Re: Wimpy Clutch Question & Suspension

[Chuck Simpson <csimpson@zeltech.com>]

What do you mean by "needs alot of massaging"?  I have a '98 and the
clutch feels pretty good (doesn't require much to press down, which is
always useful in traffic).
I'm not sure what you mean when you engage and disengage the "first"
time and get that weird noise.  Is this something that happens before
you start your car?  I'm trying to figure out if you mean that it "creeks"
everytime you press your clutch.... OR if you mean that odd clunking
noise when you shift from 1st -> 2nd gear that supposedly is the ABS
initializing itself.  I get both noises.  The "creeking" sound started after
I took my car to a touchless car wash and the jets cleaned underneath
my car.  I'm assuming some water got somewhere it shouldn't have.

My car has 10k and the suspension really pisses me off sometimes.  I
hate the loud noises caused by bumps in the road, yet the suspension
is quite bouncy during faster driving.  It seems that I can feel just about
every bump in the road (as if I had stiff suspension), and I get thrown
around in turns and dips (as if my suspension is from a cadillac).
What is up with that???  Is it the springs or the shocks/struts?

-Chuck Simpson
Zel Technologies, L.L.C.
Systems Administrator


Joshua M. Marrow wrote:

> I have a 97 Jetta GLX with 31,000 miles.  I have noticed, basically since I
> bought it, that the clutch seems to be very week.  It needs alot of
> massaging in order to get the car moving.  In addition, when I get in the
> car, the first time I engage the clutch and then disengage it makes a slight
> noise that sounds like a spring untensioning (almost like the sound of a
> slinky).  Kind of strange but the car seems to run fine.  Any input would
> be appreciated.
>
> Also, does anyone else out there notice a loud banging noise when you
> go over heavy bumps.  I don't just mean the obvious noise from the
> bump... but it sounds like the strut is hammering against the chasis.  It
> does this on all four corners.  It seems a little excessive.
>
> Again... any input would be appreciated
>
> Josh Marrow
> SGH Consulting Structural Engineers
> San Francisco, California, USA