So I’ve got the symptoms of a bad pilot bearing (grinding / rattling, in gear, clutch pressed to the floor, goes away with the clutch out). I think I’m going to try to replace it myself. The only thing I’m worried about is removing the pilot bearing. The tool is $111 which is quite a bit for the tool, are there other options besides buying the tool?



Also, I’ve never dropped a tranny, but I have pulled a motor from a 3rd gen. Is there a write up for dropping the tranny or any tricks/advice you can give me?

 

http://bucket.andern.org/alexander/a...nsmission.html

Answered my own question about dropping the tranny, anyone have any advice on the pilot bearing?

 

Buy the tool my friend, it definately pays off. That thing is not easy to get out of there. The tool makes the process very easy. I have heard of another method using a bolt and a couple of washers which is more cost effective. I think I found it on the forums here so you should be able to find it with a search. Whichever method you use, make sure that you get the tool all the way to the back of the bearing. If you don't you will take out the middle of the bearing without the outside metal sleeve which is very thin. I made this mistake and it cost me a couple of days trying to figure it out. I ended up modifying the SST and luckily it grabbed the back edge. I did this a couple of months ago, if you have any questions shoot me a PM. Don't want you making any of the mistakes I did.

Brent

 

What I've always heard was that if you didn't have the correct puller, or couldn't rig up puller arms that fit correctly, you found a wooden dowel that's a very tight fit for the bore of the bearing. Now you fill the bearing with grease and drive the dowel down through the center of the bearing with a hammer. Supposedly that will force it right out.

Good luck.

 

I'm not sure of the difference between the FD and FC's, but when I changed the bearing on my old FC, I just used a "modified" pilot bearing puller. Autozone has a loan - a - tool service, so all you do is leave a deposit on it, and use of the tool is free. the claws were just a little too big to fit the hole, but it wasn't anything a little grinding didn't take care of. I have also heard of the dowel pin method, but instead of grease, I heard you can use a couple loaves of bread. Just keep packing that **** in there!

 

If you leave the outer shell in there by mistake ,a drimmel with a stone will cut it into quickly then pry it up and out .If you can pull a motor you can do this simple job . Good skill to you .

 

This is kind of strange, but when the car is warmed up it makes no noises and runs completely normal.

So the only time it makes the grinding noise is when the car is cold, in gear, with the clutch pedal pushed down. Does this make sense?

 

Borrow the 'blind hole puller' from Autozone. I just used it last weekend and it works perfect. It's a $130 tool which you can borrow for free.

 

definately GET the tool. i did my clutch 2 weeks ago and didnt have and it was a PITA

i got my pilot bearing stuck in there. the outside was stuck and it took me quite a while but get it out but it was a lot of work

good luck

 

It could be either the input shaft bearing and/or the throwout bearing. When you push the pedal in, you load the throw-out bearing and stop the clutch disk from spinning.. but if the input shaft bearing is bad then the input shaft will just bounce around as the flywheel spins and rattle.. or sag and let your clutch drag a little.

I'm assuming that you're replacing them both while you're in there.

 

look online you can get the tool for like 34 bucks http://www.overstock.com/cgi-bin/d2....ID=666753&fp=F

 

put the car in gear drive down the road. push the clutch in with it in gear. does it still make the noise

 

It does for the first couple miles or so, but not after that.

 

it is prob one of the shaft bearings in the tranny. when was the last time the fluid has been changed, prob wont help but ... you wont know if it is the T.O. or the pilot until you pull it and check them anyhow. if it has been awhile since it was serviced why not

 

There was a new motor dropped in about 3 weeks ago, do you think that could have something to do with it?

 

It's pretty easy to damage the pilot bearing when putting a new motor in if you don't pull the transmission with the motor. Ask me how I know why

 

^ hes right, maybe it didnt get put in straight?

 

Start the car up and let it idle. Put the car in first gear while the clutch is on the floor, keep the clutch pedal on the floor... does the car try and move forward?

 

Yes

 

x2

The input shaft of the tranny is enough to smash the pilot bearing or pilot bearing seal if things get pushed together before they are perfectly aligned.

Maybe you can get the shop that did the motor to replace the pilot bearing since it is sensible they damaged it. Not a huge deal, IMO.

 

So why does the it work completely fine once its warmed up and driven a few miles? I don't understand this part.

 

Noisy bearing will often get quieter when warm. Why I'm not 100% sure - perhaps it's the grease softening, or the oil in the gearbox getting splashed around. But that is the tendency.

Dave

 

if you do decied to replace it, get the tool it makes it so much easier

 

does it still try and move forward in gear/clutch pedal down when it's warm? that is a far more serious prob than a noise... what is the pedal free play like?

 

Since the car tries to move in gear with the clutch pushed in and the car is cold, maybe the clutch disc is dragging on the flywheel or pressure plate, causing the disc to rattle on its splines. The friction characteristics of the clutch disc change with temperature. Deposits of clutch material on the FW or PP may also smooth out after running a bit. Also, if the clutch master or slave is starting to fail, they will usually work better when warm (the seals get more flexible) and will disengage more completely when they warm up.

The pilot bearing itself is so small that for it or its seal to make noise, it would have to be in really bad shape.