My clutch tends to engage when the pedal is partially down, its enough to allow me to switch gears but if i hold it there the clutch starts to catch sometimes (Air in the line?) Also no matter how hard i try my car tends to shudder whenever i shift between gears no matter how much i try to shift nicely. Anything that can be done without replacing the clutch? I cant afford it!
Try working on your shifts. The RPMs of the next gear you're shifting into (corresponding to the speed you're traveling at) needs to be right at the RPMs of the engine. i.e., in 3rd gear you're traveling at 25 MPH at 3,000 RPM. You want to shift to 4th. Well, 4th gear at 25 MPH is about 2,100 RPM. It seems to me that you're shifting too fast because the speed of the engine is still a few hundred RPMs too high and when the clutch grabs, the current RPM of the engine is pulled down to 2,100 RPM. This sends a slight shock/power through the drivetrain (hence, the thud you feel in your pants/shorts/skirt). Don't worry, your car came from the factory this way. In order for the speed of the engine to slow down quicker so you can perform smooth, spirited shifting, you'll have to install lighter engine components. Two of the easiest to replace is the crank pulley and the flywheel. But a combination of both has been known to drop the RPMs dramatically (which can cause driveability problems) and in some cars throw a CEL. ...also, you may have bubbles in your clutch line. Pump it out the same way you would with the brake lines. The nipple has a rubber cap on it and should be located on the driver's side of the throttlebody.
