my 92 teg had 189K miles, so I imagine this is a clutch related problem, not tranny related.

Symptoms:

driving in tulsa the other day and it shattered in first...like I was a 15 year old just learning how to drive a manual. I thought nothign of it until in traffic it became so difficult that I couldn't even get it into first if the car was on. I turned the car off, shifted into first, then limped back to the GF's house. I let it sit for a while, took it back out, and tried to double clutch ever so delicately, and it worked! still ALOT of chatter in 1st and 2nd, we're talking dashboard-rattling, teeth chattering-chatter. now its driveable, its seems to have gotten a little better on the drive home, btu still retains the chatter in 1st and 2nd.

Causes?:

Well its not like any other worn clutch I'm replaced, since it'll still chirp the tires, so that means its not the disk being worn, there's still plenty of meat on it. Perhaps the throwout bearing not working properly, cuaing trouble engaginfg? or maybe bent/broken fins on the pressure plate? sounds more like a pressure plate problem to me, but any advice is helpful

btw, I have an exedy clutch and fidanza flywheel to replace the worn components with, I just don't want to do it if its not necessary....

 

At this point, replacing the clutch is inevitable. I'd go ahead and get it out of the way as soon as is convenient.

 

definitely...but what do you guys think it is? I guess that really doesn't matter though, does it?...

 

It's possible a spring popped out of the clutch. Of course, anything is possible.