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Hey clutch gurus and/or good troublehooters!


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Right.. something under the hood has been squealing like a banshee for some time now. The noise seems to be coming from the clutch area.

 

I've already pulled the engine out and replaced the throwout and the pilot bearings with new units. Also did a thorough clutch/PP/flywheel inspection. Noise still exists.

 

The noise sounds like a belt squeal. I've only got one belt, and its not the source.

 

A buddy believes theres a worn out spring in the pressure plate, causing uneven engagement, making the noise. The PP looked fine when I tore it all apart. My mechanic friend also inspected everything aft of the crank seal, and found no glaring problems. What are the odds that this is really the problem? I've never heard of such a thing.

 

The noise goes away in gear under load. (tells me TO/pilot)

The noise doesnt change with application of the clutch. (tells me NOT TO/pilot)

The noise quiets down on a rev up.. but reappears on the backside of a rev.. as in coming back down. (just confuses me)

 

There seems to be no driveability issue..crap engages just fine. I can light up my allterrains just fine. Its just noisy and embarassing.

 

Cash is tight.. cant really afford a new clutch assy at this point. Will I end up killing myself or blowing something up beyond repair if I continue to drive it with the banshee under the hood?

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Oil pressure is great.. 60# at cool idle as per the mechanical gauge. 35-40# at warm idle.

 

Gear oil is fine. 3.5 quarts.. changed a couple months ago. Levels still good on the stick. Oil still appears clean.. no contamination.

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first of all is the bell housing area the sure source of the noise? I have had a similar problem when the tensioner pully on the front fan belt was about to go out. Try squitring some belt dressing or other" belt friendly" lube on the moving exterior pullies. If no change at least all your stuff is all slicked up :grin: . good luck with it and keep us posted.

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That's rather perplexing. Does it go away when you step on the clutch with the vehicle stopped? (That would indicate input shaft bearing failure.)

Nope. No change.

 

first of all is the bell housing area the sure source of the noise?
Thats where my ears (and everybody else's ears that hear it) tell me its coming from.

 

I have had a similar problem when the tensioner pully on the front fan belt was about to go out. Try squitring some belt dressing or other" belt friendly" lube on the moving exterior pullies. If no change at least all your stuff is all slicked up :grin:
I've only got one belt.. crank->waterpump->alternator...no other idlers/tensioners involved. Since it sounds like a belt squeal, thats actually the frst thing I checked. Changing tension on the belt doesnt change it either. Hell, I even took the belt off completely and ran it up for a short bit and still got the noise.

 

It is driving me up a frickin wall.. I guess I'll just have to save up and replace the remaining clutch components. :confused::confused::(

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Double check your TO bearing by removing the clutch cable and holding the fork so that the bearing is completely off of the fingers. Aside from a combination of a bad TO bearing and a misadjusted clutch, there are NO components related to the clutch or transmission that would cause what you are describing. I think your problems must be coming from elsewhere.

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It could be a bearing on the waterpump or the alternator - you could use a stethoscope (shop type with rod) to check.

 

This was in the post right above yours.

I've only got one belt.. crank->waterpump->alternator...no other idlers/tensioners involved. Since it sounds like a belt squeal, thats actually the frst thing I checked. Changing tension on the belt doesnt change it either. Hell, I even took the belt off completely and ran it up for a short bit and still got the noise.

 

Without the belt the waterpump and alternator would be stationary and therefore not related to the problem...

 

It could be an internal bearing on the trans. Try Snnowmans idea of removing the clutch cable and moving the clutch fork by hand. See if the noise changes at all. If it doesn't I would guess internal problem.

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No, what that eliminates is the clutch. If the T/O or pilot bearings were bad they would change their pitch or go away completely when pressing the clutch. The internal bearings or gears for that matter will still make noise if bad. The noise may or my not change when load is placed on the trans.

 

EDIT

Actually, how about this? Caught this in mid thought.(getting old sucks sometimes) If there is not any change when shifting or when the clutch is pressed. What about the rear main bearing? Have you checked for any debri in the oil? Just a thought mind you, but the trans issue seems to odd.

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That depends...If the car is moving and pressing the clutch pedal makes no difference, then transmission bearings could be the cause. If the car is stationary and it makes no difference when the clutch is pressed, then the transmission is ruled out, since nothing would be moving in there at the time. (I had envisioned all this happening with the vehicle stationary, which I'm not sure is the case.)

 

TO bearing will make noise just as you press the clutch and will usually continue as it's pressed. If properly adjusted, it should make no noise when the clutch pedal is released.

 

Pilot bearing will make no noise when the clutch is released, but will begin to make noise as the clutch pedal is depressed and the input shaft slows down.

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The noise occurs both moving and stationary. Clutch pedal movement doesnt change it. In gear, under load, it goes away, but returns as I let up on the go pedal. I've adjusted the cable and even cranked the brat up with the cable removed...no change.

 

Playing stethoscope again, I still cannot find anywhere else that its coming from. All I find is the usual tick tick and pop pop of the engine. I dont feel the noise in the selector lever, the clutch pedal, or 4x4 selector.

 

What are the odds that it could be a warped return spring in that pressure place like my buddy says? .The disc and PP are the only two items not replaced when I tore it down the first time.

 

 

Heh... Miles needs to bring his "traveling mechanic" toolbag and come visit sunny Florida. :brow:

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