Clutch noise......What is it?!

[jimmatczak]

I am in the process of redoing everything on my SVO. I havent driven it in over 15 years. The car only has about 45,000 miles on it.

A little background...about 15 years ago (the last time I really drove it), the clutch was starting to slip when I went over 40mph. At that time (about 10,000 miles earlier) I had already put a new clutch in it and replaced the front roller bearings on the shaft in the trans as it was making noise. I suspected oil may have been leaking from somewhere onto the clutch making it slip...maybe the rear main...??

I started it up again last summer. Drove it around maybe only 20 miles or so, and the clutch was good - no slipping, car pulled real good. Only had a little transmission noise when the clutch was engaged and the trans was in neutral - sounded like slight bearing noise - you know, you can hear the trans shafts rolling around - figured it was that damn roller bearings again in the T5 - nothing to be concerned about - just an early T5.

This summer, I started to restore it. I ripped the engine all apart. Did everything I could think of - new engine compartment paint, new rack/pinion, stab bushings, timing belt, water pump, hoses, gaskets everywhere, fuel line connectors - anything that could be bad after 25 years...looks great and clean... Didnt TOUCH the trans, clutch cables, etc...

I just started it back up and I have this NASTY rattling coming from the trans. The noise goes away if I step on the clutch. I can move the shifter around no problem between gears. BTW, my quadrant is obviously shot and its been that way for the last 15 years - its got no adjustment - never clicks - pedal high, etc. needs a new one for sure. I can move the pawl out of the way and move the quadrant back a few teeth, but it just bounces back up to full as soon as the pedal bounces. I dont think its an issue.

I disconnected the 3" cable from the fork and moved the fork and TOB back out of the way and started it up and the same rattle. Its not coming from the TOB rattling on the plate or not being preloaded enough.

What could this be???? Im hesitant to drive it now - I was hoping to get it all done by the Woodward Dream cruise next month - but if I have to do a clutch cable/quadrant/clutch/trans rebuild I may not make it.

Could the clutch disc just have gotten dirty when I was pressure washing the engine/compartment. The block and trans were still in the car connected when I did that. I dont see any oil leaks anymore from anywhere and I dont see any oil drips from the bellhousing (like I used to see 15 years ago). The only oil seal left to replace would be the rear main seal.

The noise does quiet down if I rev it up to 1200 rpms or so.....(it also quiets down with the radio on full blast also...

Should I ride the clutch a little to let the disc clean itself up?! or is there a trans removal in my future.........

All suggestions would be appreciated!

Jim

Also....when I was tightening up the front crankshaft pulley bolt, I had the car in 1st gear and had a friend sit in the car and step on the brakes. The engine would still turn over while I was trying to tighten the bolt. Should this have worked or would that be a sign of a slipping clutch????

[DRAGPAK]

I would pull it out and check the tob and clutch fork pivit.Plus i would also check the front input bearing on the tranny and install new rear main seal .

[svosam]

While chasing down a trans/clutch noise of my own a couple of months ago, I came across this info....it was dead on in my case:

symptom.....problem (reasoning for diagnosis)

*noise/grinding with clutch pedal out....input shaft bearing (because pilot bearing is not spinning, TOB is idle).

*noise/grinding with pedal partially depressed....throw out bearing (because pilot bearing is not spinning, input bearing loaded).

*noise/grinding ONLY with pedal fully depressed....pilot bearing (pilot and TOB are spinning, TOB passes above test)

...sounds like an input shaft bearing to me.

[FoxBdy]

I would guess throw out bearing.......inexpensive fix.
My Opin.
Good luck, let us know what you find.

[jimmatczak]

It was gearbox noise. The front gear on the countershaft was missing a tooth. Well, not missing....it was laying nicely in the bottom of the case, just not really doing anything down there.

Also, the front of the case next to that gear was all chewed up. I guess that all explains the noise. I guess I didnt do such a good job when I replaced the front countershaft bearing years ago.

It was a good opportunity to replace the clutch, the cable, the quadrant, u-joints, T5, mounts, bushings. Anything else I left out??!

[Erics SVO]

Ouch!

[jimmatczak]

I did replace the radiator cap. It made the trans so much more quiet.

[Erics SVO]

Probably helped it run cooler too!

[jimmatczak]

Sometimes finding a problem is a great excuse to replace alot of parts that need to be upgraded anyways.

Without a problem, you would have to justify spending all that money.

"Gosh honey, I hate to spend all that money, but that damn thing-a-majig just broke! - Stupid mustang" (come on, we have all said it)

[svono50]

I know I just HATE when things wear out/break and have to be upgraded.

[5150driver]

my wife says sell the damn thing every mod you do breaks another thing.