unstable idle

[cyrus]

so 94 aspire manual.

gets cold from time to time here. 40ish not really too cold but yeah. every once in a while.. totally at random... if the clutch pedal is down, runs fine, if i let off and let it idle, it drops down below 500 and acts like it will die. tonight it actually got so low the lights started to turn on on the cluster for a split second then it sped up a little. any ideas??? i had my music up pretty good when it started it tonight so i turned it down when i noticed it but it didn't stop. kept doing it.

clutch related?? maybe alternator going bad and losin power?? ideas??

[WmWatt]

When you depress the clutch it diengages the engine from the transmission. Sounds like the transmission is not turning freely in neutral? I'd check the transmission fluid level for a start. I'd take my Festiva to an honest transmission shop I know about and ask them to drive it around the block and tell me if it feels right.

[cyrus]

well it does fine when moving... lol that's what i don't get.. seems odd to me.. but there's been an odd clunk when driving at times... only when the wheel is spinning at a fairly decent speed... its happened between 30-70. above that, i can't hear it. engine drowns it out. could it be the same issue causing it? what woould cause that noise?
thanks for the reply.