Newish clutch - getting noisy - what to do?

[slaphappy]

Hi,

I had an exedy clutch fitted to my Starlet 1.3 sportif late last year, only done 5K easy miles in it since then.

For the last few weeks noticed that when idling at lights out of gear, the clutch makes a slight whirring noise.Soon as the clutch is depressed the noise goes away.

Is this anything to worry about? Should I go back to the original garage and ask them to check it?

I've since read on blogs that I should have insisted they use original Toyota clucth and bearing, as most non Toyota bearings don't last - is this true?

All help appreciated.

Thanks.

by the way: in May did an 1800 mile round trip from West London to Germany and back - in a weekend. The car was fantastic, never missed a beat, 70-80mph for 12 hours at a time on the autobahns. Best car I've ever owned.

Edited August 17, 2015 by slaphappy

[RobSR]

As you've mentioned first thing to do would be to change the release bearing. Toyota won't make theres anyway, made by Koyo.

[slaphappy]

- thanks for your reply. Just spoke with the garage owner that did the job last year.

He reckoned that the symptom (noise on idle, clucth not engaged, noise disappears if clutch depressed) isn't the clutch. Says if it was the clutch the symptms would be the opposite i.e. noisy on pressing clutch, no noise on releasing clucth.

Says it's the gearbox that at some point will need overhauling. Says the sooner I do it the better, before broken bits of metal circulate through the box doing more damage. Looking at £400ish all in to overhaul.

Is this anyone else's experience?

ty

[RobSR]

They are symptoms of release bearing not a ruined box lol! If it was gearbox you wouldn't have issues with it idling, gearbox issues would come to light when driving/the gearbox is actually turned lol. Ignore that, he's just after 400quid and probs won't touch the box.

Failing the realise bearing you can also get that sound if the springs on the clutch plate have cracked / popped out. Where did you buy the clutch from? Some exedy and fake ones had this issue.

[slaphappy]

- thanks, i'm not a mechanic but i would have guessed clutch release bearing given the symptoms. However...

... googling the problem and there's debate re. clutch or gearbox.

e.g. this thread: http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?t=818743

had the same problem with my E21 bmw, was the clutch release bearing. couldn't have been louder than mine....the bearing broke up and went into the gearbox bell housing!!

you need to find a proper garage. you might get garages claiming it's the gearbox, but i doubt it. if it's release bearing, just get a new clutch if it is on its way anyway. mine was noisy for almost 1 year before i changed the clutch (i was changing the gearbox for a 5speed so i was going to change it anyway as the 'box was already off)

ETA: my dad has a '58 plate M3 which makes a slight noise, dealer said it's perfectly normal. as long as it's not that loud i wouldn't worry about it. does the noise continue if you accelerate in 1st gear? if not...don't worry. mine used to (as the bearing went into bell housing)

OP, personally, i wouldn't worry about it mate.

When the clutch pedal is pressed, the realse bearing is spinning at engine speed, so if it were the release bearing, it would get worse, not stop.

When the clutch pedal is pressed down, the gearbox stops spinning...... Most gearboxes have some level of backlash noise (transmission chatter) when idling in neutral with the clutch pedal up, and as others have said, is quite normal on the Fiesta box - I'd get someone who knows what they're doing to have a listen

The release bearing is also spinning when the clutch is pushed down, it's on the engine side of the clutch, not the gearbox side.

Release bearings on their way out do exactly as the OP explained. As someone else mentioned, with the clutch up they are 'unloaded' and rattle more, with the clutch down they are under load and generally quieten down.

With the cluct down the gearbox stops spinning, so yes it is possible there is a g/box issue, but compared to the probability of the release bearing I'd put my money on the bearing.

I'm going to bet on the input shaft bearing. Use a screwdriver as a listening stick and place it against your gearbox (preferably on the end if it's accessible through the wheelarch, but anywhere on the casing should tell you if that's where the noise is coming from)

Edited August 19, 2015 by slaphappy

[slaphappy]

Just wanted to post an update. Spoke with the mechanic at MOT a few weeks ago re. clutch noise (sailed through MOT). He still reckons it's the gearbox. I'll live with it for a while and see how things go. Got breakdown cover just in case.

[H_D]

clutch release bearing is the culprit.

if your gearbox makes a whining/whirring noise when its being driven then gearbox is goosed,

I have had the same issue on my daily for over 12 months its never bothered me.

Your mechanic is trying to rip you off plain and simple.