Clutch Engaged and Screeching/Screaming

[TheGreatWhite]

Noticed today that when the clutch is engaged (foot off the clutch, "in gear") in any gear or neutral, there's a screeching/screaming noise coming from the transmission I can only assume. Clutch, flywheel, pressure plate, and throw out will be 2 this September/October and if it's the throw out bearing this will be my 2nd one that started by screeching before taking my clutch out.

 

What could it be and if it's the throw out bearing is it too late to save my $1000 clutch or would it be something simple like a slave cylinder? I so think I need a new one since engages and disengages are a little rough...

[dripley]

Sounds like the throw out bearing. My last clutch lost the bearing 70k after install. Screached and squealed clutch engaged or not. I changed it out and the clutch was fine. A real pain over a fairly inexpensive part. 

Edited August 4, 2020 by dripley

[TheGreatWhite]

9 minutes ago, dripley said:

Sounds like the throw out bearing. My last clutch lost the bearing 70k after install. Screached and squealed clutch engaged or not. I changed it out and the clutch was fine. A real pain over a fairly inexpensive part. 

If that's the case then what's the deal? Like it's probably not even 30k old?! Could that be a slave problem or what? I made sure last time to grease the ever living s#!+ out of it so it wouldn't do this 

 

Edit: I'm reading a lot of people saying it'll only make noise when the clutch is depressed, which I find a hard time believing cause last time this happened is when I did my clutch and my throw out was gone.

Edited August 5, 2020 by TheGreatWhite

[dripley]

It is my understanding the clutch fork is in constant contact with the throw out bearing and pressure plate. I even shortened my slave cylinder rod in hopes of taking some pressure off of it with no success. Took a quarter inch off and still had the screaching. I did make a few more days and a trip home to change it out. Figure it was just a cheap bearing. I believe the older non hydraulic clutches do not remain in constant contact. I know many years back I have lost a couple throw out bearings and they only made noise with pressure on the pedal, quiet while engaged. I am by far not the clutch genius here but that is my understanding. 

[TheGreatWhite]

14 minutes ago, dripley said:

It is my understanding the clutch fork is in constant contact with the throw out bearing and pressure plate. I even shortened my slave cylinder rod in hopes of taking some pressure off of it with no success. Took a quarter inch off and still had the screaching. I did make a few more days and a trip home to change it out. Figure it was just a cheap bearing. I believe the older non hydraulic clutches do not remain in constant contact. I know many years back I have lost a couple throw out bearings and they only made noise with pressure on the pedal, quiet while engaged. I am by far not the clutch genius here but that is my understanding. 

So consensus is if it's squeaking no matter what point of engagement it's the bearing. Got it! 

 

Just extremely upset I gotta pull the transmission after $30k.....

[dripley]

I dont know how much of a consensus we have since its just you me right now, but that is my opinion. I was also pretty pissed to have pull my 6 speed just to install that bearing. Especially since the factory stuff was still working after 240k when I had it swapped for the new one.

 

[TheGreatWhite]

1 minute ago, dripley said:

I dont know how much of a consensus we have since its just you me right now, but that is my opinion. I was also pretty pissed to have pull my 6 speed just to install that bearing. Especially since the factory stuff was still working after 240k when I had it swapped for the new one.

 

Yeah you got a point it is just us  I guess I included us and the other forums in on the "us"

[dripley]

Well I guess since us is a plural we came to a 100% consensus rather painlessly. 

 

Just thinking out loud it seems to me you pull the slave and see if it still makes noise. I never tried it even though I had the slave out to shorten the rod.

[TheGreatWhite]

3 minutes ago, dripley said:

Well I guess since us is a plural we came to a 100% consensus rather painlessly. 

 

Just thinking out loud it seems to me you pull the slave and see if it still makes noise. I never tried it even though I had the slave out to shorten the rod.

Well I talked to a buddy who actually sold me the clutch since he's a dealer, turns out you're not actually supposed to sit at a light, in gear, clutch disengaged, and foot on the brake. Throw out tends to get a little unhappy.... 

[dripley]

1 hour ago, TheGreatWhite said:

Well I talked to a buddy who actually sold me the clutch since he's a dealer, turns out you're not actually supposed to sit at a light, in gear, clutch disengaged, and foot on the brake. Throw out tends to get a little unhappy.... 

For the most part thats how I have driven mine. Definitely dont like to sit there holding the pedal down. I was 48 when l bought the truck in 01. Iam 67 now with heavier clutch and damn sure do it as little possible at 67. If the oe last 240k and the second one lasted only 70k, yours only 30k, l'd say the quality bearing is greatly diminished. I have about 100k on the latest clutch and bearing and it better last.

