92 MTX pressure plate failing or something else related to it?

[RookieSHO]

I'm having issues with my 92 Taurus sho, whenever I try to accelerate I hear a soft popping noises a coupe times on the front driver side then it quits but I hear small noises when driving, the clutch peddle feels hard to press sometimes but other times it felt soft/easy, sometimes my car feels slow accelerating like the clutch is slipping and other times it accelerates like it should and other times I can feel the accelerate fluctuating, also I can feel a small engine vibrate when I first start the car, I'm trying to figure out what's causing the car to do that

also the clutch kit is almost 2 years old in my car

 

[TankII]

My popping noise is from worn subframe mount holes. I would check - replace your mounts if you do a clutch.

 

[RookieSHO]

okay, I'll check on that, also the acceleration fluctuates/stutters even when I'm on the highway

 

[sdpatt]

Popping noises while rolling and in gear can be lower control arm ball joint (check for torn grease boot and any looseness), outer tie rod end ball joint (same checks), sway bar frame bushings (only if polyurethane bushings are installed) or even the strut rod front frame mount welds broken (can be inspected by removing the forward strut rod nut and bushing). Something is loose. The hardest of those to identify on my car was the sway bar bushings. The popping noise could be heard and felt through the footwell.

If the engine vibrates in neutral with the clutch pedal not pressed (while idlibg), and does not vibrate with the clutch pedal pressed (clutch disengaged), there may be friction material broken off from the friction disk. I know this one from experience. If it vibrates intermittently in either or both configurations, it may be a misfire.

 

[RookieSHO]

my car currently has like around 204K miles, my clutch peddle sometimes feels soft then other times it feels hard, my engine vibrates with/without clutch pressed but think I know what is might causing it, the subframe bushings my car is using is Gen 3, also here is a list of parts what I replaced/swapped on my car

1. I swapped out the MAF sensor and clean it (no change)
2. I swapped out the Distributorless Ignition System Module with a working one (no change)
3. Replaced the Driver side CV axle (no change)
4. Replaced my spark plugs to NGK 7994 IFR5E-11 Laser Iridium (seems to somewhat fix the stuttering issue, I also notice one of old spark plug had carbon build up on it)
5. I used the High mileage fuel injectors cleaner for 2 fuel ups but gonna stop at 2 since helped one of the issues of my car (it helped the acceleration fluctuation issue so I think I had dirty fuel injectors and I notice my mpg went up a little)

the next thing I need to do is replace the lower control arm on the driver side and replace the fuel filter

also is the 3.2L SHO engine fuel injectors compatible with my 3.0L SHO engine?

 

[Bryan]

Worn pressure plate could cause falling out of gear/ possibly slipping due to a lack of pressure holding the clutch to the flywheel. As other have mentioned it sound like a suspension issue. Which gears feel like they are slipping? A hard or soft clutch petal also could mean the clutch cable is stretched or something is binding up. There is some info in your manual on how to use the auto adjuster to try and tighten up the slack in the clutch cable. Basically you have the car off, and in first gear. What you do is with the tip of your foot you lift up on the clutch petal until you hear a "click". This is the adjuster trying to tighten up the slack on the clutch petal cable. According to the user manual this needs to be done about every 5000 miles to maintain tension on the cable. However after 200k miles Who knows what has happened in the time. Sounds like you got more issues that just what you are mentioning.

 

[RookieSHO]

thanks for the tip (my car would felt slow when going to 3rd gear but 4th and 5th gear my car would shutter when I try to hit the gas more or even when press the gas partway), I was only able to reset the clutch cable once after the new clutch was installed almost 2 years ago but after that till now no clicks when I lift up the peddle and I reset it many times in the past, also now I hear a slight creaking noise when pressing the peddle down, I replaced the worn lower control arm with a newer one but it didn't fixed the popping issue but I notice the swaybar has a slight play in it on the driver side where the bushing is at so I'm gonna need to replace it, I replaced the 2 year old Fuel filter with a new one and I noticed it fixed my acceleration and stuttering when going on the highway so now I think probably it wasn't the clutch but maybe, also the popping noise does it sometimes when I start to move the car but it does it the most in second gear but only when the rpm is low around 2-2.5K when pressing the gas at the same time

 

[RookieSHO]

I finally found out what really cause the performance issue on my car, the spark plug wires was bad all along so I replaced it and the issues finally went away, no more popping noise and the engine firing is very smooth now