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Drivetrain/Clutch Whine... Need help please...

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Old Jan 11, 2022 | 02:13 PM
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Default Drivetrain/Clutch Whine... Need help please...

Long story short, just bought my C5Z H/C/I car back that I sold 10 years ago.
There is a very loud, bad bearing type "whine" while driving. Push in the clutch, it goes away. Let off the throttle, it goes away. Back on throttle, it whines, and gets louder as speed and rpm rises.
I am thinking a torque tube issue, or throwout bearing?
Zero noise while sitting still, clutch in or out, nothing. The car has factory clutch, and 35k miles.
Here is a YT video with the exact same issue...

Any thoughts?
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Old Jan 11, 2022 | 04:14 PM
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My guess would be throwout bearing. If it was torque tube bearings you'd hear it all the time since the TT is still spinning even with the clutch disengaged
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Old Jan 11, 2022 | 04:23 PM
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Rear?
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Old Jan 11, 2022 | 05:12 PM
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Originally Posted by johnson-rod
Rear?
No, the throwout bearing is in the front, built into the slave cylinder.
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Old Jan 11, 2022 | 05:19 PM
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Originally Posted by johnson-rod
Rear?
Nah, whine goes completely away when you engage the clutch, or let off the throttle at any speed.
Only whines when it seems to be underload.
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Old Jan 11, 2022 | 11:23 PM
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Classic ring and pinion whine. Probably a bearing in the rear drive has deteriorated.

Confirm by draining the rear drive and check for metal particles.

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Old Jan 12, 2022 | 07:04 AM
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Rear end would whine constantly while rolling Id think folks. I think its the release bearing and possibly a badly worn clutch.
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Old Jan 12, 2022 | 08:37 AM
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Originally Posted by dskinsler83
Rear end would whine constantly while rolling Id think folks. I think its the release bearing and possibly a badly worn clutch.
I would think so regarding the rear end. The whine goes completely away when you push in the clutch, or let off the throttle completely.
By release bearing, do you mean Throwout? The clutch seems to work fine, and isn't slipping at all, and shifts smooth into all gears.
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Old Jan 12, 2022 | 09:05 AM
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My bad rear drive bearing only caused a whine on acceleration. Enormous amounts of metal particles in the rear drive fluid confirmed the source of the whine.

Took the opportunity to go from 3.15 to 3.73 rear drive ratio and put in a WaveTrac differential while the rear drive was replaced with an RPM unit: https://rpmtransmissions.com/product...ial-stage-iii/
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Old Jan 12, 2022 | 11:01 AM
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Originally Posted by jim993
My bad rear drive bearing only caused a whine on acceleration. Enormous amounts of metal particles in the rear drive fluid confirmed the source of the whine.

Took the opportunity to go from 3.15 to 3.73 rear drive ratio and put in a WaveTrac differential while the rear drive was replaced with an RPM unit: https://rpmtransmissions.com/product...ial-stage-iii/
Hope it’s not the rear! The car has a DTE stage 4. They must be out of business?! Couldn’t find anything on them?
The whine is very loud from the shifter tho, moreso towards the front of of the trans axle than then actual rear diff tbh.
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Old Jan 12, 2022 | 11:30 AM
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Originally Posted by cmb396
Hope it’s not the rear! The car has a DTE stage 4. They must be out of business?! Couldn’t find anything on them?
The whine is very loud from the shifter tho, moreso towards the front of of the trans axle than then actual rear diff tbh.
Does the car make the noise when sitting still/idling, or maybe up on jack stands? If so, try to narrow down the source of the sound. If it's coming more from the front it points toward a clutch/throwout bearing issue, if it comes from the rear it points to the rear end issue.

I wouldn't rule out the rear end, it's entirely possible it only makes noise when it's under load and not when it's coasting on the car's momentum. Fortunately the rear end fluid is super easy to drain and check, but if it's full of glitter obviously you need more than just a fluid change
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Old Jan 12, 2022 | 12:13 PM
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Originally Posted by Napoleon_Tanerite
Does the car make the noise when sitting still/idling, or maybe up on jack stands? If so, try to narrow down the source of the sound. If it's coming more from the front it points toward a clutch/throwout bearing issue, if it comes from the rear it points to the rear end issue.

I wouldn't rule out the rear end, it's entirely possible it only makes noise when it's under load and not when it's coasting on the car's momentum. Fortunately the rear end fluid is super easy to drain and check, but if it's full of glitter obviously you need more than just a fluid change
no noise when sitting still, or at idle.
just got the car in hand yesterday, and drove it about 5 miles. Have not had the chance to put it on Jack stands.
And of course, this issue was not disclosed prior to buying the car back.
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Old Jan 12, 2022 | 12:21 PM
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Originally Posted by Napoleon_Tanerite
If it was torque tube bearings you'd hear it all the time since the TT is still spinning even with the clutch disengaged
I disagree. If the car is stopped, and you put trans in gear with the clutch in, the TT driveshaft cannot spin. Similarly, putting the clutch in with trans in neutral will likely result in the driveshaft's speed dropping to zero... unless the clutch is dragging when disengaged...


