i have a 97 honda civic 4dr ex. it has 127 thousand miles on it and i dont belive the timing change has been replaced on it yet. when i let the clutch out when the car is cold, the car starts hopping at the rpms between 1 and 2. then when the clutch is fullt engaged, when i hammer the pedal, the car doesnt accelerate constantly, it starts a noticable jerking. do i need a new clutch plate, or is it just the timing chain that really needs replacing?

 

Because failure of the timing belt can lead to serious valve damage, a high priority should given to replacing the timing belt. In the meantime, you may want to check the engine timing (picture 1) and whether the timing belt has slipped (by looking whether the crankshaft pulley and camshaft pulley are still both at TDC; pictures 2 and 3). The latter procedure requires removal of the valve cover and upper cover.