Cascade Crew

[Xophertony]

so i am leaving for work and i hear a funny noise, which i can best describe as a "squeaky" rubbing noise, as i put the clutch in. i think nothing of it. onmy way home i noticed that my transmission seemed less synchronised. even with the clutch in i would have to rpm match just a little bit. then a little more, until it seemed as though i did not have the clutch in at all. however when at a stop i was still able to clutch in and out enough to where i could stop the car without the engine dying.

there is also a noticable vibration when i free rev the car past 1700 RPM. not enough to shake the windows, but more then enough to notice.

one theory:
pilot bushing. it has gotten messed up and is binding against the input shaft. this does not realy account for the vibration....

one theory:
the input shaft bearings are screwed up, this does not realy account for the inability to shift properly

one theory:
the pilot bushing AND input shaft are both messed up. one problem would lend to the other, both of them snowballing off each other.

one theory:
massive internal damage too transmission...

any thoughts? i can't drive the car like this. i have a three day weekend, so i think on friday this trannsmission is coming out. anyone want to help? free beer and food.

[305 302eater]

What your describing is similer to what just happened to my iroc. The trans ended up taking a dump.

[Twilightoptics]

May be a flywheel/pressureplate loose thing.

[Xophertony]

crappy. i have so little free time i am tempted to just take it to clutch doctors, but that would end my "no mechanics" streak.

so this flywhhel/pressureplate thing.. would i be able to tell visualy if this were the problem? once i had the transsmission out i mean.

[Twilightoptics]

Probably.

It might also be that you're loosing clutch fluid. Check the level and then check for leaks. Then get someone to check and see how far the fork is moving.

Check the bellhousing/Tranny bolts after that.

Then go inward.

[Xophertony]

well i can bleed the clutch without pulling the tranny. thats what i thought the problem was at first. why woulod that cause a vibration in neutral though? if this could be it i'll buy new clutch hydrolics on my way to work today

i'll give the new ones to the GTA and put it's used ones on the six. the six does not deserve new parts. it's been in a foul mood (throwing EGR code at me) all week and is being punished.

thanks for the idea paul, this was actulay my first instinct but i moved past it when the vibration started.

[Quasi-Traction]

Pauls probably more accurate. I'd have guessed misaligned/worn throw out bearing. or the pilot bearing.

If it comes to taking the transmission out....I can pitch in a hand tomorrow. Saturday I wont be able to help.

[Twilightoptics]

When the throw out goes, you hear it for sure.

Generally Pilots don't go over night. I'm assuming you guys put a bushing in and not a roller bearing. Even then, it shouldn't make some horrid vibration. Sounds like something is cock-eyed to me.

[BigDaddyVu]

my old v6 bird did that. the throughout bearing was drying out and out of balance. but that only happens if when have the clutch pedal in.

[Xophertony]

well the clutch reservoir is full. i'll get under the car after i finish my friday work and see what the deal is. i have clearence from my dad to use his garage for the week. so if i hafta pull a trannsmission i have a flat, lit, sheltered area to do it in. with electricity and air to boot. all i need now is a tranny jack and a lift and i am in business.

[alloy]

[Xophertony]

alloy, almost sounds like you are right (about my problem being the TOB). the only thing is that this was not sudden, it was gradual. wouldent a TOB just STOP working as the colar broke off or somhting?

i also have the crappiest TOB ever. thing has made noise since i put it in. ludicrus.... i realy hope that is it.

anyone know a good brand of TOB? i used a napa brand last time. federal mogul is the one everybody uses right?

[Twilightoptics]

Timken.

Napa used to carry them, not sure anymore. Autozone probably has em.

[Quasi-Traction]

Centerforce sells them seperately from the clutch kits.

[Xophertony]

so i pulled it apart, throwout bearing felt prety bad. replaced it, put it all together. took me five-ish hours. unfortunatly that was not the problem. i gotta pull it apart tomorow and replace the pilot bushing.

[305 302eater]

I did the same thing to my t-5 then one of the bearing's inside went. Thank god it went out when i was just letting the clutch out in first gear. Good luck.

[alloy]

Well..sorry to hear it wasn't the T/O bearing. I was going from my experience before mine exploded.

Did you check the pilot busing? If it's a "bushing" style pilot, I've seen them wear, but never break up. If it's the "bearing" style I've seen them seize and take out the front of the input shaft and make a hell of a noise. But when the clutch is out, the bearing has no function at all other than aligning and supporting the input shaft. The input shaft is turning at engine speed. The only time the bearing does anything is when you take off from a light or shift gears. I'd suspect something else.

Again, when does it make noise? Sitting in neutral, clutch out? Push the clutch in, any noise? Sitting not moving clutch in and in gear? Or moving down the road in gear? Which gear does it make noise in? In 4th gear you are 1 to 1. No gear reduction or overdrive, so no load on the cluster shaft or 5th gear. They are just along for the ride.......idling so to speak. Carefully listening will most likely lead you to where the problem is.

And if you've never pulled a T5 apart before, you can't just take the top cover off. You have to pull the tailshaft to get inside the trans to check it out.

[Xophertony]

well, if the pilot bushing locks the input shaft and the crank together it would certainly cause the issue i am having.. the clutch not working. thatr however is NOT my problem. take a look at this:




yeah. nice. it's been 11 months and 9,000 miles. the napa guy was giving me a bunch of crap about that braking as a result of abuse, and that the clutch was not defective. what abuse? this car has 140HP and i drive it like i did not steal it most of the time. i abuse the tires not the clutch. about the only abuse this thing has known was at the hands of steve "loins" schultz. and that was like 20 minutes worth of learning curve.. are napa parts not strong enough to handle teaching somone how to drive a stick? because if so that is the most ludicrous thing i have ever heard. it's a clutch, not a china tea set. it should be built to WORK and stay working through harder driving. this is supposed to be a stock equivalent, i drive the car the same way i drove on the 50K+ miled "stock" clutch that came on it with no problems.

anyway he said he would talk to his parts house and see what they can do, he said if it's warrantable he will apply the purchase price toward the center force that i want. i am NOT running another crapbox portshouse clutch. never again. he also said it is most likley not waranteeable. if they tell me i am eating this i am pulling a "i need to speak to your manager" and raising hell. not cool napa. not cool.

[chevymad]

Welcome to chinesium. And I'll bet most replacement clutches come from the same factory. Also if you look at hte centerforce clutch it will be the same pressure plate as the one you have, but modified.

[Quasi-Traction]

Well, looks like you found the problem!

Hopefully NAPA won't be dicks about this and actually warrenty it out.