bad clutch release bearing
 

Hi guys.

Just noticed that my clutch makes noise when I depress the pedal. Has to be the release bearing. So my question is, how long I can drive with a bad bearing (no constant stop-and-go-traffic) and what will happen when it totaly fails? Just noticed that it always grinds when I stop and shift in reverse...

thanks,

Harry

Can go along time like that, but it will eventually wear down the pressure plate fingers. Then it will not release the clutch when you press it in. I drove a jeep a LONG long time like this tho, and finally one day just lpulled it and did the clutch and all. Just to be safe, not cuz it quit or anything.

Leslie

what kind of noise is it making?

I always thought the throw out bearing made a noise when the clutch pedal wasn't depressed? Crap then what the hell is wrong with my clutch the pilot bearing? Mine makes a nice whirring sound when I don't push the clutch, but when I do push in the clutch it stops and it is fine.

--Fritz

Fritz X
"I always thought the throw out bearing made a noise when the clutch pedal wasn't depressed? Crap then what the hell is wrong with my clutch the pilot bearing? Mine makes a nice whirring sound when I don't push the clutch, but when I do push in the clutch it stops and it is fine."

Tranny front or rear or both main bearins.

When you push the clutch pedal in, it moves the slave that then pushes the release fork forward, this pushes the throw out bearing forward disengaging the presure plate from the clutch disc. This makes the presure plate fingers ride on the throw out bearing durring this time. Then the pilot bearing comes in allowing the difference in tranny input shaft and flywheel speeds because the clutch is no longer keeping them turning at the same rpms. When you are not pushing the clutch pedal, it sits idly on the tranny input shaft. When the pedal is pushed, you are using the throw out bearings and the pilot bearings. When the clutch pedal is not pushed in, you are then only using the internal tranny bearins as the throw out is not ingaged, and the pilot bearing is turning the same speed as the motor and tranny input shaft that rides in it because they are locked together by the clutch.

Leslie

So I need to replace my transmission bearings? Not my Throw Out bearing? If it is making noise without the clutch depressed but when it does get pushed on the sound goes away that means it's not my throw-out bearing? About how big of a PITA is it to do those tranny bearings? Worse than the Throw-out? How much am I looking to spend. Sorry for all the questions it is just that I am sad to hear it might be something even more difficult to fix :(.

--Fritz

That's the opposite of what I have heard and encountered. I've always heard that when the clutch pedal is up, the throwout release bearing is spinning on the fork freely and if you hear a whirring noise, then it suggests the bearing has worn out. When you push the clutch down, the bearing is pushed into the pressure plate and stops spinning, thus why the whirring noise stops. My RX7 is making this noise currently. A previous car made this noise and it was diagnosed as a bad throw out release bearing.

throw out bearings.........
 

The throw out bearing does sit idly on the tranny main shaft when the clutch is not pressed in, but it is not spinning, the purpose of the throw out bearing is to spin with the presure plate when you engage it, the bearings within it only gets used at this time, it is actually wrong if yours spins when the clutch isnt pushed in, as there is supposed to be a slight clearance between it and the presure plate when its not in use. The throw out bearing wasn't designed for continuous use.

Thats what it sounds like to me. When you are siting idling with the tranny in nuatral, the only bearings in use are the tranny bearings. The throwe out isn't engaged, and the pilot is spinning at the same speed as the tranny main shaft. When you push in the clutch, the throw out is then engaged, pushing forward on the pressure plate to disengage the clutch disc. At this time the pilot bearing also gets used as the tranny main shaft should now slow since it isnt locked to the fly wheel any longer. Thats why it goes away when you push in the clutch, the tranny main bearings then arent spinning that fast, now the throw out bearing and pilot bearing are. As soon as you let out on the pedal to engage the clutch, now the throw out stops spinning, and the tranny mains get at the work. I hope I explained this so you could understand. I aint the best articulator.

You could try changing the tranny fluid to a less viscous fluid, I would try a full synthetic 75/90, or even dextronlll. I have seen main tranny bearins quit up with both.

But to do a real fix, you have to pull the tranny and remove the fron plate and snap rings, and the rear housing to replace the rears. Probably not for the shade tree guy, but before anything, get a good tranny teck to listen to it, altho I beleive he will tell you the same thing.

Leslie