[TheGreatWhite]

5 hours ago, dripley said:

For the most part thats how I have driven mine. Definitely dont like to sit there holding the pedal down. I was 48 when l bought the truck in 01. Iam 67 now with heavier clutch and damn sure do it as little possible at 67. If the oe last 240k and the second one lasted only 70k, yours only 30k, l'd say the quality bearing is greatly diminished. I have about 100k on the latest clutch and bearing and it better last.

So you're saying you don't sit at a light with the clutch disengaged with it in gear? I'm just double checking if I'm reading that right.

[dripley]

5 hours ago, TheGreatWhite said:

So you're saying you don't sit at a light with the clutch disengaged with it in gear? I'm just double checking if I'm reading that right.

That is correct. I usually bump mine out of gear and sit there with my foot off of the pedal. I usually wait until the light changes before putting it into gear again. Occasionally I will leave it in gear if I see I will be moving fairly quickly. I do this as more for my left leg than thinking about the bearing.

[TheGreatWhite]

30 minutes ago, dripley said:

That is correct. I usually bump mine out of gear and sit there with my foot off of the pedal. I usually wait until the light changes before putting it into gear again. Occasionally I will leave it in gear if I see I will be moving fairly quickly. I do this as more for my left leg than thinking about the bearing.

Gotcha, I understand now thank you!

[Tractorman]

@TheGreatWhite, all of what @dripleysaid is here is right on.  You guys now have me concerned as I have about 47,000 miles on my new stock clutch and throw-out bearing.  The original clutch lasted 297,000 miles with nothing wrong with the original throw-out bearing.  I have always put the transmission in neutral with my foot off of clutch pedal at intersections.  @dripley, it sounds like you had a bearing failure even though you were using the clutch properly.  @TheGreatWhite, even though you may not have used the clutch as recommended, the throw-out bearing should never have failed so early.

 

It is very disappointing to learn that the manufacturing of the throw-out bearing may have degraded to such a poor quality. 

 

- John

Edited August 5, 2020 by Tractorman
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[Rotax3006]

The pilot bearing can make quite a bit of noise as well, only when the clutch is pressed though.  Make sure you change it as well mine has had 2 failures so far.  Talk about a lot of work for a inexpensive part. 

 

[TheGreatWhite]

1 hour ago, Tractorman said:

@TheGreatWhite, all of what @dripleysaid is here is right on.  You guys now have me concerned as I have about 47,000 miles on my new stock clutch and throw-out bearing.  The original clutch lasted 297,000 miles with nothing wrong with the original throw-out bearing.  I have always put the transmission in neutral with my foot off of clutch pedal at intersections.  @dripley, it sounds like you had a bearing failure even though you were using the clutch properly.  @TheGreatWhite, even though you may not have used the clutch as recommended, the throw-out bearing should never have failed so early.

 

It is very disappointing to learn that the manufacturing of the throw-out bearing may have degraded to such a poor quality. 

 

- John

I plan on calling South Bend and seeing what's up, granted by now it's out of warranty, it's still highly annoying that a premature failure has occured although I was driving it wrong. 

 

1 hour ago, Rotax3006 said:

The pilot bearing can make quite a bit of noise as well, only when the clutch is pressed though.  Make sure you change it as well mine has had 2 failures so far.  Talk about a lot of work for a inexpensive part. 

 

I'll definitely be checking it!

[dripley]

1 hour ago, TheGreatWhite said:

I plan on calling South Bend and seeing what's up, granted by now it's out of warranty, it's still highly annoying that a premature failure has occured although I was driving it wrong. 

 

Now that does concern me a bit more. My current clutch is a SB con ofe. The one that failed prematurely was a Valair. Think I will just keep driving like always and not think about until any odd noises appear.

 

One thing I hate about warranty is even if they do replace it. You still have to install it. I would gladly buy the bearing if they replace it. Well I can dream anyway.

Edited August 5, 2020 by dripley

[TheGreatWhite]

1 minute ago, dripley said:

Now that does concern me a bit more. My current clutch is a SB con ofe. The one that failed prematurely was a Valair. Think I will just keep driving like always and not think about until any odd noises appear.

 

One thing I hare warranty is even if they do replace it. You still have to install it. I would gladly buy the bearing if they replace it. Well I can dream anyway.

Just got off the phone with them, yeah they aren't gonna do anything. Basically just said woops sorry.... Amazing.

[dripley]

That does suck. How far out of warranty was it?

[TheGreatWhite]

Just now, dripley said:

That does suck. How far out of warranty was it?

It'll be 2 in October I believe.