Hello Everyone,

I have a manual 1998 EX, and I just started getting an odd noise coming from the transmission. It sounds simply like a louder version of the standard engine sound... no clicking, clanging, or clunking. When the clutch is pushed in, the noise goes away. The noise starts at the engagement point, not when the clutch is fully released. Also, it is pretty quiet, so I can only hear it when parked and at idle. If the car is moving, even at 5mph, the road noise drowns it out. It must be noticable, however, as a shop in town refused to drain and fill the tranny fluid since it was making noise.

I was reading through the stickied threads and found posts about the input shaft and throwout bearings being bad. They seemed similar, but those involved clicking and my noise does not.

Any ideas on what I'm looking at here? The transmission places are all charging a fortune to even look at it since I don't have a place down here to work on it. I'm going to be teaching a new manual driver on it for the next 6 months or so, and would prefer not to do any major transmission work until after that. Will it make it, or is this something I should take care of immediately?

Thanks for the help!!

 

You have a worn input shaft bearing.
Very common.
Cheap part, big labour

 

or can be your throwout bearing...

 

Modified by CardDealer at 2:41 PM 11/16/2006

 

I see. I guess I kinda expected that. Obviously not too excited about many hundreds in labor for a $30-$50 part.

Is the transmission in serious danger? Could it go a few thousand miles so I can change out the clutch and the bearings and everything all at once after the new driver gets through with it? I don't have any clicking or pebble-like noises people described as bearings bouncing around loose in the housing.

 

Missed your reply by minutes, as I was typing.

I've done a lot of testing in preparation for responses. Just resting my foot on the pedal does not make the noise go away. Pushing the clutch 1/4 of the way in does not make it go away. It does, however, stop about 1/2 way down. So basically, the noise completely disappears when the pedal is between 1/2 way and fully depressed. I've had this car for years, and I recognize that 1/2 way point as the point at which the clutch starts to grip. And that's sort of an estimate. It might be something like 1/3 in, but you get the idea.

I've done a bunch of engine work, but I've never fiddled with a transmission before. Your post seems to indicate that the throwout bearing is an easier fix than the input shaft. Is that the case? My clutch pedals squeaks now and again, but I'm pretty sure that's completely unrelated.

Thanks for the help so far.

 

Modified by CardDealer at 2:41 PM 11/16/2006

 

Any idea on the repair cost on the throwout replacement? Did you take care of yours yourself?

 

Modified by CardDealer at 2:40 PM 11/16/2006

 

Modified by CardDealer at 2:40 PM 11/16/2006

 

I see. I'll go through the how-tos and decide if it's something I can tackle myself or if I'll just take it to a shop.

Well, thanks for everything. You've been most helpful.

 

Dont let it worry you, I have replaced input shaft bearings before its a fairly easy job you just use that writeup and give yourself a full day to do it. WHy not change your clutch and thorwout while your in there? remember to change both the bearings on the main shaft just to bhe safe.