Throwout Bearing????

[Soob Dude]

I just put a tranny in my '94 Leggy Wagon. The tranny works good(thankGod) but im getting a rubbing/grinding sound from what i think is the throwout bearing. When I depress the clutch it stops and when i engage it, it makes the noise. Its a new throwout bearing so its not shot. What the f@#$ is the noise?????

[Log1call]

When you push your foot down onn the clutch the front shaft of the gearbox stops turning. When you let it up the shaft turns. The noise could be the front of the gearbox.

 

There is also a bearing in the back of the crank that follows the same pattern. When you put your foot on the clutch and put the car in gear, the bearing's inner race is stopped by the front gearbox shaft and the crank keeps turning so the bearings outer race turns. If that bearing is noisy you will hear it when the clutch is down and the car is in gear but stationary. Once you let your foot off the clutch that bearing all turns together and you won't hear it.

 

The difference/way to tell is... if you can hear this noise you can hear when the car is moving I'd say it's the front gearbox bearings.

[lostinthe202]

I think the bearing Log1call is referring to is the pilot bearing which sits in the flywheel and holds the nose of the tran's input shaft. I assume since you changed the TO bearing that you also changed the pilot bearing.

 

If the TO and pilot bearings are new, then it is likely one of the bearings in the Trans. It could be the front bearing on the main shaft (nearest the engine) but it could also be the large double roller bearing on the back of the main shaft, or one of the two large roller bearings on the pinion shaft.

 

Did check the input shaft for wiggle when you bought the trans? Did you change the oil in the trans before use? If so did you notice any metal shavings or bits of pieces of metal? If it is a bearing in the trans it probably won't take long to build up some metal shavings. You could change the oil and clean off the magnetic drain plug (at least 95 and up legacies have this, if yours doesn't I suggest getting one) then refill and check again in a week or so. Does it have a warranty? if so I'd think about returning it.

 

Good luck!

 

Will-

[Soob Dude]

I notice the noise the most when I push the clutch in and out when its in neutral. I checked the input shaft b4 i bought the tranny and there was no play in it. There was some metal shavings bulit up on the magnet but nothing out of the ordinary. However i didn't change the pilot bearing, would that make the noise i was describing??

[lostinthe202]

The noise is most noticeable at idle because there isn't any road notice to blend in.

 

Do you hear the noise when you are driving? You wouldn't hear the pilot bearing noise when in gear driving since, while doing so, the input shaft is rotating at the same velocity as the flywheel so the bearing really isn't doing much. In fact you would hear a bad pilot bearing with the clutch in (disengaged) and it would go away with the clutch out (engaged).

 

What do you mean "rubbing" noise?

Edited October 6, 2009 by lostinthe202

[Soob Dude]

Its hard 2 tell if theres a nosie when im driving cause my exhaust is so loud LOL. Yeah i meant the rubbing noise. I'll have 2 listen 4 it while im driving and then post. Thanks

[Soob Dude]

Ok, it does make that rubbing sound when im driving. I also put the car in 1st gear, pushed the clutch in and let it coast and it was also making that sound. I have a bad feeling i got boned buying this tranny.

[Soob Dude]

Its like a constant rubbing or a grinding sound is the best way 2 describe it. Like 2 metals rubbing against each other

[Soob Dude]

I came 2 the conclusion that its the tranny thats making the noise. I adjusted the clutch cable and it took some of the noise away(which was probably the TO bearing)but i crawled under it and i could hear the noise coming from the tranny. Now my next ? is how hard is it 2 replace the bearings in the tranny?? Is it even worth the effort or should i just get another tranny??

[lostinthe202]

Now my next ? is how hard is it 2 replace the bearings in the tranny?? Is it even worth the effort or should i just get another tranny??

 

It depends on which bearings are bad. If it's the input bearing on the main shaft, it's pretty easy for trans work as it requires no press to fit the new bearing. If it's any other bearing it will require a press. If it's the double-roller bearing at the back of the main shaft (the shaft with the "input nose" on it) then you can get away with a seating it with a proper sized collar of a soft material such as plastic or brass or aluminum. Fifth gear needs to come off and you'll need a gear puller, but you can pound everything back into place. If it the problem ends up being bearings on the pinion or "driven shaft" then things become more complicated. You'll need to reset the pre-load on the front diff and have a spring gauge as well as a press to get the gear clusters back together.

 

Here's a good write-up to give you an idea of what's involved in getting the box apart.

 

http://www.ultimatesubaru.org/forum/showthread.php?t=90182

 

And I suggest you do a search for other threads involving the inner workings of the trans as well as pick yourself up a factory manual to aid in it. Use the advanced search options for better results.

 

I won't speak to whether this is an "easy" job or not. I was able to get it done with good results, but my bad bearing was at the back of the main shaft and thus pretty easy to replace. If it's one on the pinion shaft or is not easily diagnosed without ripping all the bearings out... well things can snowball past the point of making sense and it would just be better to find another JY tranny with a warranty or maybe one from a board member wit a good record.

 

All that being said, the 5MT is considered pretty reliable. Perhaps you could find a JY that would give a warranty for not much more then the cost of replacement bearings. You'll just have to do your research.

 

Good Luck!

 

Will-

[Kingsblue]

I have the exact same problem Soob Dude. I just bought a 2001 Forester and I thought it had a bad throwout bearing... now my mechanic tells me it's much more. It's bearings in the tranny. He said he can either send it out to get them replaced for around $475 or I can get a used one with low miles for $575. So, I guess I'm stuck putting money into it already. Oh well.... I love the thing.