hey guys, on my way home today I shifted into second and gears started grinding. Lost the use of my clutch from this point. I know I have to tear my car apart I'm just hoping it's nothing too major. The car made some major vibrations in neutral at points.

I'll be replacing the slave cylinder, pilot bearing, and clutch. Does this sound like any of those or do I have bigger problems?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qyYPAii7Cfc

 

Is second gear the only gear that's grinding? If so you probably have a shot second gear synchro in the transmission. I don't think a worn out clutch disk alone would make that noise. Have you checked the level of your clutch fluid?

If you're going to do a clutch swap be sure to check the condition of your torque tube couplers while your down there.

 

It definitely grinded in all gears. I was shifting without a clutch, the first gear starts from a stop were painful and stalled it a few times. The clutch is inoperative but the pedal is not sticking.

Clutch fluid level is ok too.

 

Kinda sounds to me like your clutch hydraulic system might be dry. Have you checked the fluid level?

 

Just edited my last post the fluid level looks fine. Pedal doesn't feel terribly loose either, just a bit looser than normal.

 

From what I can hear in that video , it sound to me like alot more than just clutch issue. Sounds like some internal tranny problems also. Syncro for second maybe. I wouldn't drive it too much before I got it checked out if I were you...
Just my .02 cents

How many miles are on the car/tranny and do you have any power adders like supercharger or juice? These will cause premature expiration of both clutch and tranny...

 

Well... Here's the thing. I don't think your clutch disk being worn would cause the problem you're having. When you depress your clutch pedal the pressure plate releases the clutch disk from the flywheel to allow you to shift gears while the transmission is not under load. When you release the clutch pedal the pressure plate presses the disk up against the flywheel so that the motor can supply power down the driveshaft to the rear wheels.

If all of the friction material was worn off of your clutch disk your car would not move much because the flywheel would not have enough "grip" to spin the disk. However you could still depress the clutch pedal and the pressure plate would still release the clutch disk which would allow you to shift gears normally.

Now, if for some reason your clutch disk is not disengaging from the flywheel when you depress the clutch pedal that could cause you to grind gears when shifting because the transmission would still be under load. One of the things that can cause a clutch to not disengage properly is low clutch fluid or you might have air in your system (highly unlikely unless it was serviced recently).

I'm far from an expert on this so someone correct me if I'm wrong...

 

In the video it sounded like clutch pedal down no noise? Clutch Pedal up lots of noise? Dose it make that noise and not move in all gears? Is the Speedo moving? Broken Axle?

 

I'm no expert either, I'm in an auto engineering course and have done clutch hydraulic system services before but this eludes me.

Best way to describe it is the clutch will not disengage, in neutral if I rev it it wil make that noise. I can drive it by rev matching and it revs up fine and shifts smoothly into gear without grinding if I rev match, I can use all gears and even made 60mPh on my limp home.

The fluid level is good and the noise is definitely coming from the bellhousing.

The car is stock.

 

Noise while revving in neutral points to clutch not disengaging. Curing the problem by matching revs points to a synchro issue but it's unlikely all of the synchros went out at once and you said you're having this problem in every gear right?

What kind of clutch do you have? Stock hydraulics?

 

Okay... Well I guess now I'm leaning toward a bad throwout bearing (comes with a new factory slave) or possibly bad pilot bearing.

Time for someone more familiar to chime in. Either way it sounds like you've already checked the easy stuff and are going to end up dropping the drivetrain.

 

Let’s start with this.


You said the noise is coming from the bell housing area on back of Engine correct? Y/N

You can rev the engine if needed.

With engine running Transmission in neutral. Clutch pedal down noise? Y/N
With engine running Transmission in neutral. Clutch pedal up noise? Y/N

With engine running clutch pedal down can you move the shifter into 1,2,3,4,5,6&R Y/N

 

yeah, I've ruled out the tranny.

The annoying part is I have the service records and the clutch/flywheel have been replaced in 08 (pro gold/ aluminum flywheel), and same with the hydraulics.

 

With engine running Transmission in neutral. Clutch pedal down noise? Y
With engine running Transmission in neutral. Clutch pedal up noise? Y


all the time the engine is running you have this noise?
Dose the noise change / different with pedal up or down?

 

noise doesn't change with the clutch pedal, at base idle it isn't there but at low revs ~1000rpm it comes up. Also, once at a stop light in neutral the car was vibrating like an earthquake at just idle 700rpm.

 

Not sounding good, It sounds like a part breakage problem, not worn out. As you are pulling the Clutch check your input shaft, propeller shaft, couplings, or bearing housing assembly. That is a lot of work you don't want to overlook something but I think with that much noise & vibration it should be obvious when you find it. Also while it is apart it's a good time to change the Slave cylinder and add a remote bleeder.

 

I'm still thinking you have a bad bearing. Either way time to open it up and see what you find.

 

I'd almost bet the farm the car has a broken spring or two in the pressure plate. Had the same issue on a car I worked on. I can't listen to the video on my work computer, but from what you've just described, it's EXACTLY what the car I worked on did. It would also explain the bad vibration, as the clutch system has lost some of its dampening, and is now not balnced properly either.

Only question I have, did the clutch slip at all when any kind of power was applied? Or did you try to give it much gas at all, other than just super-limping it home?

Either way, with any of these problems, you're gonna have to dive in to take a look. Just thought I'd throw another opinion in the mix.

 

That sounds worse than just a release bearing. I'd definitely pull it apart before it does any further damage. Let me know if I can be of any assistance.

 

So I got home and pulled the exhaust and pressure plate off.

I found lotta metal shavings and strips of metal, a piece of broken plastic (think that's from the slave). Odd thing is my sis pushed the clutch pedal and I watched the slave push on the pp springs.I put the car in reverse while in driveway and pushed foot in clutch and it rolled back while making an awful grinding noise but then it caught on something and the car jammed. Stopped moving.

Also I super limped it home but didn't notice any slipping.