, there are 4 mounts 3 on the trans and one on the engine. The two main ones on the tranny (the front and back ones) mount to the front to back cross-member, this cross-member is also mounted with rubber bushings, these do tend to wear out. If they go bad, even with good mounts on the trans, you'll get jerking. If you want, PM me and I can give you a boatload of tips to make that car alot more fun to drive while not spending much and getting better gas mileage.

[95ImpySS]

sorry it took so long but my buddy at ford finally got back to me. he wasnt able to help with anything and i checked for TSB's and there was none. is it possible you have something contaminating the clutch disc causing it to grab and chatter? what is it doing that makes it so hard to start off from a stop? is it vibrating badly ,shuddering?

Hey man, thanks for checking that for me. I forgot I made this thread a gave up on Ford lol. Anyway, by now I know the trans mounts are shot, and the motor mounts prolly are as well. Hoping that's the culprit at this point. There is an oil leak between the trans and engine. Its small compared to my old car but is a possibility that its contaminating the clutch. Both cars drove the same. Both had leaks between the trans and engine. Basically, the clutch is either on, or off whiten 1/2 of clutch pedal play. No shuddering, or noises. Just tricky as all hell to drive. Coupled with 15-25Hp under 3800 rpm makes it crazy hahaha


I have also had 2 zx2's, and one was heavily modified. They are slightly tricky to drive, but they like to be shifted quickly, but dont get ham-fisted, the shift forks bend when you slam the gears. Now to give you a couple idea's, there are 4 mounts 3 on the trans and one on the engine. The two main ones on the tranny (the front and back ones) mount to the front to back cross-member, this cross-member is also mounted with rubber bushings, these do tend to wear out. If they go bad, even with good mounts on the trans, you'll get jerking. If you want, PM me and I can give you a boatload of tips to make that car alot more fun to drive while not spending much and getting better gas mileage.

Ohhh nooooo an enthusiast. Crap, you may rekindle my happiness driving the car. :) I'm going to shoot you a PM now.

Bending shift forks.... yeah I did that on my 98, 2-3 with no shift linkage bushings at WOT. Still stuck in third, hanging out in my driveway. LOL Don't know what to do with it other than for parts for the 99.