About a year and a half ago I rebuilt my C5Z's torque tube (new bearings + couplers + slinger), which was in addition to clutch replacement, trans synchro rebuild, and LSD rebuild.
Since then my torque tube seems to be making excessive noise. I can hear it at idle, but it gets silent when depressing the clutch pedal (driveshaft stops spinning). The pitch/volume increase with engine RPM, and the volume level increases a little as the engine heats up.
That said, the noise is nowhere near what the OP has. I don't think that sound is related to the torque tube or clutch.
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Old Jan 12, 2022 | 12:56 PM
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Originally Posted by MetalMan2
I disagree. If the car is stopped, and you put trans in gear with the clutch in, the TT driveshaft cannot spin. Similarly, putting the clutch in with trans in neutral will likely result in the driveshaft's speed dropping to zero... unless the clutch is dragging when disengaged...


About a year and a half ago I rebuilt my C5Z's torque tube (new bearings + couplers + slinger), which was in addition to clutch replacement, trans synchro rebuild, and LSD rebuild.
Since then my torque tube seems to be making excessive noise. I can hear it at idle, but it gets silent when depressing the clutch pedal (driveshaft stops spinning). The pitch/volume increase with engine RPM, and the volume level increases a little as the engine heats up.
That said, the noise is nowhere near what the OP has. I don't think that sound is related to the torque tube or clutch.
Good point, I spoke in a bit more absolute terms than I meant to. You're 100% right that the TT isn't driven by the engine when the clutch is released. If the car is moving and in gear the TT will be driven by the rear wheels, however, if the transmission is in neutral or the rear wheels aren't turning the TT will not turn.

Seeing how OP said the noise isn't present when idling or revving in neutral and stationary I'm now also leaning toward it being the rear end. The clutch/throwout bearing only care about engine RPM and really don't care much about loaded or unloaded condition like the rear end does. Unfortunately I think a rebuild of the rear end is in OP's near future.
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Old Jan 12, 2022 | 01:26 PM
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See my thread here:


Sorry - I meant this thread which has a video of noise.

https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...his-whine.html

Last edited by waddisme; Jan 12, 2022 at 03:58 PM.
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Old Jan 12, 2022 | 02:43 PM
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Well, thanks for all the incite. Either way is not what I had hoped. Lesson learned on buying something, for the first time ever, site unseen and taking someone's word for something!!
Like mentioned, I sold this car over 10 years ago, and it's only had 13k miles put on it, but I'm afraid those were VERY hard miles!
Sold my RPM built C6Z 2 mos ago, and 3 weeks later got a text to buy this one back at what was an awesome price...so it seemed! Now, what was an amazing deal has just turned into something more to deal with.
Live and learn!!





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Old Feb 12, 2022 | 06:35 PM
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That sir; is your rear differential going out.
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Old Feb 14, 2022 | 08:45 AM
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Originally Posted by Napoleon_Tanerite
Good point, I spoke in a bit more absolute terms than I meant to. You're 100% right that the TT isn't driven by the engine when the clutch is released. If the car is moving and in gear the TT will be driven by the rear wheels, however, if the transmission is in neutral or the rear wheels aren't turning the TT will not turn.

Seeing how OP said the noise isn't present when idling or revving in neutral and stationary I'm now also leaning toward it being the rear end. The clutch/throwout bearing only care about engine RPM and really don't care much about loaded or unloaded condition like the rear end does. Unfortunately I think a rebuild of the rear end is in OP's near future.
If the clutch is engaged, i.e., the pedal is out, the torque tube shaft is spinning. Period.

I agree - rear diff is going out.
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Old Feb 14, 2022 | 10:27 AM
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Originally Posted by Ethered
That sir; is your rear differential going out.
Originally Posted by vinco
If the clutch is engaged, i.e., the pedal is out, the torque tube shaft is spinning. Period.

I agree - rear diff is going out.
That's the general conclusion w/o tearing into it. Sent videos to RPM and ECS, and they both said rear diff. The car has a DTE stage 3.
I will be taking it to RPM for clutch install and rear diff rebuild in the next couple of months.

I put the DTE rear in brand new 12 years ago, proper break in, and then sold the car. That guy put 800 miles on it and sold it to the guy I bought it back from. The car only had 13k miles put on it since I sold, but the last guy that had it changed the rear diff fluid when he got it...at 25k miles or so for whatever reason?!?
Would running the wrong type of rear diff fluid cause it to go bad? I checked the level, and level is fine, but I even had metallic on my finger from checking level. I have no clue what type of diff fluid he used? Thoughts?
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Old Feb 14, 2022 | 02:57 PM
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Originally Posted by cmb396
the last guy that had it changed the rear diff fluid when he got it...at 25k miles or so for whatever reason?!?
Would running the wrong type of rear diff fluid cause it to go bad? I checked the level, and level is fine, but I even had metallic on my finger from checking level. I have no clue what type of diff fluid he used? Thoughts?
Fluid change is a lot cheaper than other options. Might be worthwhile to try a fluid change in case it makes a difference.
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