I have a 2.0L 5Speed. I am taking it in this morning to get the timing belt replaced, serp belt, and water pump. I have a small oil leak somewhere on the passenger side that they are going to check out for me as well. Hoping it is just a valve cover or something simple.

My question is, when I take off out of gear, the car kind of shakes a bit? And when I shift to second, I engage the clutch completely, shift to second just fine, RPMs drop obviously, release the clutch (fairly quick, is how i usually drive stick), and it jerks really bad like the transfer of power is rocking the whole car/motor. I'm wondering if its the clutch issue? Or if its motor mounts/trans mounts possibly? It does this from 1st to2nd pretty good and from 2nd to 3rd. Usually 3rd to 4th and 4th to 5th is pretty clean and smooth like it should be. Just so you know, I usually try shifting about 2800-3k. Sometimes higher if I'm taking off a bit faster to get around/merge.

They are going to check the motor mounts while the motor is up. I'm hoping thats the problem. They said it would cost barely nothing. But its just really odd. No grinding, shifts fine, and when you do release the clutch it goes RIGHT into gear just seems 'hard' when doing it? I had a Honda 5 Speed and a Mustang 5 Speed which when shifting, I would just release the clutch and gas. I didn't have to 'ease it out' like I do with the avenger so it wont jerk as bad. I don't know whats up. They will check it for me, but anyone have any suggestions? Like I said, gears work wonderfully, no grinding, no real smell besides a bit of burning oil from the leak. And just so you know, when releasing the clutch, I have to come pretty far up from the floorboard to get it to grab, which from reading and experience, means a pretty healthy clutch.

Any feedback would be appreciated! Hoping its just the mounts :P Less money i have to spend. Car has 106k miles on it and I love driving it and great gas milage to work. Thanks!

- Kevin

 

I'd guess motor or tranny mounts / They'll check it ... Or you can have some one rev it and watch the motor for twisting ....

 

Well, Update. Dodge dealership called back...

I hit a deer a while back, very very small raditor leak they found. Might get that fixed next month. But they found my very small oil leak, which is the Cam Shaft Sensor Gasket? Replacing for 42$. Doing my Timing Chain, Two Belts, Waterpump, and Transmission Flush. All normal maintanace. They also found, and I am not to sure of exactly what it was, but 'Clutch' housing or something like that? Rubber gasket goes around it normally, well that was pulled back and it is now rusted. They said just warning me, it may leak down the road. $72 to replace that housing. So, while they have everything up an taken apart, going to replace that.

The service manager said they took a look at the Motor Mounts, and they look perfectly fine. so I am a bit baffeled. I expalined the problem to him over the phone a bit better and he said it does sound like the motor mounts. He is going to get all this work finished and check everything. Then he said he will test drive it and give me an idea of what it is or possibly check other things once he test drives it.

He said other then the oil leak i told them about, the 'clutch housing' or what ever it was, and the radiator leak (very small), things look good on the car. He said as long as i keep up on normal maintanance, I should get my 80k on it easily. Which I take care of the car, I want to get 200k out of it. So thats good news.

Also, Passanger Ball Bearing went out. And from reading the Recall, its covered! He told me the passanger side was bad and that they are replacing both sides from a Recall Service which has never been done on the car. Free of charge. So thats good news for me and my pocketbook.

Anyway, any other ideas for what could be causing the jerking when I release the clutch after getting into second? and from second to third? I hope he finds something. Its not bad, just I hate having to ease out of 2nd, 3rd, and 4th. And even then its kind of there. Thanks!

- Kevin

 

Are you SURE it's a ball bearing recall??? I've NEVER heard of that only the ball joint recall

 

Ya, Ball Joint. I was at work so I wasn't to focused when I wrote that Sorry.

I don't know what exactly they did... but it shifts much cleaner. Had to be either the timing belt replacement, or the trans flush. But it doesn't jerk when i release the clutch any where NEAR as much. Much smoother. Taking it back up for some gasket changes to take care of any chances of oil leaks, and should be good to go for a while!

The sales guy wanted to put a Avenger Brocure in my car. Hah. I told him I love the style of the older ones... sorry

Thanks!

- Kevin